Daring the Wild Sparks

by Alexander, Ren

  I have to try harder for him.

  After we both change into shorts and T-shirts, I grab two beach towels from the cabinet in the bathroom.

  Walking out onto the back deck, I look down to the beach and see it’s empty. Beth was right. This area of the beach isn’t very popular because of the grass and the rocks. I think it’s perfect.

  I cautiously step out onto the pale yellow deck, the hot wood scorching the soles of my feet. I speedily run over to the stairs and quickly make my way down, squealing from the needles of pain. I hear the sliding door shut and Finn swiftly making his way across. When I make it to the cool, shaded sand, it’s sweet relief. Finn jumps off the third step from the bottom, landing behind me and spraying my legs with sand.

  “So sorry, sweetheart,” he says rather disingenuously with a subtle hint of a teasing smile. Sweetheart. I love that even when he’s being a jackass.

  “Are you now, honeybunch?” I ask disbelievingly. His eyes glitter as I toss his towel at his chest and he catches it with a shameless grin.

  “Nope.” He steps to me, but I walk backwards to the beach. “What are you going to do about it?” he taunts. “Take me to another lame lighthouse?”

  My jaw drops. “How dare you call it lame, Wilder!”

  “How dare I? You really want to say that, Beckett?”

  I nod eagerly and grin. “Yep.”

  He shakes his head and gives me a pointed look. “You know I never back down from a dare.”

  “I do know that,” I state, backpedaling to the water. Finn follows after me with a wicked grin on his handsome face. His hair is a radiant, bronzed blonde in the bright afternoon sun, but darker around his ears and his neckline. It is a magical sight.

  I giggle and incite him more. “I dare you…”

  He nods his head, encouraging me to provoke him. “What, Becks? What are you going to dare me to do?” His brown eyes shimmer from the sun’s reflection off the water as we walk closer.

  “To kiss me.”

  He tilts his head as he walks towards me and I back away from him, his impish grin widens. “That’s all?”

  I nod. “Kiss me,” I repeat. Still grinning, I seductively lick my bottom lip before I bite it. That move momentarily stuns him and he loses his focus, slowing down as he stares at my lips.

  He distractedly mumbles, “I want to.”

  I giggle knowing that I have a slight head start, something I’m going to need after I goad, “You gotta catch me first, Finny!” Not waiting to see his expression, I pivot in the ankle-deep sand and take off running to the water, throwing my towel down on my way. To my astonishment, I hear Finn laugh behind me. My teasing actually worked and I’m disappointed that I can’t stop now to admire his delight, since he has the advantage of longer legs.

  Reaching the wet surf, I trudge alongside the tide as quick as my little legs will take me, my ponytail swishing against my back. I hear heavy footsteps in the wet sand and I hesitantly glance over my shoulder to see Finn chasing me. I shriek and try to run faster.

  He laughs. “You can’t outrun me, baby!” I giggle and push myself to be sprightlier, but it’s hard to run while laughing hysterically. He’s also in way better shape than me. I already feel my stomach cramping, my lunch no doubt objecting my futility.

  Score one for Wilder.

  I hear him closing in on me and I veer left in vain to escape through the dry sand, but he catches me by the waist, swinging me around him. His laughter is music to me.

  His bristles scrape my cheek. “Was that really a dare, Becks? That was so easy!” he smugly declares in victory. “I was even nice and let you go further before I caught you.”

  “Nice?” I squeal incredulously. I damned near ran my ass off!

  “Oh, yeah, baby. And now, I’m not going to be so nice to you,” he ominously warns. His lips graze my ear.

  “You’re not?” I whimper, but it turns into a giggle. I hold onto his arms as he carries me with my back to his chest.

  “Huh-uh.”

  In a useless attempt to break free, I ineffectively kick my legs out and push down on his arms tightly wrapped around my stomach. I can’t escape him. He’s too strong.

  Finn carts me up to the dry sand and I sneer, “I still think you run like a girl.”

  He stops walking towards the house. “What’s that you say?”

  “I said that you run like a girl and these arms are like wet spaghetti.”

