Page 123 of You + Me – Against the World

I burst out laughing when I see the defeated look on his face. He had clearly been expecting anything but that.

“Fuck, I love you, Alma.”

Those words.

That voice, which carries me away every single time. A voice so deep, warm, composed, and unwavering that it could belong to a man twice his age. I had no idea that, at twenty years old, a guy could be so masculine without ever acting macho, so sexy without trying too hard, and so sensual, spontaneous, and self-assured. His way of loving me, of telling me and showing me, without ever being ashamed or hiding it, is the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced.

Suddenly, his bright eyes light up even more. He sets his lantern on the ground, hoists me up, and throws me over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift.

“Vadim, what are you doing?” I gasp, trying to keep my voice to a whisper.

“When Alma Lancaster is overheating, there’s only one solution.”

He runs down the dune and along the beach like a man possessed. I lurch around, bouncing against his shoulder as much from the force of my uncontrollable laughter as from the speed he’s built up.

“Put me down!” I yell, struggling. “Are you crazy?”

Eventually, he complies, right where the sand meets the water.

“It’s pitch black, everyone has gone to bed, and the rangers have promised to leave us alone for an hour. So, are you up for a swim?”

His gaze challenges me. His smile blows me away. I can never say no to that combination, and he knows it. I barely have time to crack a smile before he sweeps me up in his arms again, like a princess this time, and wades into the water.

“Wait, I didn’t even say yes!”

“Too late.”

After a running start, Vadim lets out a whoop of joy and plunges us both into the water. I hold my breath as I disappear beneath an icy wave, struggling against the weight of my soaked clothes, then feel him dive down and pull me back up, so we can surface together. I drum my little fists against his broad shoulders, then splash him in an attempt to make him stop laughing.

“There you go, are you cooled off now, Lancaster?”

“Yes, but I’m still going to complain to the rangers first thing tomorrow morning!”

“On what grounds?”

“First of all, you tried to drown me. And on top of that, you thought it was funny! And finally, I was enjoying the heat, and now I’m freezing!”

“Hmm, I’d better warm you up again, then…”

Vadim wraps my legs around his waist, and I slip my arms around his neck, my teeth chattering. He brushes my hair aside and kisses me the way only he knows how. Gently at first, then with that intensity that overwhelms me. His hands hold me tightly against him, and I curl myself around his body like a vine, resolving never to let go. He spins us in a circle and smiles against my lips as the water swirls around us. I run my fingers through his gorgeous, damp curls and we float together, soaring, perfectly intertwined. I feel so incredibly light as I surrender to this long, salty kiss, lulled by the lapping of the water and the peaceful night sky that envelops us.

Santa Catalina Island, I’m not going to forget you anytime soon.

“You were right to drag me here,” Vadim finally admits, his forehead resting against mine.

“You’re an endangered species, Arcadi. A back-row slacker who doesn’t listen to anything in class but remembers everything. A rebel who breaks the rules not for himself but to make someone else happy. A fake failure who succeeds at everything he does. A cynic who somehow manages to make every night romantic.”

He smiles but doesn’t say a word. For once, he accepts my compliments without flinching. The magic of Santa Catalina, perhaps. The silvery full moon above our heads illuminates his stunning eyes. Those two pale irises I never grow tired of drowning in.

Suddenly, the thought of our all-consuming love overwhelms me. I wonder if our chemistry, our passion, our connection will last forever. A year, ten years… fifty? It’s so strong that it hurts. So good that the idea of losing what we have is inconceivable. But will we still kiss each other everywhere, all the time, when we’re adults? Will we argue as much? Will we still be crazy enough to go swimming at midnight? Will we keep daring each other? And will we manage to rise to every challenge life throws at us? Is there anything, however tiny it may be—a grain of sand, a drop of water—that could ever tear us apart?

Maybe.

But nothing will ever stop me from loving him.

42

Team-Tim: Hi, Al!