The Holiday Kiss (Briarwood High Book 4)

by Maggie Dallen

  The water was up to my waist and that panicky sensation was slowly being replaced by trepidation over being in the water. “I don’t think your idea was a good one.”

  He shrugged, wrapping his arms around his waist. “I don’t know. I might not be a psychologist but it seems like maybe you’re not comfortable sharing your feelings.”

  I gave a little snort of amusement at that understatement. “And you think throwing me into a pool will help?”

  He arched his brows. “I didn’t throw, I gently guided you down some steps.”

  “My point remains the same.”

  “Why didn’t you learn how to swim?” he asked again.

  I shrugged, trying to ignore this out of control panicky sensation long enough to focus on what he was asking. His arms around me didn’t help my concentration. Part of me wanted to tear myself away from him and the other part wanted to throw myself against him. I was torn in two—not allowing myself to believe what he’d said. Not that I thought him a liar, but what if he was wrong? What if he only thought he wanted more with me but then realized that he was stuck dating a giant dork who would never fit in?

  What if I gave him my heart and he walked away?

  I was terrified and overwhelmed and the fact that he was slowly but surely easing me toward the deep end was not helping matters.

  “Maya,” he urged, his voice leaving no room for argument. “Talk to me. Why didn’t you learn how to swim?”

  I blinked up at him. His blue eyes were fixed on me and they felt like a lifeline. As long as I kept holding his gaze I wouldn’t sink—literally and figuratively. I clutched his arms and forced the words to come. “I don’t know, I guess my mom always thought my dad would teach me when I was little. He was the better swimmer. He never had time or had to work while we were on vacation…” I shrugged. I didn’t really want to take a trip down memory lane at the moment. Especially not that gloomy road. “He always made excuses and then he was gone.” I forced a shrug.

  “That sucks.”

  I felt a smile tugging at my lips. That sucks. How very Luke to be so plain spoken and honest.

  “It did suck.” I took a deep breath and clutched his biceps as he continued to take small steps toward the deep end. I focused on talking rather than the water that was creeping up toward my chin. “My mom wasn’t a strong swimmer so she wasn’t comfortable taking me into the water on her own. That’s it. No big secret.”

  “There was no one else to teach you?”

  I frowned up at him trying to figure out where he was heading. “No, we don’t have a lot of family and I’d never had a lot of friends.” God, that sounded more pathetic than intended when I said it aloud. “It’s not exactly something I could learn by reading a book.”

  He stopped walking and I took a deep breath of relief at the pause. I wasn’t afraid of water, exactly, just uncomfortable at these depths.

  His gaze was intense, insistent. “That’s my point exactly.”

  “What is?”

  His lips twitched up in that way I loved. The way that said I was amusing him but in a good way. It was affectionate, tender, knowing. The kind of smile you gave someone you loved.

  My heart rate picked up at that thought and I latched on to his words to keep that ridiculous hope at bay.

  “To learn how to swim, you need someone else,” he said slowly, gently. “You need someone you can trust and someone you can be vulnerable around…”

  I blinked up at him. His point was clear but still I found myself stating it for clarification. “And you think that someone is you?”

  His gaze never left mine. “I hope that’s me.”

  It was hard to get enough oxygen in my lungs. His words echoed around me as his grip on my waist tightened. That look in his eyes, it was so sweet, so beautiful. It was everything I wanted to see there.

  So why the hell was I so terrified?

  I wrapped my arms around his neck as he pulled me tight against him. I was full-on clinging to him, not because I was worried he’d let me go but because I couldn’t hold it in any longer. That overwhelming sensation was too great. It came out of me in a burst of tears—the first tears I’d shed in years.

  “I’m scared,” I said, my voice breathy and weirdly high-pitched thanks to the sobs.

  He held me tight, dropping desperate and urgent kisses on my cheek, my neck, my shoulder. “I know, sweetheart. I am too.”

  Sweetheart. He’d never called me by an endearment before and hearing it now made my heart ache with something so sweet it hurt.

  “I don’t know what this is,” I said, pulling back to look at him.

  His gaze met mine. “Don’t you?”

  That was all he said for a moment. Then his lips quirked up in a sexy lopsided smile that made my chest clench in response. “Because I feel the same way and I know what it is. If I have to spell it out for you, I’m going to seriously start to doubt your intelligence.”

  I let out a huff of laughter at his teasing. “Okay, hotshot. If you’re so smart, what is this feeling?”

  I knew, but I wanted to hear Luke admit it first. Not exactly my bravest moment but then again, I was pretty new to this whole emotional thing.

  He leaned in closer until our lips nearly touched. “I love you, Maya Rivero. And I’m pretty sure you love me too.”

  Happiness of this particular caliber was an odd thing. It hurt. I mean that literally. My chest ached and it was hard to breathe. The only reason I was still standing was because his arms were holding me up. I hadn’t even known that joy could be so strong or so intense.

  Apparently that level of happiness also made me cry because the tears increased until I was hiccupping with sobs as he trailed kisses over my cheeks and lips.

  “I don’t know why I’m crying,” I said. “Tears must be some odd anomaly.”

