by Eliza Freer
I grumble, but stand up and strip down to the bikini. I hate that I have to leave my phone back here, in case I’m murdered on this tiny beach. Not that I’d be able to tell anyone where to go, anyhow. Once I’m done undressing, I look up to Wilder to follow his lead off the boat. He’s standing there motionless staring at me with his mouth open.
I walk over and put my index finger under his chin and close his mouth for him. He reaches for my hip and I smack him away. “Now, because you decided to disregard my claim that I don’t like nature, I think I’m going to have to force you to keep a safe distance away while I’m in a bikini. All’s fair in love and war and all that.”
I turn around to walk to the end of the boat to use the ladder into the water when I feel hands encircling my hips. Before I can turn around, Wilder has flipped me, hauled me over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and is whispering in my ear. “We’ll see about that. But for now, brace yourself.” And next thing I know, I’ve been tossed in the lake.
Wilder jumps in after me and makes for the beach. I follow, knowing his arms and legs are too long to ever beat him in a race, so I enjoy the cool water on my skin before we hop back out into the sun. We make our way up to the beach, and once we’re both standing on the sand looking out at the water, Wilder speaks.
“Now, you told me you don’t like nature. That it’s overrated. But you DID say that you’d be down for nature if you were able to conquer it. Which I thought is weird, but had this brilliant epiphany. Ya know, because I’m brilliant.”
I roll my eyes and give him the “get it over with” hand gesture.
He laughs and grabs my hand. “So, we’ve just got a very short walk and then you will have the best opportunity at nature conquering you’ve ever been given. Okay?”
I grumble. “Fine. But if I die I’ll haunt the hell out of you.” I laugh “Ya know, I think that’s the second time I’ve made that threat in a week. I need new material.”
Wilder grabs my hand and leads me through the wooded area. After a few feet we come to a little clearing where I can hear the rush of water. In front of us is a waterfall cascading beautifully down mossy rocks. It’s actually something you see on a nature channel and I had no idea one would exist off a lake in Galveston. I release Wilder’s hand and take a step forward.
“Wow. Wy. That’s beautiful.” I turn back around to see him walking towards me. “BUT. What’s this you say about conquering?” I turn back around to look at the falls.
Wilder walks up behind me, wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me back into his chest. “We’re going to jump off it.”
My mouth drops. “Are you kidding me? We’re jumping off that? Is it safe?”
Wilder chuckles and twists me so he’s nose to nose with me, those beautiful blue eyes staring straight back into mine. “What? Are you scared?”
And since this man knows how to play me like a fiddle, I push past him and head up the rock formations on the side of the falls. I can hear him following me from a safe distance, so I know if I slip, at best he catches me, at worst I don’t go down alone. By the time I make it up top, I’m panting a bit and trying really hard to not show how out of shape I am. I scramble up to the overhang where I get a clear view of what we’re diving into. Wilder joins me a few seconds later.
“So, kitten. What do you say?” I can feel him watching me, waiting for my answer.
I look at his gorgeous face and can’t help but smile at the way the sunlight bounces off it. Most of the water has fallen from his skin, but his hair is still wet from our brief swim. No one should be this good looking all the time.
“Geronimo.” I take a running leap into the water before he’s able to say anything in response, or catch up to me. I scream the whole way down but it’s a phenomenal feeling. I crash into the water, and as I’m swimming back towards the surface I hear laughter from above.
“That was inspiring. Now, move, so I can jump.”
“You need a catchphrase first, Wy. It’s lame to just jump. Anyone can do that.”
Wilder cocks his head to the side. “It’s gonna be a cliche and overused but…you jump, I jump Jack.” And with those final words, Wilder jumps off the cliff into the water nearby. It’s hard to miss the joy on his face as he takes the leap. When he comes up for air, he’s got a fierceness to his expression as he swims over to me.
