"Lucas." Riley furrowed her brows and smiled, "I can't even believe this!"

His arms snaked around her waist as Lucas buried his face into the crook of her neck. "What do you think?"

The brunette was slack jawed and she couldn't help but laugh a little bit as his completely unnecessary question. The emerald eyed man simply wanted affirmation, approval of this entire weekend and she wasn't about to hesitate to give it to him. "This is absolutely incredible."

"Come on, let's go inside."

"But, the beach-"

"Will be there tomorrow." Riley didn't argue, he was exhausted from not only the drive but the emotional toll that he took today. Charlie's words of 'he can't replace me. I'm her father' bothered him more than he was willing to admit. She intertwined their fingers and lifted her bag which he hastily took away from her. "Really, this getaway happened at a great time. After today I say we need it."

The front door opened and he flicked the lights on, gesturing for Riley to enter first and she did. Curiosity over taking her, it was light and airy. The bright white glossy base boards popped against the baby blue walls. They were high decorated with family pictures and she took note of how cute Lucas was even as a boy. There were beach signs and 'five o'clock somewhere' plaques. The kitchen was surprisingly updated and beautiful. Stainless appliances and granite countertops, and the living room was not lacking in dark mahogany and leather. Kind of contradictory to the 'light' atmosphere the paint on the walls seemed to bring.

"Come on beautiful. Let's go upstairs, we'll get to our room."

She smiled and followed him up the stairs, the tile on the bottom floor had come to an abrupt halt whenever they made it to the second floor, and was quickly replaced by hardwood. There was another living area before he ushered her down the long hallway that was lined with doors. Other bedrooms and bathrooms she assumed. Lucas made an abrupt right and opened the door. "Your chambers my lady."

Her chestnut eyes rolled but she played along. "Why thank you kind sir!" She even gave a small curtsy. The room was absolutely beautiful, a king sized canopy bed with a heavy yellow comforter and multitudes of decorative pillows. The Jacuzzi bathtub and walk-in rain shower that had a seat in it, yes a seat. The shower walls lined with a deep blue tile. She was enamored by it all but on her way back out to the bedroom she found the French doors. "May I?"

"Of course." Lucas slipped off his shirt and though normally that would distract her from anything, curiosity was still too much for her to not step outside those doors. "Go on sweetheart. You can ogle me later."

And another swift eye roll. At least my eyes get a good work out when he's around. The door opened and she stepped out into the moonlight. The aroma from the wind instantly attacking her with salt and sand, sent her hair flowing behind her. There were 2 rocking chairs, but instead she found herself leaning over the railing and watching the wave's crash on top of the water. "Beautiful."

"Yeah, this view is spectacular."

"Yes it is, but I was talking about you."

Riley smirked and rested her back against the railing. "Does that line work often?"

"You tell me." Lucas whispered. They had a 'mini stare down' before he spoke up again. "How are you feeling sweetheart?"

His question caused her brows to furrow at first. It wasn't the usual 'hi, how are you' statement. It was deeper and the brunette slowly released the tension in her forehead. She inhaled deeply and rotated back towards the water. Ironic actually, she for years felt as if her life was like an ocean. A deep abyss where you could literally get lost. It made sense, she had lost her father and her husband. Charlie wasn't her problem now, she finally realized that now. Especially after her rant today.

But she gulped at the thought of her father. Why had he called her and why didn't he want anything to do with her? Why now? What was so different now that he felt the need to contact her and Auggie? "You know for years I always wanted answers to the millions and millions of questions I had of my father. But now, I don't really care. There was a point where I would have given anything for him to call me, or try to write me letters, but not anymore."

Riley could practically hear him smile, "You sound better."

Better? If it were anyone else she'd laugh at the ridiculous notion that she wasn't okay to begin with. But the brunette couldn't lie to him, Maya and Zay had always sympathized with her and were always there for her but Lucas didn't just console her. Lucas settled her fears, and put out all the fires. She wasn't okay, the only thing in her life that felt right was Emily. Now, everything seemed to have fallen into place. "I'm whole."

Her gaze continued to fall on the crashing waves in the ocean when she felt Lucas wrap his arms around her shoulders. The brown eyed girl released all tension with one swift exhale and smiled. "You know what Charlie said today wasn't true." Silence. "Lucas, you know that you can replace her father and you are doing so with ease."

The vet gulped and simply nodded. "Yes, I do notice that. But, I don't want to do that to him."

"It isn't you who's doing anything wrong." She craned her neck to get a glance at him, "You and Emily deserve each other just like you and I do." His gaze fell from the ocean to the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. "She deserves someone she can count on, and someone she can play with. You deserve to call someone your daughter, because she is. You may not be her biological father but that doesn't make you any less of a father to her, in fact you aren't a father. You're her dad." His lips pressed against her temple in a desperate attempt to hide the tears that had pooled in his eyes.

"How do you know exactly what to say?"

"Consider it a gift, specifically for you." They both laughed lightly together before meandering back inside. "Besides, I know that statement bothered you more than you were willing to admit. That's why he said it, and that's why he was so shocked when you basically said 'you can't replace him'. He likes to push buttons and apparently you don't have any. I've never really seen you mad before."

Lucas laughed and removed his jeans, leaving him in his Underarmor briefs. "I lost my cool a little today when he tackled me. But, all in all where does anger get you?"

She slipped into the sheets. It was a valid question, it only ever caused her to cry or she'd have to work through an attack. Lucas crawled in beside her and tugged her back into his chest. "I love you with all of my heart Riley."

