by S M Broad
"Please don't be afraid to tell me how you're feeling." He rubs soothing patterns on my hand and it gives me courage.
"I just wanted to see you. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you." I feel my cheeks heat and have to take a deep breath to calm myself. I don't know what it is about him, but I feel so much peace within myself when I'm with him. He makes me have hope for better days.
"I was hoping you were going to say that. I've been thinking about you too, baby."
Baby. I try not to melt into a giant, gooey puddle. He leans in to kiss me, but it’s too soon for that, and I and pull away. I deflate like a balloon, sure he's already tired of me stalling.
"I'm sorry." I frown, but he cups my cheek and pulls my face to meet his.
"Never apologize. I will never push you farther than you’re ready for."
He leans in and kisses my cheek, and I wrap my arms tightly around his shoulders. He pulls me closer and holds me until I break away, taking his rough hand in mine. That's how we sit until we finish lunch and I leave for work.
I head back to my room to change for my shift and the night passes in a flash because he's the only thing I can think about. About halfway through my shift, my phone buzzes with a text from the man himself.
Latham: thanks again for lunch. I enjoyed the company much more than the food.
I smile so big I have to cover my mouth.
Me: same here. :)
Latham: can I take you to dinner tomorrow? please say yes.
Me: I think that can be arranged. 7 okay?
Latham: perfect. I'll see you then. you're even more beautiful when you smile, by the way.
I look up out the front window of Abby's to see Latham looking at me. He smiles to his ears and winks at me before tucking his hands in his pockets as he walks away.
At the end of the night, I help Abby close and fall into bed, exhausted.
He doesn't know it, but he's breaking my walls down, one by one.
Chapter Thirteen
It’s still dark out when I wake up, so I check my phone to see it’s only six in the morning. I laze around for a while before I decide to tidy up my room. I’m bustling about, straightening the bed sheets, when my phone buzzes. I crawl across the mattress to the side table, snagging my phone, and drop onto my back. It’s a text from Latham and I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face.
Latham: good morning, beautiful.
A tiny giggle tickles my throat on the way out and I cover my mouth. I tap out a reply.
Me: good morning.
My eyes bug when his name flashes on the caller ID. I click the green button and press the phone to my ear. His gravelly morning voice make goose bumps prickle my skin.
“Why are you awake so early?” he says over a yawn.
“I’m not sure, I just couldn’t sleep. Why are you up so early?”
“I’m going fishing.” He hesitates before speaking again. “Would you wanna come with me?”
His question takes me by complete surprise.
“Me? I’ve never been fishing.”
“You lived in Alabama and have never been fishing? What kinda southern girl are you?” He balks, his tone light and fun. I crinkle my nose.
“The kind that likes to spend her time outside with some sweet tea and a good book.”
“Well, there’s always time to learn,” he says on a laugh. It only takes me about two seconds to decide that spending the day with him, doing something I know nothing about—like fishing—is better than not seeing him at all.
“Can we get coffee first?” I ask shyly.
“Sure.” He laughs again, and I relax. He tells me to dress warmly because the early morning air will be chilly, but to also bring shorts because the sun will get hot later. I shower quickly, then pull on a faded pair of jeans and an old tee that I don’t mind getting dirty with pond water and smelly worms. I’m tying my last lace when a light rap sounds on the door. I pull it open to see Latham standing there, wearing a tight, Army green t-shirt and a pair of ripped jeans with worn cowboy boots, and he’s holding a to-go cup of coffee and a small bag. He smiles and holds them up higher.
“Coffee and donuts.” He leans down to press a kiss to my cheek, his woodsy scent filling my nose, and I release a small breath.
“You’re so sweet. Thank you.” I take the proffered cup and sip the hot coffee, savoring the delicious flavor. I pull the door shut and follow him to his green pickup truck that’s loaded down with fishing poles, chairs, a cooler, and a tackle box. He slides into the driver's seat and the truck rumbles to life.
