The Improbable (21 page)

           
“Did he tell you why he didn’t want to have sex with you?” Yvonne asked.

           
I nodded. “He said that wasn’t how I should lose it and that he wanted to know
that I was really ready.” I shrugged, a tad embarrassed when reliving that
night in my mind.

           
“Well on the bright side it sounds like he really cares about you, unlike that
jerk, Ray.” Yvonne reasoned.

           
“Of course he cares about her, he’s crazy about her. Timmy says so,” Kate
laughed lightly through her nose and smiled at me.

           
“You’ve had very high highs and extremely low lows in the past few days,” Rita
sighed. “But as your friend, I am so glad to see David here stabling you out.”

           
“I agree,” Sarah smiled. “You guys are perfect.”

           
“I can’t complain.” I shrugged. Lately, I had been feeling very conflicted in
knowing that I was hiding something as major as my family secret from David. He
was so completely honest with me and there I was hiding the secret of the
decade. I trusted him…but I could never let him know about my family.

           
“Girls, come get in the water!” Chris yelled.

           
“Only if we’re skinny
dippin
’, honey.” Sarah flirted.

           
Chris raised his eyebrows suggestively. “Maybe later on tonight cute thing,
just you and me.” He winked at her.

           
Sarah blushed and shook her head. “Never in a million years my love.”

           
“Well we still want you in here, I didn’t bust out my father’s yacht just for
you all to sit and look pretty. Get in!” Timmy demanded.

           
“Alright sweetheart you’ve got me, you know I
love
when you talk
aggressive to me.” Kate batted her eyelashes at him before stepping up on the
side of the boat and leaping off.

           
“That’s my girl,” Timmy swam to Kate and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling
her in for a kiss.

           
I watched them with envy, knowing they were going to get to go home later on
and show each other just how much they turned each other on. Sighing, I sat
back and watched the rest of my friends hop off the boat and into the water. I
decided to hold off on getting in the water, having just gotten my hair done
and not wanting to hear my mother and Ray’s complaints about messing it up when
I had a dress fitting to attend the next day. Not to mention the last time I
was on the lake I had almost died!

           
“Hey Eva! You remember? It’s where we met!” David called from the water.

           
I rose and leaned on the side of the boat, looking down at his squinting blue
eyes. “Oh joy, it wasn’t exactly the best night of my life!”

           
“Come on and get in,” he suggested.

           
“I don’t want to David.”

           
His eyebrows came together in confusion. “What’re you so afraid of?”

           
“Ugh I don’t know, flashbacks of that horrible night maybe? I almost died you
know! And besides, my mom doesn’t want me messing up my hair, I just had it
done.” I answered. They were bad excuses, but I really didn’t want to get back
in the lake after what happened last time.

           
“Oh c’mon, Eva since when do
you
listen to your parents? And there’s no
need to worry about anything, I’m here. The last time I didn’t let anything
happen to you and I won’t let anything happen now so come on!” David pleaded.

           
I shook my head stubbornly. “I’m not getting in, David!”

           
David groaned. “Ugh! Look Eva-Marie, I love you…and I’m
in
love with
you! I would never put you in a situation where something bad could happen to
you. So please just get in the water… for me.”

           
What? Was I hearing correctly? The ‘L’ word! He said it! My heart back flipped
for joy inside my chest! David was
in love
with me! Did he actually say
that? A goofy smile broke out onto my face, as I was not able to contain how
giddy I was. “What? Me?” I asked in disbelief with my hand over my chest,
clearly flattered.

“Dammit
yes Eva! Now get in and say it back!” David slammed his hand in the water, a
playful grin on his face.

Without
thinking anymore about it, I gave in and leapt off of the side of the boat. My
stomach fluttered as I closed the distance between myself and the water feeling
entirely exhilarated, I went under with the water rushing over me refreshingly.
When I surfaced I swam to him and kissed him repeatedly. “I’m in love with you
too, David. I love you so much.” I breathed.

David
was the exhilaration in my life that made me feel like I was actually alive. He
was the only person
ever
to make my heart
and
stomach drop every
time I laid eyes on him. He was the new and refreshing piece of my life that
renewed my hope in believing it was still worth living despite all the burdens
I carried in the dark.

           
“God I’m so in love with you, and don’t you ever say that night wasn’t anything
besides the best night of your life because it damn sure was the best of
mine…it led me to you. And you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
David breathed and planted a kiss on my lips.

           
“He’s the man!” Timmy exclaimed, whooping and hollering with Chris along with
my girlfriends.

           
For hours, we all swam together, laughed together, took turns diving off of the
yacht, and just truly enjoyed each other’s company. I loved all of them dearly
for bringing true joy into my life when it seemed nearly impossible. Once the
water tired us out, the guys started a log fire in the sand and Timmy pulled
his car up so we could hear the radio. David and Timmy were busy trying to
figure out the radio when Chris sat down next to me.

           
“How you
doin
’ Eva?” He asked.

           
“Better than ever, Chris.” I smiled warmly at him, thankful that I was able to
say that and mean it. “How about yourself?”

           
Chris nodded. “I’m doing great as well, Eva.” There were a few beats of awkward
silence as he sat, just nodding his head.

           
I looked at him expectantly. “Was there something you wanted to talk to me
about?”

           
“I’m glad you read my mind,” he smiled. “Look, Eva…” He trailed off.

“Yes?”

