Bayward Street

by Addison Jane

  She spun around and hit me with a glare. “I really care about him. And he cares about me.”

  “Then you won’t care if we tell Heath and Bray? Because obviously you two are so tight that nothing will tear you apart.” Her eyes grew wider as I gestured to the door. At this point, I was bluffing, but I tried to keep my face impassive.

  “Please don’t tell them. Not yet. Wait until you meet him. You can see for yourself how much he cares. Please,” she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes. “Don’t judge him. Just meet him first.”

  I screwed up my nose. We had already talked about how I wouldn’t be going out with her tomorrow. She was disappointed but said one of her friends would go with her instead. Part of me wanted to go, to meet him, and see if the feeling I had in my gut was right. But I was just too tired. It wasn’t a problem I could handle right now with a level head.

  She was right, though. I needed to give him the benefit of the doubt. Something that not many people had ever given me. I couldn’t pass judgment just yet.

  Taking in a deep breath, my chest and lungs ached. “Okay,” I murmured as I let it slowly release.

  “Thank you,” she answered, her shoulders sagging in relief. “I promise. You’ll see how much he cares.”

  I really hoped so, because I had my doubts. There was something wrong here, I could feel it.

  “How are you feeling, honey?” Helen asked.

  I snuggled in closer to Heath, his arms cradling me as we sat on the couch in the Carsons’ living room. “I’m okay.”

  “You know, it’s okay to not be okay.”

  Her words made me smile, sounding so much like something Heath had said to me last week. “I’m all right.”

  “Okay,” she sighed. “I’m trying my best to get a flight back as soon as possible. But it might not be until Monday.”

  “I know. It’s fine Helen. You can stay there, I’m all right.” I felt like I’d said those words ‘I’m all right’ so many times in the last few hours. I was beginning to think maybe no one could hear me because they kept asking.

  “Have a quiet weekend, relax a little.”

  “Thanks, Helen.”

  We both hung up, and I dropped Heath’s phone onto the sofa beside him.

  “Everything okay?” he asked as he twirled his fingers through my hair.

  I nodded. “She just wanted to know I was all right.”

  “Are you?”

  “Yes. Now can we just drop it?”

  Braydon was my saving grace as he plowed through the door, Layla close behind him.

  “Fableee,” Braydon whined like a small child. “Your friend is being mean to me.”

  Layla rolled her eyes, but I caught the twitch at the corner of her mouth. “Suck it up, rich boy.”

  “You know, it really hurts my feelings when you call me that.”

  “Maybe you could buy some new ones.”

  He gasped dramatically. “Are you hearing this, you two?”

  He looked to us for support, but both Heath and I laughed.

  There was no malice in Layla’s word. It was just like when Bray called me a street rat. It was a teasing term that I’d actually come to adore from him. And I think he felt the same way about Layla mocking him about his riches.

  Heath and I stood up, following the bickering children into the kitchen.

  Braydon opened the oven, and the smell of pizza wafted out. My stomach growled, I was so hungry. He pulled it out and sliced it up, plating it out.

  Braydon passed Layla the plate of food he’d gathered for her. She looked down at it, and her eyes lit up. “Thanks,” she said quietly, taking the plate and moving around to sit at the counter.

  I expected some witty retort from Bray, but he replied with a simple, “You’re welcome.”

  We all ate in silence, listening to the sounds of chewing, but it wasn’t awkward. It was kind of nice actually.

  “I haven’t stayed anywhere else but Bayward Street since I got out of juvie,” Layla commented when she was done.

  “You guys met there, right?” Heath enquired, and I couldn’t help but smile. “What were you in for?”

  Layla tried to hide her smile. “I stole a car.”

  “You what?” Braydon stood up straight suddenly. “You stole a car?”

  She giggled. “It’s not like what you think. There was money in the dash, I reached in to take it, and someone spotted me. I got scared and jumped and knocked the brake. It was on a hill so it started rolling. I managed to pull the break back on before I crashed into anything.”

  “And they did you for grand theft auto?” Heath chuckled.

  “Yup. It’s kinda funny now I think about it. But I was so freaked out at the time.”