“Just have to make a quick pit stop at the gas station for bait.”
I nod and bob my head to the song on the radio. When we get to the station, Latham waves a hand for me to come in with him. I hop down from the cab and walk behind him. He turns toward me.
“Grab us some snacks while I grab the bait, would you?” He steps away and heads to a cooler on the other side of the room. I pluck up a basket and wander around the small area, picking up some cheese crackers, potato chips, and gummy worms, as well as some other snacks. I also grab a few bottles of vitamin water and three sports drinks in different colors. I meet him at the register and plop the basket down.
“Get enough?” His teasing chuckle makes my nose wrinkle, and I smile. I reach into my back pocket for the wad of money I tucked in there, but Latham pushes it back down with his hand. He shakes his head seriously at the same time I nod mine.
“No.” He shakes his head at me again.
“Yes.” I nod in response.
“No.” He huffs, annoyed at my stubbornness.
“Yes,” I sass, throwing a hand to my hip.
“Aayla.” He chuckles lightly.
“Latham.” I giggle in return.
I look up at him just in time for him to close the tiny gap between us and step into my space, stealing all the air around me. I tip my head back further, gaping like a fish as his face inches closer to mine. He’s a breath away when he speaks.
“Baby. I got this.”
“Alright,” I eke out quietly. A triumphant smile tracks his face, and I realize what just happened.
“You played me.” I puff out in mock annoyance.
“What do you mean?” He blinks at me innocently.
“You used your hotness to get your way,” I scoff playfully.
One eyebrow lifts as he forks over some money to pay the cashier, and I want to retract my words.
“You think I’m hot, huh?” He smirks smugly.
I open my mouth to say no but I can’t deny that particular truth.
“Oh, shut up.” I grab the bag off the counter and storm out the door, the sound of Latham’s thundering laughter behind me. His boots thump on the ground as he chases after me to catch up. An arm wraps around my waist and he kisses my hair sweetly. I climb back into the truck and we set off for the lake.
Fifteen minutes later, we pull up into a space and park backward, the tailgate facing the edge of the water. Latham helps me out and I open the chairs, then hand him the fishing poles. He shows me how to me bait my hook and sets me up with a cast out in the water, telling me that all I have to do is hold onto the pole and reel in the line when I feel a tug.
My gaze roams over the sparkling water as a peaceful feeling floats over me and my eyes tick from my fishing pole to Latham as he sets himself up next to me. He crosses his legs at the ankles and kicks them out in front of him. Leaning back in his cloth chair and tugging his hat over his face, he waits. We sit and sit and sit some more. The birds chirping and the buzzing bugs are nice at first, but it becomes too much after about twenty minutes.
“So, this is fishing?” I ask quietly, so to not disturb the rippling water and scare the fish we’re waiting for. He chuckles low and lifts the brim of his baseball cap, so I can see his face better.
“This is it. Too boring for you?”
“Not at all. It’s really relaxing. I’m enjoying it more than I thought I would. I just do
n’t care for too much silence. Or bugs.” I swat a fly away from my face.
His eyes light with wonder and humor as he stares at me. I pull a face, scrunching my left eye and pursing my lips.
“What’s that face?” I ask, while checking my line.
“You’re just awesome, ya know that?”
A small laugh pops from my mouth. “Thank you?”
I turn back to my pole as the line starts to bob in the water. “Oh!” I exclaim, surprised that I’m getting the first bit of action. The pole tugs harder and I snatch it up, cranking the reel to bring in the lure. I pop up on my feet and amble closer to the edge of the water. I yank the pole backward like Latham showed me, to make sure the hook catches, and keep reeling.
What I don’t see the root of a tree sticking up from the shallow water as I step forward, and my foot gets caught. Latham jumps from his spot and runs toward me as I go sailing face first into the water with a splash. I roll and sit up, spitting and sputtering pond water from my mouth. I brush the soggy hair out of my face and look up at Latham. I can’t stop the laugh that breaks free from my throat. My shoulders shake as I howl, the sound foreign after not hearing it for so long. Latham reaches down and pulls me up against his hard chest. I calm myself, but the smile remains.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice full of worry.