  Turning his head, he darkly laughs at my assertions. “Oh, you did not just say that, Becks.”

  “Um, I think I did. Maybe you need a hearing aid, too.”

  His lips move back to my ear. “Sweetheart, you are going to pay for that, as well as for the remark last week about Ricky and his handcuffs.”

  I lean the back of my head against his shoulder and giggle while continuing to taunt him. “I’m so scared, Wilder.”

  Without warning, he spins us around and walks towards the water, the waves crashing loudly. He replies, “You should be…Beckett.”

  Oh, no. What is he going to do to me? I try again to get free, but his grip around my stomach is like an iron bar.

  The salty air hangs heavy as he walks us into the shin-deep water, for him at least. He sets me down, only to swiftly move to my side, sweeping his arms under my thighs and back, lifting me so that he’s cradling my body close to his. “That’s better,” he says with a deceitfully peaceful smile. I think he’s up to something. I have to be on my guard.

  “What are you doing with me?”

  He grins. “Taking you for a walk, baby.”

  “In the ocean?”

  He shrugs. “Why not?”

  I look down and see the water is up to his gray shorts as the waves roll around us. “You’re not going to go out much further, are you? The water will be over my head!”

  He cocks an eyebrow and his lip. “Don’t you worry. I would never let anything happen to my Becks.” His tenses his grip around me, as I do around his neck. I rest my head against his shoulder, above his new tattoo and he angles his face to kiss my forehead.

  I smile up at him. He flicks his tongue over his lips before he kisses me. Salty, but still my heaven. I reach up and caress his jaw, holding him to me as the ocean plays around us.

  I pull back. “Look at us. We’re making out in the Atlantic Ocean, baby.”

  He sexily grins. “I like it.” He kisses me again and then says, “It has its unexpected benefits.”

  I regard him curiously. “It does?” He starts walking a little more.

  “Yeah. I didn’t realize that I’d be bringing you out here and getting you wet in a white T-shirt.” He can’t help his glorious grin and his roaming eyes over my chest. “It’s not Pittsburgh, but…”

  I glance down to my shirt. Not see-through. Damn it, I’m so gullible. He totally tricked me like Rod did in the restaurant after he sprayed me with beer. I look up at Finn. “Hey! You can’t see anything!” I assert.

  “I guess not…yet.” He abruptly plunges me into the water and immediately pulls me up. “Oh, oops, baby!” he exclaims with mock sincerity. “I’m so sorry!” He sets me on my feet, riotously laughing as I splutter and wipe the salt water from my face. I look down and my white T-shirt is clinging to me. The dark shadows of my nipples now visible through my bra.

  “Finn!” I yelp.

  “I told you I was going to get you back!” His laughter escalates and I lunge for him. Finn grabs at my arms and tries to kiss me between his laughing; however, I dodge him, making him laugh even more. Crazy as it sounds, I’m happy that he’s having fun, even at my expense. Although I love all of him, his playfulness has to be one of my favorite things about him.

  I step away from him and wring out my dripping ponytail as he brazenly stares at my chest.

  Pursing my smiling lips, I raise a challenging eyebrow. “Do you see anything you like, Wilder?”

  He woodenly nods and flicks his eyes up to mine. Holding my soaked hair, I walk up to him through the bubb
ly water. Squinting from the sun, I sneer, “Well, take a good, long look because it’s nothing you’ll ever see naked again.” I spin around to make a not-so-fast exit since the water is up to my ribs, and his arms are instantly around me from behind.

  “Baby, I’m sorry.” He tries to be serious, but his laugh rolls onto my neck and I happily grin.

  Trying to keep the merriment out of my voice, I ask, “Remember the last time you got laid?”

  He nods against the side of my head and I quickly add, “Well, that was the last time!” He hears me giggle and he laughs with me. His fingers play with the drenched material adhering to my abdomen.

  Suddenly whirling me around, the tide flows between and around us. His hands move up to my face and his thumbs drift across my skin. His eyes gleam with something. It looks like a mixture of humor, admiration, desire and love. He smiles at me. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Finn, even if you’re still a prepubescent boy.”

