Lying in the Sand (16 page)

He laughed. “That’s always been my safety.”

She picked at her fruit, leaving the cantaloupe behind.

“You don’t like melon?”

“Not really.”

“Why?”

“It tastes like water.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Do you not like water…?”

She chuckled. “I do. I just don’t like the taste of it…it’s like sweet water.”

He stabbed his fork in her cup and shoved the chuck of fruit into his mouth. “Then I’ll eat it. It’s my favorite.”

“It is?”

“Yep. What’s yours?”

“Mangos.”

“Oh yeah, those are good. I’m sure there’s some around here.”

She put her trash back into the basket then stared at the water. “I wonder if it’s cold.”

“It’s not.”

She walked to the edge then put her toe in. “It’s perfect.”

He smirked. “I told ya.”

She pulled her swimsuit off then got into the water. When she turned around, Bryce was staring at her with a hard expression. He dropped his gaze quickly when their eyes met. “Are you on duty?”

“I’m always on duty when you’re around.”

She splashed in the water, getting her hair wet. “You aren’t going to join me?”

“Have you ever heard that phrase you shouldn’t swim after you eat?”

“Yep. But I’m a daredevil.”

He smirked. “A daredevil, huh?”

“Oh yeah.”

She stood then pulled his shirt off. “Then you wouldn’t be scared of a little skinny-dipping, would you?”

Cheyenne flinched at the suggestion. “Uh…” She stared at his naked chest, noticing every line and groove.

His hands were at the brim of his jeans. “Not so wild now, huh?” He smirked then opened his backpack, pulling out his swim trunks.

When he wasn’t looking, she untied her top then pulled it off. Then she threw it at him after she sunk deeper into water, hiding her nudity.

He felt the soaked top land on his arm. He grabbed it in his hands then looked at her. “I guess you are wild.”

“Looks like I proved you wrong.”

“We’ll see…” He stood up then pulled off his jeans.

Cheyenne tried not to stare but she couldn’t help it.

“I’m wild too, Cheyenne.” He grabbed the brim of his boxers, ready to pull them down.

Her heart was beating so fast it might give out.

Then he pulled them down.

Cheyenne felt her mouth drop. He had nothing to be ashamed of, that was for sure. “Um…”

“At a lost for words?” He smirked then stepped into the water, not at all uncomfortable being naked in front of her. His waist disappeared below the water the further in he moved.

The image was forever burned into her mind. His thin hips led to muscled thighs. They were round and thick, showing his strength and endurance. His thin waist was tight with the lines of his eight-pack. His chest was wide and strong, leading to shoulders that were broad and powerful.

“Cheyenne?”

“Huh? Sorry, what?”

He chuckled. “Did you hear me?”

“No…”

“Now it’s your turn.” He stayed a few feet away from her, looking at her face and not her body below the surface.

“Oh.” She didn’t expect this to escalate. But here they were, nearly naked in a pool. She grabbed the rim of her swimsuit then pulled it down. Then she balled it up before she covered her breasts and threw it to land.

He seemed amused. “The point of skinny-dipping is not to cover up.”

She dropped below the water, her shoulders hidden. “I’ve never done this before.”

“Neither have I.”

“Now what?”

“Well, you could come a little closer.”

“But then you’ll see me.”

“You’ve seen me,” he said simply.

How could she forget? “Yeah…”

He smirked then stayed back. “I won’t look if you don’t want me to. Knowing you’re naked a few feet away from me is hot enough.” He moved on his back then floated on the water, staring up at the sky.

She stayed in her spot, her head on top of the water like an alligator in the Amazon. “Bryce?”

“Hmm?” His eyes were closed while he floated.

“Why did you reject me?”

His eyes popped open. He stared at the sky for a moment, his arms extended on either side of him. “It might change the way you feel about me.”

“I doubt it.”

He sighed before he spoke. “I have a drinking problem.”

That was the last thing she expected him to say. “I had no idea…”

“It was bad for a while. I could hardly function without alcohol in my system. I would even go to work drunk. Since I work alone, no one noticed. I’ve been weaning off and I’m a lot better now. But…it felt wrong to go out with you knowing I hadn’t fixed myself yet.”

“Are you fixed now?”

He was silent for a while. “I haven’t had a drink in months but I still struggle with it. But if I didn’t go for you now, I knew I would lose you forever.

Cheyenne didn’t know what to say. She stared at him while he floated, seeing the blank expression on his face. Then she swam to him and floated on her back. Her fingers touched his then she finally grabbed them. He never looked at her exposed breasts above the water. “I’m sorry.”

He continued to stare up at the sky. “It’s okay. I did this to myself. I should have had better control…”

“What made you drink to begin with? Stress?”

He was quiet for so long she wasn’t sure if he would answer. “My dad passed away.”

