Dirt Road Summer

by Ashley Johnson

  “I’m sorry Beau, I really am.” I tell him as sincerely as possible.

  "Why did you move anyway? Couldn't take the guilt of possibly ruining a boy’s life?" He almost spits out with his face continuing to harden.

  I'm slightly taken back by his words, but that doesn't stop me from replying, "My mom left my Dad alone and we made a fresh start, if you really want to know."

  He stands there for a minute analyzing me. I don't know what he's waiting on. His hardened face slowly starts to return to the Beau I love looking at.

  “I really want nothing more to be mad at you, but honestly Shay, I don’t give a shit about back then.”

  I can’t process anything else before his lips come crashing down on mine. My heart is about ready to jump out of my chest from his unbelievably intoxicating kiss. His tongue dances with mine as I moan deeper into the kiss. His body is pressing against mine causing my back to press harder into the cabinet. It hurts, but I don’t care, I’ll take the pain as long as his lips don’t leave mine.

  His erection is throbbing against my thigh and I swear my panties just melted. A slight whimper escapes my mouth and he swiftly grabs me by my ass and sits me on the counter. Instinctively, my arms wrap around his neck pulling him closer. My body is throbbing with need for him.

  He breaks the kiss slowly and we both stare at each other trying to even our breathing out. “I’ve been wanting to do that since I ran into you on the side of the road. You taste just as sweet as I thought you would.” He pants.

  Again, I’m at a loss for words, but I can feel my cheeks turn a slight shade of red. If only he know I’ve been wanting the same thing. “I came in here to find you.” I admit to him.

  “I was hoping you would. I should have talked to you outside, but I needed some space. I don’t care though.” His erection is still throbbing against my thigh and I can’t help but lick my lips. He’s done nothing but kiss me and my insides are igniting like the fourth of July. No man has ever made me feel this way before. Ever.

  His eyes are filled with lust and he starts to lean in closer again, but Sienna’s voice breaks into the room. I could fucking kill her right now.

  “Oh, shit sorry. Am I interrupting anything? I was just looking for you Shay, but I see you found Beau.” She says. I want to say thanks captain obvious, but instead I try my best to smile at her.

  “Yeah, I found him. We were just getting ready to go back outside right?” I say looking at Beau. His eyes tell me he doesn’t want to go back outside and neither do I, but maybe it’s the best thing for right now.

  “Yeah,” he says never taking his eyes off mine. “We’re heading back out now.”

  He’s obviously going to need a minute before he can go outside, but that’s no big deal. “I’ll meet you outside Shay.” He says to me. I know what he has to take care of and I feel bad about that, but I just nod my head and hop down from the counter. He grabs my hand one more time and gives it a gentle squeeze. He may as well just have squeezed my heart. What the hell is happening?

  Chapter 8

  Back outside with Sienna and Rob, we’re watching people continue to play beer pong and others who are dancing. This is the laid back kind of party everyone wants to be at. There are no quarrels, everyone gets along and aims to have nothing but a good time. This is the kind of night I never want to end. Especially when Beau comes up behind me wrapping his arms around my waist. I nearly jump at his touch, but instantly relax. Part of me is totally smitten over this, but the other part of me is terrified of what this could do to me. In just a few short months, I’ll be going back to Missouri and Beau will be here. There’s no way anything could work with this. That doesn’t mean I can’t have fun though and enjoy every waking moment.

  “How can you possibly do what you do to me?” he whispers huskily in my ear.

  “What do I do to you?” I ask like I have no idea.

  “You know what you did. I wanted you so bad, but not here, not like this.” His words make my insides melt. My heart races at the thought of being with Beau and I can’t help but imagine what it would feel like to have his hands and lips trace every inch of my body.

  Justin Moore’s song ‘Lettin The Night Go’ comes on and I get excited, I love this song. Beau spins me around and begins to dance with me. I feel my heart falling further and further away from me and I want to hold it back, but I can’t. It won’t let me. He holds me so tight, it almost feels like we are one.

