Second Chances

by Younker, Tracy

  Griff is game of course and says he'll call the guys and we can hit the water when he gets home from work later that afternoon. I know that Brynn is working today, so unfortunately she won't be able to join us. I put a towel down on Griff's dock and lay myself out to do some sunbathing this afternoon, mostly for relaxation, not color, since my skin is probably already as dark as it gets. It's nice to just be still and quiet for a little while. I listen to the engines of other boats roaring and sputtering past, the birds chirping all around, and the gentle breeze stirring the trees. Punkin even comes out to visit me, although briefly. She doesn't want to be close to the water for too long.

  My silence is later interrupted when two truck engines roar down the driveway behind me. This means my wait is over and the boys are here. I don't even bother to glance back. I hear Griff head inside the house to change his clothes and Max and Parker grab their cooler and begin to shake my peaceful dock.

  “Hey there, babe,” Parker smiles at me while strolling down the dock as Max takes the cooler over to the boat.

  “Please don't call me that,” I groan, shielding my eyes from the blaring sun as I glance up at him standing over me. I've told him that many times before, but just like everything else, he doesn't listen. Griff comes out of the house and we all head for the boat, stowing gear as we go. We pretty much have this down to a science by now.

  I sit up front where I prefer to be as we speed out onto the lake. The feeling of the wind in my face and the sound of the engine always settles me, and I could just ride around like this until the gas tank bleeds dry. I feel Parker come sit across from me.

  “I'm sorry about the other night,” he calls over to me. “I shouldn't have gotten upset with you. You've always been clear that you weren't interested in anything more than friendship, and I guess I just held out hope that one day you'd change your mind. I just never thought that it would be with someone else.”

  “Thanks, Parker. I really truly never meant to hurt you,” I call back and he nods. He seems to be much more at peace than he had been the other night, but I still don't want to be around him when he's high.

  Max cuts the engine and Parker is quick to crack a beer. I grab my vest and pull it on over my head, pulling my hair out from underneath it. “Haylee needs some stress relief today,” Max comments as I shoot him a look over my shoulder and he watches me get ready.

  “Hell yeah I do,” I say and jump into the water after my board. It's been almost four weeks since Chase left, and even though I hadn't known what to expect timewise, this had not been it. I can't completely erase the doubt that Lexi has planted either, and it pisses me off. I let my frustration and anger drive me, and I really let go out there like I haven't done in quite some time. I'm pulling off the more difficult tricks and really using the speed of the boat to launch off from. That delicious adrenaline is pumping fast through my whole body and I am floating in it by the time I drop the tow rope. I stretch out in the front of the boat with a beer in my hand and watch each of the guys take their turn.

  Griff is acting kind of funny. He seems almost excited. More than he usually is for wakeboarding. He's only had a few beers, but he acts as though he's had more.

  While Max is boarding, I sit in the back beside Griff. “What's got you so high on life today?” I asked him.

  He turns toward me with a silly, childlike smile on his face and I can't help but smile back. Griff is always goofy, but this is different somehow. “Just havin' a great day out here with my buds,” he tells me and slings his arm around my shoulder. “It's a good day, Haylee,” he adds and I just shake my head at him.

  “Did you get laid at work or something?” He looks at me with wide eyes as though he's shocked, but I know better. “You realize I've heard you talk about it before right?”

  “Nah, I was busy at work today.“ He looks over and sees me raise my eyebrows at him suggestively. “Working on cars, Haylee.” We both laugh at his indiscretions.

  The sun is beginning to dip lower in the sky and we're all exhausted after each taking three turns. I've had a few beers that afternoon, more than I normally do out on the lake, and I'm enjoying the warm numbness that is wrapping itself around me. My hair is almost dry and whipping around behind me, so I reach up to pull it down over my shoulder and hold it there. I wish that someone would just drive me around the lake all night. I imagine it would be the most relaxing night of sleep ever.

