AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Let’s get a drink first! I’m definitely going to need a drink if you expect me to get on that thing.”
“Boo! You’re no fun!” She pouts but drops my hand. “I’m gonna go for a quick dip, but you should absolutely grab drinks for both of us, and I’ll see you in a bit.”
Summer gives me a quick wave, shoves her bag and shoes at me, and takes off towards the water. I cross over to a pair of empty beanbags, dump her stuff on one, and sink my ass down onto the other. The music is loud but not obnoxious, and the party goers are spaced out enough that I can actually get some peace.
“Hey, can I get you a drink?” a voice asks.
“No thanks,” I murmur without looking up to see who’s bothering me already.
“Sounds like you need one.”
I flip him the bird and unlace my boots. Maybe if I ignore him he’ll disappear. I wiggle my toes in the sand. I love the feeling, and there’s still enough heat left from the day that it’s warm and comforting.
“Do you want to dance?”
“Hell no.”
“Swim?”
“Nope.”
“Fuck?”
At that I drag my eyes away from the patterns I’ve been mindlessly drawing in the sand and finally look up at the guy who can’t take a hint.
Bright green eyes and a charming smile completely disarm me. I wasn’t expecting that.
“Obstacle course?”
“I don’t think so.” I shake my head, and his grin gets even wider.
“Why do you always say no to everything, when it’s clear that you want to say yes?”
“How can you tell?” I challenge, raising a brow. This guy presumes to know me? Ha. If only there was someone who could understand.
“I see you.”
“You’re wrong. Just thinking about it makes me tremble with fear.”
“That’s excitement and anticipation. The only fear you feel is that someday soon people might stop asking and pushing you to step outside of your comfort zone. I know for certain that you’re the kind of girl who longs to say yes to everything. So why not start with me?” He holds out his hand, offering me help to get up. I eye it warily.
There’s no denying that he has a point, though I have no idea how he knows this about me.
Doesn’t mean I want to touch him though.
Only, I can’t figure out how to get out of this without seeming rude. I pause a beat too long but he doesn’t waver, just waits patiently for me to comply.
Hesitant, I take his hand, and I’m surprised by the warm tingle of electricity that passes between us. I’m shocked that I like it when he doesn’t let my hand go once I’m safely on my feet. I also don’t hear any lecherous thoughts coming from him, which is perhaps why I give in.
“Just a dance…and maybe a drink,” I tell him.
“Sure, sure.” He winks at me, and I don’t hate it. The flirting, I mean. I’m just not sure how to flirt back. So I stand there awkwardly and literally do nothing, one arm straight at my side, the other hanging awkwardly between us where he’s still holding it. His smile doesn’t slip.
“So…” I don’t usually feel obliged to fill awkward silences – I live in them, slipping unnoticed between the cracks and sloping back off into the shadows that I was dragged unwittingly from – but this guy just keeps staring at me expectantly. I don’t know what he wants or why I long to give him it. Whatever it is.
I feel all kinds of messed up, and I can’t comprehend that either.
I’m just debating yanking my arm free and running for my life when he takes pity on me and throws me a lifeline.