“I’m fine. Did I reel it enough?” I ask curiously, and we both crouch for the fishing pole at the same time. My eyes meet his and the air pressure between us changes. I’ve thought about kissing him so many times since our first date, but I’ve been too scared to go for it. What if he pulls away? I’m still thinking when he flicks his gaze down, then looks back up at me with heat in his eyes. Does that look like a guy who’d pull away from a kiss? He guides us back to our feet, and then cups one of my cheeks, clearing his throat.
“I really want to kiss you right now. But I’ll follow your lead. I won’t push.”
He’s asking permission and it makes me melt. I slide my hands up his chest and over his shoulders, letting them dangle in the air.
“Kiss me, Latham.” Water drips off my lip as I talk.
His green eyes light with fire and he leans forward, pulling the back of my neck as the gap closes. The moment our lips touch, a zing shoots through me, causing me to gasp. He takes the opportunity to push his tongue into my mouth and I want to groan. He tastes like the fruity mixture of gummy worms and blue Gatorade. We break apart at the same time, breathing heavily. Unable to speak, we stand there, looking at each other.
The water splashes and we turn to look. Latham picks up the pole and reels in the line the rest of the way. A fat, long whiskered catfish wriggles with a hook in its mouth, and I smile.
“I got a fish!” I jump up and down in excitement, wiggling my shoulders back and forth.
Latham laughs, and it just makes me smile more. He hands me the fish, to which I give the name Carl, and he snaps a picture before I throw it back into the water. I change my clothes, thankful Latham told me to bring extras, and we settle back into our chairs, which are now pulled closer together.
I’m recasting my line in a different spot when Latham pulls my chin to face him. He bites his bottom lip like he wants to say something but decides at the last minute to just kiss me instead. It’s slow and sweet and leaves me wanting more. A lot more.
We stay at the lake all day and leave just as the sun starts to set. My skin is darker, kissed by the sun, and flushed from Latham’s kisses. We pack up and make the drive back to Grayson, holding hands the whole way. He drops me off at the Comfort with one final press of his lips to mine and a promise of plans tomorrow. I fall into bed and drift off, dreams of Latham and his lips lulling me into a peaceful sleep.
Chapter Fourteen
I open my eyes to a knock on the door and slap my hand around the bedside table, searching for my phone so I can see what time it is. Eight forty-five. I stretch with a smile on my face, thinking back to my dates with Latham, not even caring someone is waking me up. Every morning since the night of our first date, I’ve woken up with the dumbest goofy grin on my face and I’ve been loving every minute. I throw the covers back and walk to the door to find Latham holding a thick plastic bag and one arm behind his back. I lift an eyebrow at him when I see his smile.
“What’s going on?” I ask, as I step aside for him to come in the room. He turns, bringing the hand that was behind his back in front of him, but I still can't see what he’s holding.
“I got you something.” He hands me the plastic bag and I cock my head at him, then open it to see a round glass bowl, a jug of water, some colorful plants, and gravel. I look back up at him as I set the bag on my bed.
“What’s all this for?” I wave my hand through the air over the bowl.
His eyes light up as he pulls a bag out from behind his back, and I see a colorful orange fish swimming around. My hands cover my mouth as a giggle bubbles up from my throat.
He got me a fish. I think I just melted into a puddle.
“I remember you said you liked fish, so I picked this pretty little girl up at the pet store for you. I hope you like her.” He stuffs his hands into his pockets as I take the bag from him and look at the fish.
“How do you know it’s a girl?” I ask, still smiling like a nut.
“I asked the guy at the pet store. Told him my girl loves fish and I wanted her to have one as beautiful as she was,” he says, and I swear I see his cheeks color.