  Whenever I look back toward the guys, Griff is grinning at me. It's downright weird, and I'm starting to think I'm going to be punked or something. Max slows the engine slightly as we get closer to Griff's dock. I can see that someone is standing out on the end of the dock, but it's still too far to tell who it is. Maybe Brynn came over after work. The light isn't great right now either, as the sun has dipped mostly below the tree line of the mountains to the west of the lake. Colors don't stand out so well this time of day. Getting a little closer though I can tell that it's too big to be Brynn; it's definitely a guy. Finally, I let my hair go and hold my hand over my eyes like a visor and squint, my heart beginning to beat faster. I find myself leaning forward in the seat to bring myself just a tad closer to seeing. My mouth drops open and instinctively, I slap my hand over it. I am fairly sure it is Chase standing there on the dock! Talk about a rush of adrenaline; my whole body is shaking with the overload.

  We are close enough now that I can tell without a doubt that it is, in fact, Chase. My heart is going to pop right out of my chest. I had no idea that he was coming back today. He stands watching us come in with his hands in the front pockets of his faded, low hanging jeans and a blue Big Air t-shirt on. I can tell from the logo. I am on my feet now and I spin around with a shocked expression aimed right at Griff. Max and Parker look surprised too, so they hadn't known either. No wonder Griff has seemed so giddy. There is that same goofy grin, even more exaggerated. “You knew,” I whisper and he chuckles at my stunned reaction.

  My eyes quickly travel back to Chase though, and he looks incredible as always. He has this cocky, half smile on his face, his blue eyes squinted in the sun and this gorgeous five o'clock shadow that I haven't seen on him before. I've heard the expression 'take my breath away' before, but I am actually experiencing it now. I feel so guilty for all the doubtful thoughts that I've had.

  Max slows the engine to a putter now and I can't wait any longer. I dive right off the front of the boat and swim quickly up to the dock. I can hear the guys laughing on the boat behind me. I reach the front of the dock and glance up into those piercing blue eyes. He bends over and reaching under my arms and literally hauls me up out of the water. His smile melts my heart. Without a thought about the fact that I am dripping wet, I throw my arms around his neck as tears prick my eyes.

  “Missed ya, Hayles,” he says softly, his breath tickling my ear, sending chills racing down my body.

  I am at war with myself. I don't want to ever release him, but I want to lean back and look at him. I am overwhelmed like never before, well, except for when I'd seen him in my driveway over a month ago. “Why didn't you tell me?” I ask, pulling back just enough to look him in those icy eyes of his. His smile is breathtaking. God, I've missed him. I've missed that smile. I've missed everything about him.

  “I wanted to surprise you,” he says with a shrug like it's no big deal. “Guess it worked.” He pulls me back against him and brings his lips to mine. I moan with the contact. It feels like I've never kissed anyone before. There are whistles and cat-calls coming from the boat beside us and I can feel his smile against my lips.

  We pull apart a bit then and I wince when I look down at the front of him plastered with my wet outline. “Sorry,” I apologize with a crooked smile.

  “I kinda like it,” he says, his hands going to his abdomen where the top of my bikini had been pressed. Of course he would. I smack his arm and he tilts his back and laughs. Griff comes over and lifts me right off the dock in front of him.

  “Surprise, Haylee!” he chuckles and plants a kiss on my
temple before setting me back down.

  “How long have you known?” I ask him wondering how long the two of them have kept this from me all while I've been miserable.

  “About two weeks,” he smiles and I felt my face fall. I could have looked forward to this for two weeks? “Just kidding! He just called me yesterday when he bought the airline ticket.” I sigh with relief and feel Chase snake one arm around my waist. I turn to face him and with my hands behind his neck, pull him down to kiss me. He slides his hands down to my bottom and picks me up, my legs automatically wrapping around his waist. We never break the kiss as he begins to move along the dock toward the shore. His tongue is clashing with mine and I have no idea how he's doing it, but he keeps kissing me as he walks us all the way up to Griff's house.