“I
just want to thank you.” He sighed.

           
That caught me off guard. “Thank me? For what?”

           
Chris chuckled and shook his head. “For everything. You know, you’ve really changed
David for the better. Ever since his mom died…you know it really hit home for
him. He became someone Timmy and myself didn’t even know…or even
wanted
to know. Now to see him like this,” he looked over at David, “and with you,
it’s like he’s a different person –you brought him back to life for us.”

           
I felt a lump forming in my throat, but swallowed it back. “Oh Chris, that’s so
nice of you to say, really.”

           
“I just thought I’d let you know, we’re all like a family…now if you’d excuse
me…my future wife,” he eyed Sarah across the fire. “Is waiting for me.”

           
“I hope she knows you’re in her future, honey.” I giggled as I watched him go
flirt with her.

           
“There we go!” Timmy rejoiced and high-fived David as they solved the radio
issue.

           
David sat next to me in the sand, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and
nuzzling his nose in my hair, kissing the top of my head.

           
I lifted my hand and rested it on the side of his face as I watched the dancing
flames.

           
David grabbed my hands and held it out, touching the engagement ring with his
thumb. “I’m running out of time.” He said in a grave tone.

           
My heart clenched. I looked him in the eyes, “Never. I love
you
and
nothing will ever change that.”

           
“Let’s get away,” he responded simply.

           
Oh if it was that simple… “Where do you suggest we go Mr. Finley?”

           
“Canada.”

           
“Canada?”

           
“Canada.”

           
“Strange.” I shrugged and leaned back.

           
“You’re not going to question it any further?” He asked, sounding shocked.

           
“Why would I question the one I love?” I leaned forward and kissed him. “I
trust you.”

           
David got on his feet and pulled me up. “Dance with me Eva.” He began to sway
me from side to side.

           
I giggled. “But I don’t know how.”

           
“You can do anything,” he shook his head.

           
I jumped up and wrapped my legs around him instead. “I’d rather not.”

           
“Fine then I’ll sing to you.” He shrugged.

           
I laughed, “Oh Lord!”

           
“She’s never been in love,” David sang, making up his own song. “But I’d be
honored to be her first –”

           
“And only,” I interrupted, adding to the song.

           
“Love.” He stopped and bore his burning blue eyes into mine. Wow he was
intense. “Will you stay with me tonight?”

I
nodded. “Of course I will.” I leaned my forehead on his. “Promise me you’ll
never give up on me.” I nearly whispered.

David’s
eyebrows furrowed. He pulled his face back. “I promise I would never. What made
you say that?”

Before
we went any further in our relationship, I just had to know that if my family
secret ever did get out I would at least still have him there for me. “My whole
life is so complicated…I just need someone who’s always going to be there for
me. I know I have my family…but it’d be nice to have you as well.”

“I
would love you and stay with you through anything.” David answered loyally.

“Hmmm,
are you lying to me Mr. Finley?” I teased lightly.

His
eye contact was intense. “I would never lie to you.”

I
nodded and sighed. “David, the night you met me I was reaching a breaking point
after being fed up with holding so much in and not having anyone to turn to. I
was ready to end my own life. Looking back I realize now that you saved me in
more ways than one. You make me believe that my life is still worth living and
that I can have a little faith in someone.” I smiled. “Please don’t let me
down,” I whispered.

“Hey,”
he pulled my chin up to look me in the eyes. “I wouldn’t do anything to
jeopardize what we have between us, okay? I would never lie to or give up on
you for any reason, you don’t deserve that.” He studied my face as his words
sank in.

My
deep eyes met his. “I trust you.”

           
We departed from our friends shortly after and headed back to his house. Our
car ride was silent – tension hung in the air, but it was a
different
kind of tension that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Once David unlocked his
door, he let me in but stood in the doorway staring at me. I couldn’t do
anything but stare right back at him. There was something burning in his eyes,
something he couldn’t seem to control, the look he was giving me caused me to
breathe heavily.

           
David shut the door and closed the distance between us rapidly, crushing his
lips onto mine and kissing me hungrily. I returned the strokes of his tongue in
my mouth with just as much desire. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and gently tugged
my head back so he could kiss at my neck. Oh it felt so…
good
! I’d never
felt so much desire for anyone before! I wrapped my arms around his neck and he
picked me up.

           
“Oh God I love when you do that,” David growled when I wrapped my legs around
his waist as he began walking me back to his room.

           
I began to kiss him passionately, not able to get enough of him! He set me down
on the bed and began kissing at my neck and down to my chest, eventually
removing my robe and swimsuit top. I felt so exposed but I didn’t care…I was in
love with him and I knew he loved every part of me. I buried my hands in his
hair, moaning and extremely sensitive to his touch. After kissing all the way
down to my stomach he returned back to my lips, breathing heavily. As he kissed
me, one of his hands slid down and removed the bottom half of my swimsuit and
eagerly unbuttoned his. Oh I was hot
everywhere
! I didn’t know what to
do with myself! My head was swooning. David was kissing on my neck as he
positioned himself to get inside of me.

           
I gasped and cried out in pain, but pleasure in knowing that I was as close as
I could get to the man that I loved and would continue to love for whoever knew
how long. Hot tears rolled down my face but they weren’t coming down because I
was in pain. The tears were there because I was in one of the most beautiful
moments of my life and I wouldn’t have wanted to experience it with
anyone
else but David.