  I felt his grin as his lips met mine. “You’re an odd anomaly.”

  “Very mature.” But I laughed as I said it because I loved his teasing. I loved the way he made me laugh at myself and the way he made every topic interesting. I loved the way I wasn’t afraid of the water at all in his arms because I knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t let me go.

  I loved him.

  That was what it all came down to. I pulled back so I could meet his eyes. He wore a small smile that was so tender and kind, no one else in our school would recognize this Luke.

  But this was my Luke. And I wasn’t going to let him go.

  “You know how much I hate to admit that you’re right,” I started.

  His smile grew into the cocky grin that was his trademark. I loved this side of him too. This was the side everyone saw, but I loved that I knew what was behind it. He was so much more than the bravado and the athletic prowess.

  And he was mine.

  His arms tightened even more so I was pressed against him from head to toe in the water. “What exactly am I right about this time?”

  I let out a short laugh at his ‘this time’ comment, but my amusement faded as I licked my lips and took a deep breath. “You were right that I love you too,” I said.

  He groaned as his lips claimed mine for a kiss that was fierce and tender—just like Luke. “God, I love you so much, Maya,” he said between kisses.

  We stayed in that pool for ages, kissing and whispering words of love. I’m not sure we would have stopped if we hadn’t been interrupted by the sudden arrival of a teacher who used the pool for evening swim classes for grade schoolers.

  Luckily the teacher came in first or we might have scarred some kiddos with all the making out going on in the pool. As it was, we hurried out of there, our clothes sticking to our damp bodies as we held hands on the way to my car.

  “So, what now?” he asked as we got into my car and faced one another.

  I knew what he meant. Like in Mexico, this evening was perfect. But perfect holidays and perfect evenings couldn’t last forever. At some point we’d have to figure out how to be a couple, at Briarwood and with college o
n the horizon. I’d have to tell Brandon to stop waiting for me, assuming he still was. But I didn’t think he’d care. Not really. What we had was nothing compared to this.

  I gripped the steering wheel as I thought over his question. What now? “Maybe we should take it slow,” I said. “This all happened really quickly and maybe we should just ease into it.”

  He nodded. “That’s smart.”

  “I’m smart.” I gave him a small smile and he laughed.

  “I see some of my confidence is rubbing off on you.”

  I shrugged. “And clearly some of my intelligence is rubbing off on you. You know, since you’ve gone and fallen in love with me and all.”

  He leaned forward to kiss me long and hard. “That is definitely the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”

  I was so busy enjoying the kiss that it took me a moment to realize he was tugging the pins out of my hair. “What are you doing?”

  “I want to see you with your hair down.”

  I frowned. I never wore my hair down at school. Not even in the parking lot. But no one was around so what the heck. I helped him with the last of the pins and shook out the long, wayward locks. “Only for you,” I said.

  His grin made my stomach do a backflip. “And that’s why I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

  He pulled me in close for another kiss that chased away the last of my worries and fears. He was lucky—we both were. We were lucky to find one another and lucky that we’d been forced on a vacation together where we got to know each other as more than just the dumb jock and the nerdy loser.

  When we came up for air, I asked him a question that was nagging at the back of my mind. “Do you think we would have fallen in love if we hadn’t spent Christmas in Mexico together?”

  He tilted his head to the side as he studied me. “I’d like to think so. But if you ask me to explain my rationale I’ll be forced to use words like fate, destiny, true love…” He leaned forward to plant a quick kiss on my lips. “I don’t know if you’re ready for that talk just yet.”

  He was joking but I nodded in all seriousness. I was having a hard enough time coming to grips with this whole love business, all that romantic talk could wait. “You’re right. And that’s why I’m glad we’re taking this slowly.”

  He nodded as he laced his fingers through mine. “Exactly. We’ll ease into it. No one is tossing you into the deep end.”

  I smiled. “Does that analogy mean you still intend to teach me how to swim?”

  He arched his brows. “Of course. Don’t think you can get out of every lesson with your womanly wiles.”

  I laughed and his smile warmed me all the way through. “But don’t worry,” he said. “We’ll take that slowly too.”

  Epilogue

  Luke

  We didn’t take it slowly. We said we would, and we both had every intention to, but just like falling in love, the course of our relationship seemed to be out of our hands.

  Maya likes to blame me. In my defense, though, it wasn’t like I could keep my hands off her at school the next day, not when she was looking all prim and proper with her tight bun and her turtleneck sweater. I took one look at her and had to ruffle those perfectly smooth feathers. I had to rile her up and see the passion in her eyes. I mean, I just had to. There was no other option.

  So I kinda sorta announced to the world that we were a couple by making out with her for all the world to see and then taking my dazed and lip-swollen girlfriend by the hand and walking with her to her next class.

  When one freshman had the gall to give us a shocked look I explained to him in no uncertain terms that he’d better stop eyeing my girlfriend like that.

  So yeah—subtlety had never been my forte.

  People adjusted quickly. Or at least, I assumed they did. I didn’t care if anyone else liked that we were a couple or not, and Maya had never cared what our classmates thought so we existed happily in our own little world for the rest of the school year.