  “See you guys later!” Max calls out with a chuckle from down at the dock before Chase pulls the door open, while still holding me with one hand and kissing me senseless. He begins to climb the stairs and we bump into the wall on the way. I giggle into his mouth and I feel him smile as well. I feel like maybe I should just set my feet down and make this climb easier on him, but he must have known what I am thinking because he grips my thighs even tighter, effectively keeping my body pinned to his. Somehow we make it to the top of the stairs and around the corner into Griff's brother's room where he has stayed before. I hear the door slam closed and I'm caught off guard as he spins me around and I find myself pressed up against the door by his body, letting my legs slide down to the floor. His hands are on the door on either side of my head, caging me in. He holds his head back to look me in the eyes. His lips are inches from mine and his gaze is intense and laced with desire. I feel the power of him, so close to me. My chest is heaving for air between us. I can feel the heat of his breath on my lips and I trace my lower lip with my tongue. He groans and squeezes his eyes closed before he crushes his mouth to mine.

  I feel like I'm burning up inside, aching for his touch. Our mouths aren't enough. I arch my back, bringing my stomach into contact with the hard planes of his hips and abdomen. Another groan comes from the back of his throat, and I dig my fingers into the muscles of his back, trying to pull him closer.

  He pushes off from the wall and with his hands firmly on my waist, spins me around and walks us backward until the backs of my legs come into contact with the side of the bed. I fall backwards onto the bed and he is covering me with his body and kissing along my neck. I run my fingers through his silky hair and tilt my head to the side to give him better access. The room is filled with the scent of him and the sounds of our panting breaths. I'm in total sensory overload. He reaches beneath my back with one hand and releases the tie to my bikini top, tossing it aside. Both his hands cover my breasts while he looks from his hands to my face. The way he looks right now is indescribable. Desire floods my system and his hands on my breasts aren't enough anymore either. I lift my hips up to meet his and he trails his hands down to the crest of each of my hipbones. I watch as he slowly slides my bottom down and off of my body, before he pulls the shirt off his back with one hand. I sit up then and tug at the button of his jeans. Once the clasps are undone I start to slide them down his legs along with his boxers while I lean forward and press kisses along the heated flesh of his abdomen. He hisses and fists my hair in his hands. With slight pressure he pulls my head back by my hair. Not enough to cause any real pain but enough that I know that he is in control. He tugs my hair, making me lay back once again.

  I watch as he drops to his knees in front of me and my eyes go wide. This is new for me and he sees my reaction. He keeps his eyes locked on mine to reassure me as he slowly presses his lips against my inner thigh just above my knee and begins to move upward, kissing as he goes. The butterflies in my stomach suddenly feel like they have morphed into sparrows.

  He pauses at the apex of my thighs, millimeters from my skin, and the feeling of his hot breath against me there causes me to gasp and lay back with my eyes closed. I feel the hot slickness of his tongue on me and the sensation causes my hips to jump upward. He places each of his hands on my hipbones to hold me down as his tongue begins to move. I've heard girls talking about this before and how amazing it can be. I wholeheartedly believe it now. He circles his tongue around me and then drags it downward, sliding it right into my center. I moan and toss my head from side to side. I have this overwhelming desire to move but he has my hips pinned down so the rest of me takes over. I reach down and weave my fingers into his hair, holding him to me. He groans and I can feel the vibration of the sound in my most sensitive area. I'm not sure I'll survive this.

  “Oh God,” I moan as he slides his hot, slick tongue back up to the tiny bud of my sex just as he slides one finger inside my channel. I cry out his name as my body explodes against his mouth.

  I try to catch my breath as he kisses along my stomach, up between my breasts and along my neck until he's looking into my eyes again. I reach up and put my hands on either side of his face, brushing the longer hair away from his half lidded eyes. I want nothing more in that moment than to make him feel exactly what he's just made me feel.

  He leaves me momentarily to retrieve a condom from his jeans and I take it from the packet this time. I want to touch him. I place the latex on the tip of his straining erection and roll it slowly down the impressive length of him. His breathing has become erratic above me. I let my hand wrap around him and squeeze gently.

  “You're killing me, Hayles,” he growls and I look up, afraid I am doing something wrong. He realizes what I thought and brings his hand up to my cheek. “I need to be inside you now,” he groans out and I understand.

  I lay back and pull him with me without breaking eye contact. His body is pure male perfection and every one of my nerve endings is thrumming to make contact with him. He settles his body between my legs and I can feel him at my entrance. I need him inside of me as well.