"I love you too."

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Riley woke up the next morning and Lucas wasn't beside her, which was a weird feeling. She'd gotten so used to his comfort and warmth that she just expected it. The brunette checked her phone and found a missed call and voicemail from Mrs. Gardner. "Why would she call?" Surely she's upset I wouldn't let Emily go with Charlie. Her son would never get drunk according to her, not like he'd tell her the truth anyways. Charlie always had a habit of making her out to be the bad guy.

And everyone on his side of the family believed it, which what else was she expecting? People thought Riley cheated, or she sent off for a divorce. That she wouldn't let Charlie get her daughter on weekends where he had bailed. And for a good while she tried to defend herself, she even offered for Chrissy to pick up her granddaughter but she wouldn't have any of that and still somehow Riley was the bad guy.

She agreed to ignore it and set her phone down and got dressed in a sea foam green bikini with gold stars across it. Her absolute favorite one that she got from Victoria Secret last year. After sliding on denim shorts and an over-sized tank top she trotted downstairs. "Lucas?"

"In here sweetheart." The heavenly aroma of food brushed across her nostrils. He met her at the end of the stairs in a pair of blue swim trunks. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

The brunette fell into his chest and gave him a kiss. "You're cooking."

"Yes ma'am."

He grasped the back of her thighs and lifted her in the air to go back to the kitchen. "I'm supposed to be the chef."

"You're welcome for making you breakfast sweetheart."

She smirked and pecked his cheek. "That came out wrong and you know it. I mean I'm the guest so I should be cooking for you."

His meadow shaded eyes rolled, "You're my girlfriend so you're more than a guest. But, if we're getting real technical this is my parent's place so we're both guests."

"I'm going to avoid your overly methodical statement and say thank you for cooking me food. So what are we doing today?"

He smiled and fed her a piece of bacon. "I was thinking the beach." Smart ass. Her face said it all when he broke out into a fit of laughter.

"Are you delirious? Do I need to take you to bed?"

"You can take me to bed anytime." He whispered seductively, "But-"Moment ruined. "For now, let's eat. I already walked outside and set up some beach chairs and we have a few boogie boards and skim boards. I also brought a fishing pole and I got you a little something."

Riley narrowed her eyes. "All of this is more than enough. What'd you do?"

He chuckled and after telling her to 'hold on' he jogged back upstairs and minutes later he came back down with something behind his back. "It's just a little something to do while I'm fishing." Lucas revealed what he was hiding, "The first Hunger Games book. You keep saying you want to read them and now is the perfect opportunity when Emily isn't distracting you every 5 seconds." It's true every time she tried to sit and read Emily would point to a word and ask 'what's that say'.

She was happy that Emily was so intrigued by books and learning, but when it took her a good hour to read a page, that's when things got out of hand. "You are truly an amazing man." Riley scurried off the counter and sauntered towards him. The vet set down the book and his hands fell to her hips as he pulled her closer. "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

Riley was in the ocean trying to boogie board but kept getting distracted by Lucas' more than awful skim boarding skills. She decided to go lay in a beach chair so he could better hear her laughter. She pulled the boogie board to her side as she trudged through the water and ran her hands through her wet hair. "Seriously you can't do that." Lucas snuck up behind her with a towel.

"I'm sorry do what?"

He scoffed. "Make every single man on this beach eye you. I swear Riley, you have no idea how incredibly sexy you are." They made it back to the chair when she tore the Velcro off that kept the boogie board attached to her and slid on her sunglasses.

"I think you are incredibly full of it."

He shrugged, "Look behind you."

The brunette narrowed her eyes and casually turned her head. There were a few groups of college guys eyeing her. "I didn't-"

"I know you didn't know. But, it just proves I'm right." His eyes raked over her body, as he inched closer. "I guess I need to show them who you belong to."

His nose brushed across hers. "Is it weird that I secretly enjoy your possessiveness?"

"No." He whispered. "But it comes very natural to me when I'm with you. Especially when you wear the hell out of this bikini." His fingers played with the metal designed star that rested on her hip bone and in the center of her chest.

"Why don't you kiss me to claim me?"

She wiggled her eyebrows in a playful manner. He bit his lip and began to lean in, as soon as he closed his eyes Riley ran towards the water. "Oh RILEY!" The brunette let out a light squeal when he lifted her over his shoulder. "You're going to regret that."

"No, I don't think so."

"Yes, I think so." Wait why are we still moving towards the water? "1."

"NO!"

"2."

He had made his way pretty deep in the water and after a final squeal from Riley he yelled 3 and tossed her into the sea. The brunette came back up and pushed her hair out of her face, frantically blinking to get the burning sensation out of her eyes before bolting towards her boyfriend who was still laughing. "YOU!"

He held out his arms. "Come on my queen."

Without hesitance she tackled him into the water, her legs wrapping around his waist in the process and they both came up laughing before his lips pressed against hers. It was truly one of the cliché romantic comedy movie moments. They had gotten slightly closer to shore so they were both resting on their sides while facing each other. His left hand held the nape of her neck as their lips continued to move in sync. Her tongue swiped against his bottom lip and he immediately allowed her entrance.

It was the most romantic moment of Riley's life, she was absolutely sure of it. Until a bigger wave came up and slapped them in the face. They broke apart laughing and he gave her one final peck on the cheek. "Oh, by the way we're going to the Beach Fair tonight."

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