  I made good on my promise to teach Maya how to swim, and I’ll tell you what—she was a natural. Also, I might have been a fantastic teacher. Maya says it’s a little of both. Whatever, my girl took to the water like a fish and next year when we’re back in Mexico with our families again, I can’t wait to take her into the ocean.

  Maybe we can even sneak in a little late night swim without my brothers or the moms around. And yes, it’s already been decided that we’ll all go back next year. This year was tough on my family but we’re all in agreement that my mom made the right decision with Mexico. Not just because I fell in love—although that was the best perk in the world—but because it set a precedent for my family that we would be moving forward. Things might be different but different didn’t have to mean bad. Would it be easy? Not always, but then sometimes the best things in life are the ones you have to fight for. The ones that make you face your fears and become a better person.

  I’ve changed thanks to Maya and the way she challenges me on a regular basis. I can’t slide by with a smile or a cocky attitude around that girl. She knows me too well. And I’d like to think that Maya’s changed for the better thanks to me too. She’s been more open—with me at least. She’s learning to experience her emotions rather than run from them.

  We’re good together, she and I. And it’s all thanks to that trip to Mexico that we found that out. When our moms came to us with the idea of doing the same trip next year, our answer was a no brainer. We’ll both have a break from college and will need the rest and relaxation of a sunny beach. Maya will be back from Harvard, and me?

  Well, I’ll be back from Harvard too.

  That’s right. I got into Harvard.

  Maya couldn’t believe it either. I hadn’t even told her that I applied because it was such a long shot. But then, once my coach and I looked into it—it wasn’t such a long shot. Their athletics divisions weren’t top notch and they were in need of a brilliant swimmer—AKA, yours truly.

  My grades had always been good—not Maya-good but good—and even though I applied to other schools in the greater Boston area, I managed to do the unthinkable.

  “You got into Harvard.” Maya repeated it several times when I told her. It was during one of our swim instructions and I’d thoughtfully waited until she’d had both feet on the floor of the pool before surprising the hell out of her.

  I was all for a good surprise, but I didn’t want my girl to choke on water over it.

  As it was, she stared at me for so long I couldn’t hold back a laugh. She was just so cute when she was stunned.

  To be fair, she was rarely caught off guard. Maya was too smart for that. The only times I’ve seen her really thrown off her game were when I’d told her I loved her for the first time and when I told her I was joining her at Harvard.

  Both times will go down as some of the best moments of my life.

  “So, what,” she finally managed. “They’ll let just anyone in these days?”

  I grinned as I scooped her up into my arms. The only thing cuter than a stunned Maya was a Maya who tried to crack jokes.

  “Admit it. You’re over the moon right now,” I said. I knew she was but it was fun to razz her about her serious lack of effusiveness.

  She grinned at me as she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me with all the passion in the world. My girl might not wear her heart on her sleeve, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel. Maya was the most loving woman I knew. Kind, sensitive, and thoughtful in the extreme.

  And she was mine.

  Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it, reviews are always welcome. If you missed the first three standalone romances in the Briarwood High series, you can find them here:

  Out of His League

  A Whole New League

  The Perfect League

  For more YA romance by Maggie Dallen, check out her Summer Love series. Turn the page to read a sneak peek from her latest, full-length standalone novel in the series, Senior Week Crush.

  Senior Week
Crush

  I’m the first to admit that I temporarily lost my mind. But really, when the guy you’ve been crushing on since forever turns your way in calculus class with that perfect smile and says, “What about you, Layla, are you going to Senior Week?”—you’re going to say yes.

  Or at least, I did.

  But try explaining that to Amy. My best friend was not having it. Backlit by the fluorescent glow of our high school cafeteria, she vaguely resembled a frizzy, red-headed interrogator as she peered at me across the aluminum table. I didn’t hold out on her. I described every minute detail as she ate her lunch of tuna on rye. I breathlessly told her everything, from the way his eyes met mine to the way he’d smiled in response to my answer.

  At the end, her response was not what I’d hoped.

  “You said yes? Why?” Her freckled nose was scrunched up in disgust like I’d just told her I’d said yes to weekly accordion lessons rather than a week of fun on the beach. I knew what she was getting at—up until that life-changing moment, I had not, in fact, planned on attending Senior Week with my peers. But he had asked. I couldn’t say no.

  Before I could explain that, her face fell and she let out a little sigh of disappointment. “Oh no….”

  Oh yes. She knew me too well. Sometimes it was annoying. It wasn’t like I expected her to jump for joy over this plan, but a little support would be nice. But Amy had never approved of my crush on Dylan Yates, my next door neighbor since kindergarten. And, in her defense, up until a week ago, it may have been a bit pathetic. But now the tides had turned. With just days remaining before graduation, the moment I’d been waiting for had finally arrived.

  What was this cataclysmic event that shifted my fate forevermore?

  Dylan and Stephanie had finally broken up.

  When they first got together, way back in the fifth grade, I hadn’t been too alarmed. Even at eleven I knew that middle school relationships weren’t destined to last long. My older sister assured me that they had the lifespan of a gnat. Everyone knew that it wouldn’t last.