Delaney James seems to have it all-a successful husband, a stylish Manhattan townhouse, and a thriving career in fashion journalism-until it all falls apart. Her husband leaves her, shattering the perfect life she once knew. Heartbroken and desperat...
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October 30th, 2009
"Grey, come on," I whine, as I look out into the ocean and bounce on my toes. "What are you doing?"
"Baby, it's one o'clock in the morning and there's not a soul here. I don't think we're going to have a hard time getting a spot." He shuts the passenger door of his truck and intertwines his fingers with mine as we make our way down the beach, holding my heels in his other hand. "Watch out for jagged rocks, okay?"
"If my dress wasn't so tight, I could just jump on your back."
"Just because I can't put you on my back doesn't mean I can't carry you," he says, wrapping his arm around my back and scooping me up bridal style. "My girl doesn't walk anywhere if she doesn't have to."
Cash Connelly had his annual Halloween party tonight, and as fun as it was, I'm lucky to have a boyfriend that knows when I tap the tip of my nose twice it means I'm ready to go and loves me enough to follow through. Most guys tell their girlfriends to hang out while they play one more game of beer pong, which inevitably turns into five and before they know it, the girlfriend is rubbing her guys back as he pukes in the kitchen sink. The party was fun, and our relationship is solid enough that we don't need to be attached at the hip, but right now I want him to myself.
Greyson gave me a hard time about dressing up – like he does every year – but he knows Halloween is my favorite holiday, so even though he acted like this was going to be the year he was going to put his foot down, he eventually gave in and decided to indulge me. I came up with the idea of going as a firefighter and a dalmatian. If he was going to be difficult about wearing a costume, I figured putting him in turnout pants, suspenders and smudging fake soot on his face would be the safest route. Seeing him shirtless and dressed like a dirty firefighter was a bit of an incentive also, but I didn't consider the number of stares he'd get by the girls at our school. I almost punched Ripley "Mrs. Steal-your-Boy" Payne in the face several times tonight.
We find a spot in the sand, close enough that we can see dolphins break the water but far enough away we won't get wet if the tide comes in, and Greyson lays down a blanket for us to sit on. He slips off his suspenders and pulls a long-sleeved shirt over his head before covering my white-and-black polka dot, strapless bodycon dress with his South Grove Baseball sweatshirt. He sits down, pulling me with him to settle between his legs, and covers me with another blanket he had in his truck. I relax against him and rest the back of my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes in contentment as the warmth of his body wraps around me like a bath towel fresh out of the dryer.
"Thanks for doing the Halloween dress-up thing with me tonight. I know how much you hate it."
"I do, but it helps that you're the sexiest puppy I've ever fucking seen."
I lightly swat him in the chest and snicker. "Shut up, you perv."
"You don't need to thank me, baby. I'll do anything for you," he says, wrapping his arms around me tighter. "You know that."