My heart is beating like crazy as he swims towards me and my breathing has become erratic. I can see the vein in his neck pulsing quickly, so I know he’s affected too. Once he’s inches in front of me, I feel his fingertips around my hips and he pulls me closer to him. Our faces are centimeters away from each other.
He whispers. “Dare.”
My mind and body are completely useless goo right now so it takes me a minute to think of what he’s talking about. “Oh, right. Your turn. Um…”
Wilder speaks up. “Now, I know it’s unorthodox, but can I put in a request for my dare? I have a really good one and you will for sure love it.”
I smirk and tilt my head to the side. I put one of my hands on his chest. “You sure about that?”
“Absolutely. And if not, I’ll give you another round. Deal?”
I sigh. “Fine. Deal. What’s this dare you want to accomplish?”
Wilder’s nose touches mine as he whispers. “Say I dare you.”
“Why?”
“Just say it, Easton.”
I take a shallow breath in. “I dare you.”
Wilder quickly closes the gap between us, and begins one of the most searing kisses I’ve ever had. I wrap my arms around his neck as he grabs my legs and wraps them around his waist. I honestly don’t know how we’re still floating, my mind can’t comprehend more than this kiss. I decide to take a little more control and run my tongue across his top lip. That was all the encouragement and access he needed, and his tongue is quickly tangling with mine. There’s nothing subtle about this moment. It’s full of passion and heat and every single second of tension and wanting we’ve shared since we met.
Wilder pulls away and nudges my nose with his. I let out the deep breath I’d been holding, but don’t let go of him. Wilder grabs my waist and twists me behind him so I’m on his back. He starts swimming me back to shore.
“I do know how to swim, ya know? You don’t have to ferry me like a dolphin.”
“Dolphins don’t live in lakes. I’m afraid the public school system failed you. Also, I prefer you holding onto me over you not holding onto me, so this is the best of both worlds. How do I know you won’t try and swim away from me?” I can hear the smile and laughter in his voice.
“Handsome, if you doubt that I’m not planning on tackling you onto that sand the minute we get up there to experience another one of those kisses, then you have zero understanding of females.”
Wilder laughs. “Yes, but my girl isn’t a normal female. She’s complicated and confusing and keeps me guessing, so yes, it seems logical that I’m more safe than sorry.”
Wilder finishes swimming up the the beach and grabs onto my thighs as I’m still wrapped around his back like a monkey. He walks us up the beach and sets me down once we’ve reached dry land. He takes a step towards me and pulls me into him by cupping the back of my neck with his hand, entwining my hair through his fingers.
He leans down so his lips are brushing mine as he says, “What was that you were saying about tackling me…”
I don’t even let him finish that sentence as I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him into another brain melting kiss. This one starts off just as urgent as the one before, but as I lean back away from him to look in his face, I give him a little shove so he’ll get the hint to lay back on the sand. A tenderness crosses his eyes that before only contained heat.
He obliges and lays down on the sand on his side. I lay down next to him to face him. He puts his hand on my hips and pulls me in close. I put one hand on his cheek and feel the stubble on his face. I trace my thumb over his fu
ll bottom lip and bite my own, remembering how it felt just seconds before. I let my hands continue their examination of his face and he closes his eyes when I trace his cheekbones, glide my fingers over his eye lid, trace the ridge of his brow, and make my way up to his hair. When I slide my fingers into his hair he once again opens his eyes. He moves his hand from my hip and brings it up to cup my face. He starts tracing my features like I did with his.
He smiles at me. “Would it be cliche right now to tell you you’re beautiful?”
I turn my mouth so I kiss him on his palm. “Yes. But I’ll allow it.”
He chuckles again. I love that sound, and love that it’s for me. “Good.”
I close the distance between us this time and this kiss starts out slow and sweet and full of meaning and promise. This one isn’t just about heat and passion, but is us letting each other know we’re more than the sexual attraction. We’re more than a magnetic connection. We’re more. And real. And scarier than falling into this with this amazing man, is never letting myself fall into it at all.