She suddenly felt cold. Bryce never mentioned this before and neither had anyone else. She wondered if anyone even knew. Derek would have said something if he’d known. “I…I had no idea.”

“I don’t like to talk about it.”

“I’m so sorry…I wish there was something I could do.”

“There is nothing.” His hand touched hers, feeling lifeless. “It’s just how it goes…”

“May I ask what happened?”

“He had cancer. When he found out, it was too late. He was in stage four. It took him quickly.”

“Oh…I’m sorry.”

“And to make things worse, my mom was cheating on him. My dad never knew and that just made me hate my mom even more.”

Cheyenne caressed his fingers with hers. She didn’t know what to say.

Bryce stared at the sky, his thoughts unknown.

Without thinking about her nakedness, she moved to him then wrapped her arms around him. He dipped into the water slightly before he moved to his feet. She wrapped her arms around his torso, her chest pressed into him. Bryce hugged her back fiercely, like her embrace was what he needed most. He moved to the deeper part of the cove then held her close. Then he grabbed her legs and wrapped them around his waist, leaving her arms around his neck.

Cheyenne knew she should feel awkward but she didn’t. She felt his chest rise and fall, noting the emotion within. He buried his face in her neck, remaining quiet. They were glued together under the water, staying still.

Bryce pulled his face away and looked at her. “I’ve wanted this for so long…just to tell you everything, to hold you.”

She looked into his eyes then ran her fingers through his hair. “I’m glad you told me….I just wish you had said something sooner.”

“One of the things I’ll regret most.”

She pressed her face close to his.

“I really like this, touching you.” His chest was against her breasts, and his cock was against her stomach. He wasn’t hard so she knew his comment referred to the intimacy, not the sexual attraction.

“I do too…”

His hand moved to her back and trailed down. “Your skin is softer than I imagined.”

“You’re bigger than I imagined.”

He smirked. “I’m not sure which part of me you’re referring to.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know exactly what I’m referring to.” She felt one arm and squeezed it.

He stared into her eyes, amusement on his face. “You’re so beautiful.” The intensity was in his eyes, showing how much he meant those words. His hands were on her hips, staying in a safe zone. But his eyes showed her what he really wanted.

Her cheeks reddened slightly. “Is it because I’m naked?”

“I haven’t looked at your body once.” Sincerity shined in his eyes. “Just your face.”

“I’m surprised…”

“If I did, I would be hard right now. Now you know why I’m avoiding it.”

Her fingers circled a strand of his hair. “Well, I wouldn’t be naked unless I wanted you to look…”

“Are you this wild with everyone?” The fondness was in his eyes.

“No. Actually, I’m the opposite.”

“Why am I different?”

She couldn’t put her thoughts into words. “You’re my friend.”

“You know, friends that become lovers always have the strongest relationships.”

“Says who?”

“Me.”

She smirked while she looked at him. “And where did you get that information from?”

“My heart,” he whispered.

Her eyes softened when she looked at him.

“We’re perfect together, Cheyenne. You dated that zillionaire loser for months before anything happened. We went on our first date and we’re skinny-dipping together. Come on, I’m better for you.”

“Maybe you just want to sleep with me,” she noted.

He smirked. “If I wanted to, I would have already had you.”

“Wow…someone’s cocky.”

“No. Just realistic.” He pressed his face closer to hers. “I haven’t kissed you or made any moves.  You know why?”

She continued to run her fingers through his hair.

“Because I want a forever with you, Cheyenne. Not just a few months.”

Her heart melted at his words.

“Which says a lot more than that other guy you’re seeing. All he’s going to do is take advantage of you then hurt you. He’ll walk away without thinking twice about it. You’re someone to remember for a short while before he forgets you entirely. One day, he won’t even recall your name. This is just an intermission, a disturbance in his life before he moves onto something else. To me, you’re so much more. You’re the woman I can’t forget. And I never want to.”

Her hands moved through his hair but her lips were immobile. She couldn’t think of a response. His vulnerable words went straight to her heart.

“I’ll be here after he breaks your heart, Cheyenne. And I’ll still want you.” He brought her closer to his chest and held her. The waterfall fell in the background, making a music that shielded them in the glade. Naked and bare, they clung to each other, sharing an intimacy so profound that Cheyenne could hardly comprehend it. A connection formed between them, strong and unbreakable. Bryce was different than Gray in many ways. He said what was on his mind without thinking. No matter how much he irritated her, he still blurted whatever he wanted. He wasn’t afraid to tell her how he felt or what he wanted. Even if she hated him for it, the words would still leave his lips. He wasn’t just someone she was attracted to. He was a friend, a guy she could tell anything to.

And Gray wasn’t.

            
 
The story continues….

Soaking in the Sun

(Book Eight of the Hawaiian Series)

Available Soon