  He smirks and leans down to kiss me, his full lips moving perfectly with mine. I trail my fingers over his stubble, wishing he it was lightly scratching my stomach and breasts.

  Now I’m turning into Finn.

  Reaching for my hand, he says, “Let’s go for a short walk and then we’ll get back to Dover so we can take showers, grab something to eat, and then get to church early to find somewhere to sit.”

  He tugs at my hand, but I don’t move. “Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend?”

  Finn dubiously laughs. “What?”

  “A walk? Showers? Where’s the makeout session you wanted?”

  He narrows his eyes and adopts a prim expression. “Becks, is that all you want me for? My body?” I scoff at his remark and he smirks as he starts to lead me out of the water.

  I shake my head. “I’m speechless.” Letting go of his hand, he looks to see why, and I leap onto his back, surprising him. He grasps my thighs, hoisting me up as I clutch his shoulders. “I’m not walking on the beach with a wet, white T-shirt.”

  He laughs while nodding in agreement. Once I’m situated, I wind my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek, dragging my lips through his prickly facial hair. Now I want to skip church. I hear a purring sound coming from his chest and I kiss his neck, giggling against his throat.

  He walks us along the wet sand and we both turn our heads to look out at the water. There’s a sailboat with an enormous, white sail off in the distance.

  “I want one of those someday,” he says.

  “You do?” I never knew that.

  “Yeah. That would be so cool, don’t you think?”

  “Yeah, it would be. Ricky could be your first mate.” I laugh at the thought of those two out on the open sea. I don’t think they’d actually make it that far out, though. Maybe not even out of the marina.

  “No way. You’d be my first mate, Becks. Always.”

  “That is so sweet, Wilder.” I can see his smile from the corner of my eye, and I hug him tighter.

  “What else do you want someday?” I ask him.

  He shrugs. “I don’t know. What about you?” His fingers stroke my legs.

  “A man who appreciates lopsided pancakes.” I feel him shaking from his laugh and I lightly smack his shoulder.

  Finn turns and marches us through the dry sand. Spotting our towels, I slide off his back to pick them up.

  His gaze drifting to my shirt, he smiles and holds out his hand for me. I wrap the towel around my shoulders, hiding my noticeable nipples, and we walk towards the house. He asks, “Are you sure you want to go tonight?”

  “To church with you?” He nods and looks at me skeptically. “Yes. I want to share this with you, be a part of something that is important to you. I want to spend more time with you, too. You don’t mind, do you?”

  Pensively smiling, he shakes his head, his hair shifting colors in the light. “No. I’m glad you want to come with me.”

  “Who all is going with us?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe Ricky. I’m not sure.”

  “What should I expect?”

  His eyebrows yank together as he looks at me. “From Ricky? The normal shit.”

  I pull my lips to the side. “No, not Ricky.” I laugh and nudge his arm. “The service.”

  He laughs. “Oh. Well, the usual for a Catholic Mass, but with a lot more added on to it. Before Mass starts, the priest blesses the Easter fire outside the church. He’ll light a new Paschal candle from that fire. The candle is then carried in and we all light candles from it until the whole church is lit up. There are a lot of readings. Um, during the service, the people who went through RCIA classes to join the Church will be baptized, confirmed and officially become members. It’s essentially graduation for the RCIA class. It’s inspirational to watch for some.” I nod. It’s a lot to take in.

  We reach Bethany’s outdoor faucet and we rinse our feet and dry them off. Something is nagging me. Finn said he has a deep, dark secret that he has confessed to me. If it’s not about his abhorrence to getting married, then what the hell is it?

  We walk over to the stairs, but I pivot and stop him.

  With my arms stretched out, blocking his path, I stare at him, still slightly shorter even though I’m two steps up. He instantly becomes suspicious of me. His perceptive eyes are extra careful. “What?”

  “What secret were you talking about earlier?”

  I watch his throat muscles constricting and he glances away from me. “Finn, what is it? You said you tell me every time we’re together, but honestly, I don’t remember you telling me anything that I don’t already know.”