  “You really forgive me?” I can’t help but ask as we dance.

  “Shay, I’d be a stupid man not to.” He leans in planting a small kiss on the tip of my nose. I close my eyes taking this perfect moment in.

  ***

  I awake the next morning almost in a panic. I don’t recognize where I am, but I do recognize the incredibly sexy man lying beside me. The first thing I look to see is whether we are wearing clothes or not. I feel horrible having to do that, but the rest of last night consisted of nothing but us drinking and all talking. I honestly don’t remember too much after our dance. I just know he’s perfect.

  Shit, where is Sienna? I’m almost positive she is in Rob’s room, so I drop that thought and continue to stare at Beau. His eyes slowly open and he catches me watching him.

  “Good morning, beautiful.” He murmurs against my skin. It’s pretty amazing to me that things could have been so screwed up last night, but by some miracle they seem better than ever.

  “Good morning.” I reply. “This sounds horrible, but I seriously don’t remember coming in here last night.”

  “You and Sienna were pretty drunk. Shit, we all were. Last night was pretty epic. No way in hell were either one of you getting behind the wheel of the car.” He tells me. I can’t help but be completely grateful that he cares so much.

  “Thank you,” I tell him. “That means a lot to me.”

  He smiles and pulls me closer. I could lay like this all day and never get tired of it. Matter of fact, Sienna and I spend all day there watching movies and hanging out. It’s the perfect end to the perfect weekend. The perfect beginning of the summer.

  ***

  A month and a half has passed since that night at the party. We’ve spent practically every weekend there and Beau and I have grown closer. He’s too amazing too be true and I hate that. I hate that soon I’ll be leaving and he’ll be nothing more than an amazing memory. We’re lying in his bed and he moves to where he is hovering over my body. My shirt is lying on the ground and he’s licking his lips as he stares at my bare breasts. This isn’t our first time, but dammit, every time since then has felt like it. I’m shivering with need as he slowly lowers his mouth wrapping it around my nipple. My back arches as I whimper, begging him for more. I’m always begging him for more and damn does he deliver. As he continues to ravish my breast, his hand dips below and he slowly begins to circle my clit. Holy shit, he knows what he’s doing as he slowly tortures my body. I close my eyes and let out a moan, begging him for more. My eyes open to meet his devilish grin. He knows I’ll be coming undone shortly if he keeps it up. He slides a finger inside me as he continues to circle my clit and shortly, my body begins to convulse.

  I lick my lips as he lifts his head and his lips crash against mine. “You have no idea what you do to me Shay.” He tells me in between kisses. “I need to feel you now.”

  “Please Beau,” I whimper. I need to feel him too.

  He grabs a condom like always and slides it onto his cock. We’ve always been careful no matter what. Seriously, he is God-like in every way imaginable. When he slides into me, I lose all control and can’t help but almost scream out in pleasure. He thrusts in and out, filling me to my core and oh how I love it.

  “Damn Shay, this feels too good.” He pants before crashing his lips against mine.

  “Yes,” I moan as he continues to thrust in and out. My body has never felt so much pleasure before and I never want it to stop.

  Beau grabs my legs and helps me wrap them around his waist as he drives deepe
r into me. I close my eyes as I tilt my head back letting him bring me close to the edge. His arm reaches to cup my chin as he tilts my head up. Our eyes lock and as he continues to thrust he says huskily, “There will never be anything as good as this to me, do you understand? Nothing or no one could ever compare to you. Dammit, you are doing me in Shay.”

  What is he saying? I mean I know what he is saying, but he is showing feelings, feelings I have and wish I could fully express. He has no idea that there will never be anything like this again for me either. No one could ever compare to Beau Granger.

  He grunts as he comes and he collapses on top of me.

  He rolls over gently beside me and pulls my head onto his chest. His chest rises and falls with every breath he takes and the sound of his heart beating is almost lulling me to sleep. “Do you want to do anything today?” He asks.

  “We can do that again. And again.” I say laughing.

