The One For Me(25)

He laughs. “Maybe,” he says, hesitantly. “Maybe.”

“That’s a start.”

He throws a piece of napkin at my face. “So, little bear, about this dance…”

I throw the napkin back at him. “We don’t have to go to that thing,” I say. “Jen just wants to live out her dreams through me. Her parents are like drill sergeants.”

“But, little bear, what would people say if Avalon High School’s newest couple didn’t show up for the Homecoming dance?”

I smile. “You want to go?”

“Never been, first time for everything, right?” He digs his fingers into the sand.

“Right.” I know I’m smiling like a Chester cat but I can’t help it.

Liam rolls his eyes, reaching up and pouring sand on my hair. “Hey!” I yell. I pick up a hand full and sprinkle it on his head.

He looks back up at me, shaking his hair, sand flying everywhere. “You better run,” he says.

I yelp out, jumping up running away from him. The sand is weighing me down, but I dig harder anyway. I get to the water, when Liam wraps his arms around my waist, swinging me around. He is moving toward the water. “No,” I yell. “Please.” I’m laughing so it’s coming out in gasp. “No!”

Liam walks knee deep and tosses me into the water, my head dunking under. “Shit!” I yell. “It’s cold.”

Liam is smiling. “Well, not such a goody-goody, today, are we? You are getting close to counting on two hands now.” He wiggles his fingers in front of him before offering me his hand. I try to pull him down with me, but he laughs, pulling me out, effortlessly.

My clothes are drenched. I look down. My shirt is stuck to me and I’m freezing. Liam’s eyes meet mine. “Um,” he says, shaking his head. “Here,” he takes off his shirt, handing it to me. I take it. I turn my back to him; slip my wet shirt off and into his warm one.

He is standing behind me, hands in his pockets. My eyes travel down his chest. Oh, shit. I want to run my fingers down his wash board abs. He is tan, hard and…I’ll say it, sexy as hell. I will myself to stop checking him out right in front of him.

“See something you like?” he asks.

“Yeah,” I say.

Liam cocks an eyebrow.

I step toward him, mouth close to his. When he reaches for my waist, I push him down into the water.

“I’m gonna’ beat your ass,” he yells, as I run toward the blanket.

I lie down on the blanket and laugh. It feels good. Liam’s pants are soaking wet when he gets to me. He looks down at me, smiling. “You asked for it,” I say.

He tilts his head to the side, dropping to his knees. I sit up, but he pushes me back down. He reaches for my ribs. I start to laugh. “No, stop,” I say, laughing. He digs his fingers into my side, tickling me. My dad use to tickle me so hard, I would laugh until I cried.

“Say you’re sorry,” he says, smiling.

“No!” I yell. “Stop.”

“Say it,” he says.

“Sorry! Mercy! Uncle!”

He stops, looking down at me. I’m still out of breath. Liam is laughing along with me. “You asked for it,” he says.

I suddenly realize how this looks. Liam is sitting so close to me, his legs touching mine. His face turns serious. Liam’s lips part. I want to kiss him. I want him to kiss me. I just want him. He leans down a few inches, until he is hovering over me. Ah, hell. His fingers brush against my jaw. It sends shivers down my body. I moan. I don’t know where it comes from, but it just happens. Loudly. I know he hears it.

Liam snatches his hand back, shaking his head. “Um, I’m going to go throw away our trash. I’ll meet you at the Jeep.” Liam grabs the remains of our napkins and walks toward the trashcan.

I can barely make myself move. What just happened? Was Liam going to kiss me? Was he going to hold me? I sit up and look over toward him; he isn’t looking back, only walking quickly toward a trash barrel. I close my eyes. Don’t let yourself care Katy. Suck it up. I chased him away. Jeez, way to go, Katy.

I grab the blanket and fold it up. I walk back to the Jeep alone. Try to act normal. I wait by the passenger side door, leaning against it. Liam walks toward the Jeep, hands in his wet jeans pocket. He doesn’t look right at me. It’s like he is afraid I’ll turn him to stone.

“Ready to go?” Liam asks, unlocking the door. I nod, pulling myself up into the Jeep. Liam’s eyes are wide, his shirt still off, and his pants soaked. I want to say something. I want to make him talk to me. Had he wanted to kiss me? Was it just in the moment? Did my dang moaning like an idiot scare him?