  His eyes drift to the ground and he gruffly mutters, “Well, I guess you’ll have to pay more attention.”

  “Finn, just tell me what it is.”

  “Becks, I have. Repeatedly.” I watch his jaw move as he talks, his beard appears to have grown since this morning. I want to feel it against my lips again.

  I hold onto the handrails and slowly shake my head in confusion. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

  Finn mumbles quietly to the ground, “Well, maybe someday you will.”

  His head still bowed, I study the browns and golds intricately peppered throughout his thick hair. It reminds me of one of those paintings with colors splashed erratically onto the canvas. Finn’s hair is definitely a work of art. A natural wonder.

  I blink and reply, “I doubt it. You’re being so mysterious about it now. How am I ever going to know what you’re talking about?”

  He peers up at me, both deeply caught in each other’s stare. I try to draw the secret from his deep brown eyes, but they’re not giving any of Finn Wilder’s secrets away and apparently, neither is he; although he claims to have told me.

  I hope he’s not hiding something major. And if he is, will it happily rock my world to the core or would it destroy me and drive us apart?

  I’m absolutely curious, yet deathly afraid to find out which one it is.

  CHAPTER 13

  The anxiety about what the service is going to be like hits me in the gut like a sledgehammer. As Finn pulls my car into the parking lot, I glance out the window to the gray-shingled, white building. I lick my lips, faintly tasting the ocean’s saltiness, which does nothing to soothe my apprehension. I’ve wanted him to invite me to go to Mass with him since we started dating three years ago. Why didn’t I consider that I’d feel like this actually going to one?

  After our beach jaunt, we saw Bethany sitting on the deck, doodling an elaborate floral design on a notepad using a multitude of colorful pens. When she looked up at me, she had a weird smile on her face. Yet, that’s Beth: full of little surprises and good-natured sentiments. At first, I thought the look was because of my peek-a-boo tits, but they were hidden underneath the towel.

  We had packed up our things since we didn’t know where we’d be staying for sure tonight. Finn stayed true to his word and didn’t try to have sex with me before leaving, which kind of shocked me.

/>   Heading back to Dover to Julie’s house, even in separate cars, I could tell he was brooding just by the way he drove. He didn’t try to race me to the finish, that’s for sure, as he actually drove near the speed limit. I wonder how he drives when he has his police officer BFF riding shotgun.

  When we arrived at his mother’s, he ignored anyone standing in the way and went straight upstairs to his room, leaving me gaping at his brusqueness from the bottom of the staircase. Julie tentatively walked into the foyer and I promptly hugged her as she cried. I told her that I wasn’t sure how long Finn needed, but to give him some time. I also warned her that he doesn’t want to talk about it yet, leaving out his opening up to me, not wanting to hurt her feelings.

  Julie said she wanted to go with us to church; however, she thought maybe that would anger Finn and he’d leave not only church, but the house as well. Simone had gone out with a friend for the day, so she wasn’t around to plead or argue with her brother either, which is probably a good thing.

  It’s now dusk. I look around and see people making their way to a large fire burning in front of the building.

  “Shit. I must’ve spaced out when you told me why in the hell we had to drive to Maryland to go to Mass,” Ricky complains from the backseat.

  Finn sighs and warily repeats his earlier explanation. “I told you that my mother had us attend this church because my aunt Reggie goes here. We used to drive here every week for Mass. It’s not that far.”

  “Right. I would’ve skipped.”

  Finn grumbles to the windshield, “Well, that wasn’t an option back then.” He yanks the door handle and hurriedly exits the car, striding over to my side as I step out. When I shut the door, he frowns at me. What did I do now? Is it my dress? He didn’t say much about it before we left. He just stared at me, but didn’t make any comment—negative or otherwise. Glancing down to make sure my boobs are definitely not on display, I’m reminded that it is a cute dress, having a white V-neck with a pretty, floral print. The skirt is flared, so it’s not clingy and it floats over my legs. I also wore my dark pink sweater cardigan, unbuttoned, since it’s breezy tonight. The sweater also serves to hide the love bite Finn gave me last night. I left my hair down and used Simone’s curling iron to give it some personality.