  “I would all day and all night if that’s what you wanted beautiful.” He tells me. “I’d do anything you wanted me to.” I don’t even have to look into his eyes to know he is telling me the truth. His voice tells me everything I need to know.

  “Why are you too good to be true?” I ask him.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean soon I’ll be back home and you’ll be here.” I tell him in an almost inaudible whisper. A lump forms in my throat that I try to swallow, but I can’t. Reality is a bitch.

  I look up to face him and his eyes look pained for a moment, but he puts on a smile for me. “I don’t want to think about any of that right now Shay. Let’s just live in the moment.”

  “Okay Beau.” He’s right. I shouldn’t be thinking about it, but I just can’t help it.

  “Let me take you to the beach today. We can see if Rob and Sienna want to come.” He says with a smile.

  Rob and Sienna have officially started dating as of last week. She got up the nerve to ask him to really make it official and he said yes. She pretty much knew he would. They are the cutest couple ever and I love spending time with Beau and with them.

  “Good idea. Let me get dressed and I’ll go find her.”

  My first attempt to get up from the bed ends in him pinning me back down. I grab his side and tickle him gaining me the access to get up. I nearly fall over trying to get my shorts on because I’m laughing so hard. He is up within seconds and grabs me by my waist. My legs naturally lock around his waist and he almost opens the door to carry me out before he realizes he never put his pants on. He laughs as he sets me down and I dart out the door before he can catch me again.

  Chapter 9

  We spend the day at the beach mainly tanning and relaxing. I decide to get my toes wet, but that isn’t good enough for Beau. He runs up behind me, pulling me close enough to him that every fiber in my body reacts. Then throws me into the water. When I come up, I laugh as I swim up to him. A rare moment occurs for me as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him softly and tenderly. Beau is awakening my inner self that wants to feel all these normal things you should be able to. Rob and Sienna come to join us and by the end of the day, we are all worn out. I never applied sunscreen and now I’m paying for it.

  Beau sits beside me with a bottle of Aloe Vera and slowly rubs it in a circular motion on my shoulders and back. A soft moan escapes my lips because of how good he’s making this feel. For a split second, I almost forget that I have a sunburn.

  “Aren’t you going to be a nurse one day? How could you not remember to put sunscreen on?” he jokes.

  I shoot him a dirty look and mock his laugh. “I just forgot, it happens. At least you’re here to make it better. Hey, how did you know that? I didn’t tell you.” We haven’t really shared too many intimate details about one another yet. Not knowing whether I’ll ever see him again once I leave, is stopping me from that.

  “Sienna told me and I’ll make anything better for you that I can Shay. Just say the word and I’ll do it.” He says in that perfect husky voice.

  “Well, how about you just keep doing what you’re doing, it’s so perfect.” I tell him as he continues to rub the Aloe on me.

  The movements of his hands are mesmerizing and I find myself closing my eyes and half the world falls away for a moment. I think I can hear him whisper, “Shh, it’s okay baby, just get some rest. I’ll be right here.”

  In my dreams, I go off to the perfect world where I don’t have to leave Beau. The almost too perfect world where we can almost fall in love. Love? Have I fallen off the deep end here? I don’t do love. Hell, I threw Brandon out because he said those very words to me. Beau has to be the sensible one in this, I’ll leave that to him. He seems sensible so far. Yeah, he’s slipped out that nothing can ever compare to me and he’ll do everything he can for me, but all that ends once I head back home. Short, just like every other so-called relationship I’ve ever been in. Bittersweet, well nothing has ever been this bittersweet and I’m not even sure this could be called a relationship. It’s more of a summer fling and the best damn one ever.

  I pick my sleepy head up and look over to see Beau smiling at me with those beautiful piercing blue eyes. “Hey sleepy head. I was getting ready to wake you.”

  “Hey,” I lazily grin back. “How long was I out?”

  “Only about an hour and a half.”

  “Shit, I’m sorry Beau.” I tell him.