Chapter 13
I can’t tell you exactly how much time we spend making out on the beach, but by the time we pull apart due to hunger, the kind you get from not eating enough food, it’s dusk and the setting sun looks beautiful on the water.
Wilder stands up and grabs my hand. “Come on, one last jump. It’s gorgeous at this time of day. One last jump, we swim back to the boat, and then we’re on to our next thing.”
I let him guide me up. “There’s still a next thing? Okay, handsome, let’s do this.”
We climb back up the rocks, and he’s right. The view is even more beautiful than it was before. We jump together this time, with our hands intertwined with each other, feeling very symbolic of where we’re headed, and come up laughing again. We swim our way over to the boat and wrap ourselves in the towels Wilder brought. He gets us headed in the right direction, and we turn back to the dock.
Wilder ties up the boat and helps me off, never letting go of my hand once he has it. He heads to my side of the jeep to open my door for me, but instead pins me against the side of the car and kisses me with urgency.
I pull back, “What was that for?”
He smiles and opens my door. “Just felt like it’d been too long since the last one.”
I smile and hop into the jeep reeling from my day so far. Wilder runs to his side of the car, starts it up and we’re headed off to our location. I didn’t bother to put my clothes on since my swimsuit was still wet, but I quickly dry off with the towel and the wind whipping over me in the open air Jeep. I grab the bag containing my clothes from behind Wilder’s seat and pull out my stuff. I reach into my purse, and pull out my underthings that I’d stored there once I changed in the pool house. Holding the towel over me, I take off my bikini and start putting my underwear on with the towel covering me the whole time. Numerous pool parties and dance competitions have prepared me for this moment where you’re constantly changing in front of others. I make quick work of the undergarments, and am pulling my t-shirt over my head when Wilder looks over at me. He does a double take.
“What the hell are you doing? Are you getting naked in my car? Without me? Or at least without telling me. Damn, girl.”
I laugh. “Not exactly. I’m changing under my towel. You’re changing from your trunks into your jeans is less of a production than a girl changing from a bikini back into regular clothes. Eyes, on the road mister. I’m not done yet.”
Wilder groans. “You are killing me. And this, right here, this is restraint. Remember this moment next time you’re questioning my gentlemanly behavior.”
I laugh and start tugging on my jeans. Once they’re up I pull away the towel, buttoning them up quickly. “Ta-da!”
Wilder looks over impressed. “Not too bad. Now can you show me that all again?”
I laugh. “Perv. Now, what’s next?”
“Well, I’d suggest right now you text your dad and tell him you will be home late. What time is your curfew?”
I tilt my head to the side. I don’t know that I’ve ever explicitly needed a curfew since moving here. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’ll guess midnight, but what time are you thinking we’re out til?”
“Um. I’d say by the time I get you back home it’ll be around one? You think that’d be okay?”
“Well, we can try can’t we.” I pick up my phone and text my dad.
ME: Pops. Wilder= not a serial killer or creep. Had a really nice day so far and he even got my out in nature.
DAD: How did he manage that? good to hear he’s not a killer
ME: I told him I’d only go into nature if I could conquer it, so he found me a waterfall to jump down
DAD: Tricky boy
ME: Yeah, yeah. but he’s still got a couple other things planned at which i will continue to be very responsible, and was hoping if i got home around one that’d be okay. i know i don’t have a set in stone curfew but wilder wanted me to keep you apprised and make sure it was okay with you
DAD: Well how kind of him. Clever, boy. i can live with one. but from here on out, text me every couple of hours so i know you’re still alive, still not pregnant, and still planning on being home by one.
ME: Done. Love you crazy old man
DAD: Love you too heathen of mine
I laugh at my dad’s last text. Wilder shoots me a look. “Did he say it was okay? Or did he said he’s going to kill me?”
“You’re safe there, Wy. He said it’s fine, just to keep him in the loop time wise, and also pregnancy wise.”