His girl. He walks past me and puts the gravel and plants into the bowl before setting it on the nightstand and pouring the jug of water in. He turns around and holds his hand out for the bag again, also holding a little net I hadn’t noticed was in the plastic bag. I hand her over and he settles the still full bag into the bowl to let my new fish friend and the water temperature acclimate. After about fifteen minutes, he unties the bag, dips the net in, and pulls the little orange fish out, putting her in the bowl. He dips down with his hands on his thighs to look at her. I sit down on my bed, but I can’t look away from his face.
“He said she was a Parrot Fish.” He turns his head and smiles at me again when he notices I’m staring. His green eyes hold mine prisoner until I finally look away. “She needs a name.”
“Poppy.” I flick my gaze at the fish then back to him. “She looks like one of those orange poppy flowers.”
“That’s perfect.” His smile is bright and brilliant against his tanned skin. His eyes run over my face before stopping at my mouth. His lips felt so good against mine yesterday, and I wonder how he would feel about me making the first move this time.
Before I can overanalyze any further, I lean toward him, grip his soft gray cotton shirt in my hand, and seal my lips over his. He threads his fingers through my sleep-tousled hair and pulls me impossibly closer, making me gasp into his already open mouth. He breaks the kiss on a groan and leans back, looking at me.
“Whoa,” he breathes.
“Yeah. Whoa. Sorry, I just…” I trail off and take a deep breath before I feel him move back to my lips for a soft kiss.
“Don’t apologize, Aayla. That was incredible. To be honest, if you wouldn’t have kissed me, I probably would have kissed you. After yesterday, there’s no way I can hold back.” He laughs, then stands up. “Want to meet Boss? I was gonna take him to the dog park after I brought Poppy to you.”
“That sounds fun. Just let me change.” I hop up from the bed, still dizzy from the kiss and pull a pair of shorts and a red tank top from my bag. After I’m changed and have brushed my teeth, I throw my long hair up in a messy bun and we walk to Boone’s to pick up Boss. We’re just turning the corner into the bay when the garage door opens, and a huge, black dog comes barreling towards me. What the fuck is that?!
I put my knee up to block him from jumping on me when Latham barks out a deep command that stops the animal where he is, and he sits. Latham walks over and crouches down to pet him. He turns his head and holds out his hand for me to take.
“Thi
s is Boss,” he says, turning back to his dog.
I hold my hand out for him to smell, and smile when he wags his tail.
“Hi, Boss.” I scratch his ears and he leans into my leg, wanting more love. I laugh and squat down next to Latham to rub Boss’ chest. He plops down and rolls to his back for a belly rub, as his tongue flops out of his mouth onto the pavement.
Latham whistles low and I look at him in question.
“Exposing his belly means he trusts you.” Latham stands back up and pulls a leash from his back pocket. Boss springs to his feet, his tail swinging a mile a minute. I can see the love Latham has for his dog, and the mutual respect that flows back from Boss. Latham hooks the leash to Boss’ collar and leads him to his truck. I climb in the passenger side and shut the door, finding myself face to face with the brown-eyed black beast of a dog. I laugh when he licks my face and pat him as he lays down and puts his huge head on my lap. I steal a peek at Latham and he’s grinning huge as he puts the key in the ignition and starts the truck. “Something In The Water” by Carrie Underwood plays on the radio, and I start to laugh. It must be contagious because Latham starts laughing too.
“What’s so funny over there?”
“I actually know this song. I hear it on the radio at work all the time.”
Latham tries to hide his smile but fails, and I shake my head. A few minutes later, I find myself singing the words under my breath but stop when I hear Latham’s sharp intake of air.
“What?” I look over at him and my eyebrows drop.
“You can sing. You’re really good,” he says as he pulls into the parking lot.
“Not really.” I laugh nervously.
“Yes, really. You want to go to karaoke tonight?”
“Um. Sure, but I’m not singing.”