  “The bumbling burglar.” I laughed.

  She stuck her tongue out at me but was soon giggling along with me. “Not my finest moment, I guess.”

  Lay sighed as I took Heath’s plate and walked around to stack it in the dishwasher. “You guys should just go back to the party. It’ll still be raging, I bet.”

  “Raging?” Braydon laughed.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Nah, no more raging. Sam said he sent most of them home.”

  Leaning forward, I looked at Bray sadly. “I’m sorry. I know you had big plans to sleep off a hangover tomorrow.”

  We all laughed.

  Heath demanded that it was time to call it a night anyway. Well, for me it was. I protested, but when he wrapped his arms around me and held me against him, I suddenly felt exhausted. Maybe it was because that was my safe place. In his arms I knew I didn’t need to fight, I could just give in and let him take control. I tucked my face into the crook of Heath’s neck and my lips pressed against his lightly bristled skin. He pulled his face back and captured my mouth with his, a soft, gentle kiss. He didn’t rush or push for more, we just relaxed into it.

  That was the thing about Heath, though, he knew exactly what made me feel better. Whether I needed to yell and expel my frustrations, or whether I just needed to feel him there with me. He knew.

  I offered to show Layla where the spare room was, but Bray was adamant he would show her. I was pretty sure that wasn’t what he had in mind, but I let it go.

  Helen had yet to discuss with Heath and me about the status of our relationship, even though I knew she was well aware of just how close we’d become. I didn’t want to disrespect her by Heath and I sharing a bed at night like we’d done the last couple of nights, but Heath wasn’t having a bar of my excuses.

  He assured me that if she had a problem, she wasn’t afraid to let us know.

  I made sure I wore long pajama pants to bed, telling Heath I could still feel the chill from the water and just needed to be warm. He didn’t argue. He wanted me to be comfortable, and I adored that about him even though my reasoning was a straight out lie.

  That night when he curled up in bed with me, in complete darkness, he finally told me what was running through his mind. “I was so scared,” he whispered as he cuddled in behind me, one arm under my head, the other resting at my hip. “Hearing Layla scream and then seeing you fall into the water… that slide seemed to take so long, and the whole time I kept thinking, what if I didn’t make it in time?” Hearing Heath’s voice so vulnerable and soft was so different to what I was used to. I could hear the hurt and the pain in it, and I knew just from that, things between us were growing stronger. It was more than a teenage crush.

  Intertwining my fingers through his, I attempted to reassure him that everything was okay. “You did make it in time. Stop overthinking it.”

  His breath tickled the skin at the back of my neck as he blew out a sharp breath. “The thought of losing you…”

  “I know.” I did. Heath had blazed in and changed the way I viewed life. It wasn’t enough to just float through every day with no expectations or aspirations. You had to have something to fight for, a dream, a goal, something better. Because being comfortable won’t fill you with passion, it won
’t give you the excitement of learning something new or experiencing things you’d never have before. And I was starting to crave the new experiences, parties, dressing up, and even after today, swimming in the pool with him. I needed them like my next breath, especially if they included him.

  Heath’s hand curved around my hip to my stomach, and he gently pulled me back against him. I went with it. “Tell me why you started swimming.” The question surprised even me, but I felt like I needed to know.

  “Dad kept us out of the public light the best he could. It didn’t matter so much when we were younger, but as we got older people started expecting more of us.” His hand caressed my face gently, and while I couldn’t see him, I knew exactly where he was, what kind of expression was on his face, the way his hair was messed. I could feel him. “They wanted us to be part of his projects, do some acting maybe. They approached us when we were out, wanting us to pass on scripts or headshots. We were even offered scholarships to law schools. People expected us to be something great because our parents were so high profile.”

  “You didn’t want that?”

  He sighed softly. “I love my parents. They raised us right, despite the pressure on our family. They’re rich and successful, and I’m thankful every day that I get to live the lifestyle they’ve made for us. But I was taught hard work was the way to get there. I want to be great and do great things, but I want to get there on my own merits and my own achievements.”