Wilder’s eyes get big at this statement? “Pregnancy wise? What the hell East? What did you tell him?”
I laugh so hard I get tears in my eyes. “He’s kidding. I didn’t tell him anything, are you kidding me? And, unless the human body has changed greatly in the last couple years, I don’t believe you can get pregnant from kissing. No matter how hot it might be.”
Wilder’s cheeks turn a little pink. He clears his throat. “Glad to hear your dad is keeping an open curfew mind. But…um…hot, huh?”
I scoff. “Shut that crap down. Like you don’t know that. You want positive reinforcement? Yes, that was far and away the hottest kiss and make out session I’ve ever had. But, you knew that, I think, you just wanna hear it, Mr. Fisherman.”
Wilder looks over at me with a huge smile on his face. He places his hand on my knee and traces circles there. “Oh, babe, you have no idea. Even after all the building up of you, the Easton myth. That still far and away exceeded my expectations. We are without a doubt on the same page there.”
It’s my turn to blush this time so I glance out the window. “Where are we going?”
“Surprise. But I think it’s your turn. Truth or dare?” Wilder grips my knee a little to make sure I’m paying attention.
I smile. “I don’t know that any dare can get better than the one from earlier, so I’ll stick with truth.”
Wilder turns into a familiar parking lot outside of Dominic’s, my favorite pizza place. “Timeout, and we will pick up where we left off.” He leans across the middle console and places a soft kiss on my lips. “Now we eat.”
He hops out again and runs to my side, but when he opens the door I lean down and cup his face in my hands and give him a brief but passionate kiss. Enough to know I’ll leave him wanting another one. I pull away after a few seconds.
“Great, cause I’m starving.” I start to walk up to the restaurant and Wilder catches up to me and puts his arm around my waist.
“You are an evil woman.”
“Yes, maybe so, but you love it.”
Wilder chuckles and says something under his breath. I’m about to ask what I missed, when I open the front door and see Tassie and Kyle sitting in a booth apparently waiting for us. I turn around and face Wilder.
“Surprise. I figured since we’re fitting four dates into one day, we might as well get the one where we introduce our friends out of the way.”
I wrap my
arms around his waist before making our way over to the table. “How did you even get Tassie’s number?”
“Izzy. She said she had it for emergencies if she couldn’t get ahold of you. She’s been crazy supportive of helping me woo you.”
I pull away and laugh. “Which is crazy considering I went on that date with her brother.”
Wilder stops me. “What do you mean you went on a date with her brother?”
I look at him confused. “Remember when I went on that date and you called me dating girl and decided enough was enough? That was with Izzy’s brother Grant.”
He looks to the side and we start walking again. “Interesting. So, is she waiting for me to screw this up so bad you’ll pick her brother?”
I think for a second. “I don’t think so. I think she knows me and Grant aren’t a love match, even though he’s a great guy, so this is her trying to get me some happiness. They have a love/hate relationship.”
He chuckles. “Okay, hope you’re right on that one.”
Tassie jumps off the edge of the booth and runs to me throwing her arms around my shoulders. “God, Yankee he’s smokin’. You guys already seem very…touchy. What have you been up to today?” She pulls back and looks at my face. “Did you get some sun? Were you outside? Who are you?”
I laugh at her and whisper in her ear. “Very smokin’. Also, very talented in the kissing department, we will talk about that later I promise. He found me a waterfall to jump down.”
Tassie takes in a deep breath in a very dramatic fashion. “Is he maybe perfect?”
I laugh a bit. “Let’s say I’m incredibly optimistic on a lot of fronts, but still reserve the right to remember all guys are dicks.”
Tassie grabs my arm and leads us back over to the table. “Fair enough. Also, if I weren’t leaving, his friend is gorgeous too. And he seems so nice. This is gonna get interesting.”
Kyle steps out of the booth to give me a hug. “East, good to see you. My boy has talked incessantly about this date, so hopefully he hasn’t screwed it all up and you’ve enjoyed it.”
