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Now that she was finished with college, after deciding to double major two years into her degree, we wouldn’t have had to worry about a long-distance thing. Her plan over the summer was to apply and interview at the various marketing firms in Asheville. Staying with her dad in the city and then crashing with Ashley when she was here visiting.
I’d decided earlier this week while we were texting, after she told me she was coming to visit for the weekend, that I wanted to spend some time alone with her. She seemed surprised when I suggested that the two of us take the boat out and spend the day on the lake. But she agreed. Which, in my opinion, gave me hope that maybe she truly did feel like there was something more between us as well.
We were both invited to Jackson’s place tonight for a bonfire. Caden and a few other guys Jackson and I hung out with regularly would be there. Caden and I hadn’t run in the same circles in high school, and truthfully, I didn’t like the guy back then. I loathed seeing him and Bella together when they’d dated; at the time, though, I couldn’t—or wouldn’t—see it for what it was: jealousy.
But over the years since I had been home from college, he and I had become friends. The group of us took our boats out together and had a poker night once a week.
Jackson was the wealthiest of all my friends, and the house he bought himself was over the top, but the property was perfect. It was five times bigger than my parents’, and he had access to almost a half a mile of shoreline.
And I’m still living in my parents’ guest house. Fucking great.
But I paid them rent. I worked a lot and was barely home. Since I was still working alongside my father to prepare for taking over the family business so he could retire, it was convenient for us to ride together most days.
I placed the last bag of food into the boat when I heard footsteps on the wooden planks of the pier. I turned, and my mouth dropped open at the sight of her.
Is she trying to destroy my control? I didnotthink this through.
My eyes zeroed in on her toned, tight body with just the right amount of curves, scantily clad in a red bikini and cut-off shorts.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hey, you ready?” I struggled to keep my eyes on her face and not let them wander down to the body I had been itching to lose myself in.
“Yep, I think so. Your family is acting weirder than usual. It was like twenty questions up there.” She glanced toward my house and then back at me. “Savannah asked if this was a date.” Then she laughed.
Fuck. Why is the possibility of this being a date funny? Maybe this was a bad idea.
I smiled and chuckled in response, because I didn’t want her to see the truth.
“My family is way too nosy. They need to mind their own business,” I said with an eye roll.
I climbed into the boat and offered my hand out for her to do the same, but instead, she gave me her bag. I sat it down and turned back to help her in. Our hands touched, and I had a front-row seat to her tits, and all my blood rushed south.
Jesus. When’s the last time I got laid? Maybe that’s my issue.
Once she was safely in the boat, I forced myself to let go of her hand, missing the warmth of her skin the second her palm left mine. She glanced up at me with big green eyes, and I swallowed.
I moved around the bags and cooler to sit in the captain’s chair, starting up the boat and pulling away from the dock and out to the open lake. Bella stretched out on the seat behind me, and I realized there was a simple yet genuine peace in being here with her.
We made it to one of our usual spots where I dropped anchor. Once I made sure it was secure, I took the seat across from her.
“So how does it feel to be a college graduate?” I asked, lacing my hands behind my head and placing my ankle on the opposite knee.
“It’s weird. After six years, I wasn’t sure this day would ever come.” She grabbed the sunblock from her bag and applied it as she talked. Normally, the forest of trees, with miles of beautiful water surrounding us, made this my favorite spot, but I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off Bella massaging the lotion into her smooth skin. “But I’m glad I added finance as a second major.” Bella’s voice jarred me back to the conversation and the view of the lake shining in the sunlight.
“You know you could have just taken classes during the summers and graduated in four years instead of six,” I reminded her, knowing we’d had this conversation a few times already. But I liked when she glared at me or rolled her eyes.
And she did exactly that. “I know, I know. But I wasn’t in a rush to graduate. I feel like I was trying to find myself those first two years, and honestly, I still am.”
She slathered sunblock all over her chest while I struggled to keep my eyes on her face.
“I get it. Well, kind of. I started helping Dad at the restaurant and marina when I was twelve. I’ve known pretty much since then what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be. But I get that not everyone is that lucky.”
“Can you do my back?” she asked as she handed me the bottle and turned in her seat.
“Sure.” I had done this a million times, but this time felt different.
My hands caressed her back and up to her neck. Pulling her long brown hair to the side, she shivered when my fingers skimmed over her collarbone and down her tanned arms.
