He grinned and narrowed his eyes. “That’s not quite how I remember it. I woke up to you practically on top of me.”
I choked out a laugh. Were my unconscious limbs not to be trusted around him?
“ Alright, you two,” Jason said, breaking us out of our little banter.
“ I was AH-MAZING!” I cheered as we unlocked the door to our hotel room.
“ Okay, okay.”
I twirled around and then folded my fingers behind my head in a cocky stance. “Jason said I was one of the best students he’s ever had.”
“ He was just trying to get in your pants.” Beck gave me a pointed stare. He really was competitive.
I scoffed. “Yeah, right! I stayed on the board for like twenty seconds at the end!”
“ Alright. You were…pretty good,” he relented with a quiet whisper, barely loud enough for me to hear a few feet away.
“ I’m sorry, I don’t think I quite heard that.” I smirked, taking a step closer to him and dropping my arms. I wondered how long he’d put up with sassiness.
He picked his head up and his hazel eyes met mine as he took a step toward me. He didn’t stop until his body was touching mine. His bare chest was pressed against my cover-up and I could feel his diaphragm lifting when he took a steady breath. He ducked his head until it was level with mine, then he moved his mouth until it was right over my ear.
“ I said, you were good .” A tingle ran down my spine; it was as if he was trying to seduce me. His breath hit my neck and I tilted my head so that even more of my skin was exposed for him. I wasn’t in control of my body in that moment. Had he pushed me to the ground or to the back of the door or to the hotel desk, I would have given myself over to him willingly and he knew it.
He bent his head an inch lower and placed a kiss on the base of my neck.
I had no clue what we were doing. He liked me, and I obviously liked him. Maybe we could just have a road trip fling. That’s all it would be, right? We had no clue what we were doing with our lives. I needed to apply to college and I’d probably move away. He was probably going back to Boston. I had to find out what I wanted to do with my life. What was the meaning of life, anyway?
“ I can practically hear your thoughts churning right now, Abby,” Beck said, taking a step back and smiling.
I nodded infinitesimally. “I think a lot.”
“ I know,” he said, stepping away from me. I wanted to protest. “Do you want to nap for a little bit before the bonfire?”
“ Sure, I feel like I could go to sleep now and not wake up until tomorrow morning,” I said, stretching my sore muscles. The swimming and surfing had been more physical activity than I’d done…ever.
He shook his head. “Not an option. I’ve never been to a beach bonfire before.”
I smiled. “Neither have I.”
…
I’d stepped out onto our hotel’s balcony to call my mom while Beck showered. My parents were becoming suspicious. I had never gone this long without seeing them, but I played it off by telling my mom that I needed some space. I don’t think she suspected that I’d left town at that point. It was just so out of character for me, being so distant, and I hoped she’d just assume I was camped out with Caroline or something.
“ Sweetie, I understand that you need some distance from your father and me. I just want you happy and healthy.”
The ocean breeze whipped through the phone so that I could barely hear her. I know she could probably hear it through the speaker. Was it windy in Dallas?
“ Mom, I promise everything is okay.”
Silence.
“ Alright, well are you feeling alright?” she asked. I’d taken my temperature that morning and it was normal. I took all of my medications, and other than feeling tired from surfing and swimming, I knew my body was doing okay.