  “These past few weeks have been fuckin' painful without you, Hayles,” he says through gritted teeth as he slams into me and steals my breath in the process. It feels so amazing as my body fights to accommodate his intrusion. I tilt my head back, lifting my chest up. He kisses the underside of my chin as he suddenly withdraws and then slams back into me just as quickly. I cry out as I dig my fingernails into his back. He begins to pick up speed and I can't help but whimper and gasp in pleasure. After four long weeks, I feel so close to him again, and yet somehow I feel like I can never get enough of him.

  With no warning, I am coming apart beneath him again, and he quickly follows before collapsing on top of me. We lay just like that for a few minutes until our breathing slowly returns to normal. “Are you okay?” he asks me, looking almost fearfully into my eyes. My heart stutters trying to figure out what would be scaring him right now.

  “Of course I'm okay, why?” I whisper as I watch his face relax before he rests his forehead against mine with a sigh.

  “I was afraid I hurt you,” he murmurs, and I let my mind wander back to the last few mind-blowing moments.

  “No,” I insist, lifting his face up so I can look into his worried blue eyes. “You didn't hurt me at all! It was amazing.” I'm smiling then as I remember every delicious detail, the way he had played my body like he knew it better than even I did.

  He brushes my hair back a bit and traces my swollen bottom lip with his thumb. I want to know what's going through his mind. He's hesitant as he explains, ”I lost control and I, I couldn't hold back. I never want to hurt you. I didn't mean. . .“

  “You didn't,” I say firmly, looking him right in the eyes so that he can see that I'm not lying. “I liked it and I don't want you to hold back because you're afraid of breaking me.”

  His face finally breaks into a smile, and I'm so relieved. How can I even express to him how perfect this evening has been for me? He rolls onto his side, quickly disposing of the condom and turns to wrap me up in his arms. He holds me in a tight embrace and I enjoy the way the smooth skin of his chest feels beneath my cheek.

  “I
can't tell you how happy I am to finally be back here.” His voice is low and strained and I sit up on my elbow so that I can see him. He reaches down and drags the comforter up over our entwined legs. He runs his fingers through my hair, brushing it back out of my face. “I missed you like crazy.”

  “And I was crazy with missing you. Just ask Griff,” I mutter, and he laughs

  a little.

  “I heard a little about that.” That cocky smirk is back. I forgot that Griff had undoubtedly spilled some of my secrets. I know he won't say anything that I ask him not to, but I don't even want to think about any of this right now. “I'm sorry about not telling you I was coming in today, but I really didn't know until yesterday, and I wanted to see the surprise on your beautiful face.”

  “You're forgiven,” I smile and lean in to nip at his bottom lip. His pupils instantly dilate and I feel the power of that shoot right down between my legs.

  There's a knock on the door downstairs then and he drops his head back and groans. “That better not be any of the guys messing with us,” he mutters as he gets up and quickly slips into his boxers and jeans. The knock sounds again as he leans down to give me a quick kiss. “Be right back.”

  I watch as the muscles of his back move on his way out the door. I hope for the guys' sake that they aren't playing a joke. And if it isn't them, they will be here soon, so I climb out of bed and begin searching for the pieces of my bikini. I hear the door downstairs open and close as I tie the back of my bikini and shimmy into the bottom. I do my best to return the bed to the way I assume it looked before we ravaged it. I smile to myself at this thought.

  I'm curious about who has knocked, so I walk over to the window that looks down over the driveway and out to the dock. There's a silver car that I don't recognize in the driveway. I glance down below the window where the back porch leads out from the door and I find Chase standing there talking to some woman. My stomach clenches painfully when I recognize the woman as his damn manager, Lexi. What the hell is she doing here? I thought he was done with all of that stuff. Chase is standing with his back to the house and Lexi happens to glance upward and lock eyes with me through the window for a moment, then her eyes are back on Chase just as quick. I freeze from being caught snooping and I'm about to step back from the window when she steps even closer to him. It's like driving by an accident on the highway; I know I should look away but I physically can't. She reaches up, putting one hand on the nape of his neck and sliding the other around his naked waist and plants her mouth right on his.