  “You were tired, don’t you worry.” He grins as he leans in to kiss my cheek.

  My eyes roam his room until I find a box with old yearbooks sitting there. “Geez, how old are those?”

  “Aren’t you sunburnt still? You should be lying still.” He says quickly trying to change the subject.

  “Are those—“

  “Yeah Shay,” he cuts me off. “Those are from when I was, what did you call me? Busty Beau?”

  I face palm myself as I fight off the urge to laugh. “I thought you were past that.”

  “I am. You’re the one who saw the books. Want to see them? I think you are actually in this one.”

  Oh god, maybe this isn’t a good idea. He saunters over towards the box and grabs a yearbook a few books down. He flips it open as he sits beside me and begins sifting through the pages. This thing is ancient. I bust out laughing when I see Sienna’s picture. She’d die if Rob saw it. She looked like the problem child. I’m next and Christ, why do I have a side ponytail in my hair. On top of that, I have the cheesiest smile.

  “You were such a cute kid Shay.” Beau teases. I want to tease back, but I did plenty of that when we were younger.

  “Damn straight I was.” I smirk.

  When we get to Beau, I feel horrible for every mean name I ever called him. He was a chunky kid. His cheeks looked like they were filled with marshmallows, but his smile was the cutest thing ever. How did I never remember that smile? Seeing his picture, I remember every little thing about him and a tear escapes my eyes.

  “Hey, what are you crying for?” he asks.

  “I was so damn mean to you. I’m so sorry.” I say trying to stop the tears.

  “Shay, I told you I’m over it. I swear I am. It was the past and it’s over. Come here baby.”

  “Be careful,” I choke out. “the sunburn.”

  “Shhh, I got you. Hell Shay, we were kids. Kids are mean as shit to each other. I don’t blame you at all.”

  “Promise?” I say looking at him with tear-stained eyes.

  “With all my heart. I mean, I used to blame you, but I was also a fat kid so what did I know?” He tells me and yep, my heart just dove head first onto the jagged rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Beau Granger is it for me, but the distance may as well make us worlds apart.

  Damn cruelty. Damn it to hell. I smile the best I can and lean in to kiss him. He kisses me with so much force that if I weren’t sitting already, my knees would be weak. It just blows my mind that someone can have this effect on me. He tries to remove my shirt, but it brushes the burn and I whimper. God, I crave his touch, but the sun is stopping us.


  “Sorry baby, I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”

  “Not your fault, remember the nursing student forgot her sunscreen.” I joke.

  “I’m so glad I ran into you. You have no idea Shay. I think I would have lived a miserable life if none of this had ever happened.” He tells me.

  “I seriously doubt that. Have you looked in the mirror? Girls must be practically throwing themselves at you. You’re like the total package Beau.” I suddenly wish I hadn’t said that. Now I feel like a complete idiot.

  “I look in the mirror every day and all I see is an unhappy guy looking for the perfect girl. She doesn’t seem to exist though, until now and the worst part about that is, she doesn’t even live here.”

  My jaw drops and I can feel tears burning my eyes. Why are these feelings coming about when we both know there is nothing we can possibly do? I feel like God is upstairs pointing and laughing at me. The girl who never believed in love, may finally get the chance to feel and understand it, but what’s the point?

  “Why are you so unhappy though? I don’t get it.”

  “Shay, girls do throw themselves at me, but I’m not settling for just anything. I’ve watched Rob and Sienna for a while now and it drives me crazy to see what they have, knowing I don’t have it. I want to make someone’s dreams come true. I want to be the one they can’t wait to get home to, but all the girls here are the same.”

  “What do you mean they’re all the same?” I ask.

  “They’re not you.” He whispers.

  Forgetting all about the sunburn, I jump onto his lap and kiss him long and hard. His tongue tangles with mine and for a split second, I push every doubt I have far back in my mind. He’s right, I’m going to live in the moment with this. He makes me happier than anyone ever has or ever could and right now, I’m not letting that go.

  Chapter 10