  My heart bloomed. Heath was one in a million. He was humble and gracious. He never took the things he had for granted. He appreciated everything he had. And he fought hard for what he wanted.

  “So why swimming?” I asked, prompting him to continue.

  “Swimming is me,” he answered so simply, but so sure of those three words. “You swim for a team or a club or a school, but when you’re in the water, there’s no one else but you. Whatever I achieve in the water is on me. It’s how hard I work. It’s how swift my movements are. It’s how much I practice. It’s all about the amount of work that I put in, that’s what determines my success.”

  My heart leaped, and I’d heard enough.

  I reached out, finding his strong jaw and placing it between my fingers. Pulling his face to mine, our lips connecting in a flurry of excitement and everything around us seemed to light up like fireworks.

  Our bodies tangled together. He ran a gentle hand down my leg. Tugging at my knee he pulled my leg over his, lifting his knee so it slotted in between my thighs. The loud beating of my heart felt like it filled the room, and a sweet feeling began to build as his hands explored my body, gentle and slow. But I wanted more.

  He rolled me onto my back, his body coming over mine and pressing me into the mattress. The weight felt good, he held himself over me with just enough pressure so that he wouldn’t crush me. My hands ran over his bare chest, it was so strong, the muscles so tight and toned.

  Heath worked hard. His body didn’t come for free. He trained, he lifted weights, he put in the effort because he knew that hard work was going to be the thing that got him where he wanted to go.

  The space between us was becoming heated. It was new, and it was exciting.

  “What do you want, Fable?” he whispered, his mouth drifting from my lips, across my jaw. His deep breaths were the only noise in the room. “Because I’m struggling really hard right now to keep from absolutely attacking you.”

  A silent thrill went through me, spurring me on.

  “I want you,” I whispered breathlessly without trepidation. “I want you and I don’t want to ever let go.”

  His hips pressed against me, and I gasped.

  My heart pounded in my chest as he explored my body with his hands, leaving a trail of small bumps across my skin. I couldn’t explain the way I felt in that moment. I was electrified, anxious and nervous about what was to come next, but I ached in anticipation to see how far this connection between us went. Heath drew emotions from me that I never knew I had, and if one single touch could light my body on fire, then I was sure that when we shared something so much more intimate, that there would be no coming back.

  “I’m all yours,” he growled before doing just as he said he would, attacking my body in the most sensual way possible.

  I said I wanted new experiences, and what I didn’t realize at the time, was that Heath over the past few weeks was giving me one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.

  Falling in love.

  Sharp sunlight filtered through a crack in the curtains, hitting me right in the eyes. I groaned, attempting to roll in the opposite direction, but soon realizing that two strong arms held me in place. I couldn’t stop the smile that played on my lips as I sunk back into the warmth of Heath’s arms.

  “Morning.” His voice was rough, still scratchy with sleep.

  “Yeah, the bright light shining in my eyes is a dead giveaway.” I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut again.

  He laughed softly before grabbing my wrist and twisting my body so I rolled toward him. He hefted me onto his chest, and my legs instantly went to either side of his hips.

  “Heath?”

  “Mmm...”

  “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

  A grin grew on his face. “When I grow up?” He mocked me.

  I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, asshole. When you grow up.”

  He chuckled, jostling me against his chest. “I’m not entirely sure. I know it has to be something to do with sports. Personal training, coaching, health and nutrition.”

  “That’d be so perfect for you,” I agreed. “Swimming is your life, and you’re pretty darn bossy and controlling so personal training would fit—” I didn’t get to finish my sentence as he flipped me onto my back, pinning me down and smirking.

  “Bossy and controlling, huh.” His hands tickled at my waist, and I started to giggle.

  “You’re just proving my point,” I gasped over my laughter.

  He tortured me until there was a sharp knock on the door and I was thankful for the reprieve.

  “Heath, can you drop me off in town?”

  Heath rolled his eyes, and I giggled. “Yeah, Flick.”

  “Thanks,” she called brightly. She was excited about today. I could tell.

  “Sometimes I worry about her ‘cause she can be so quiet.” Heath hooked his arms behind his head, and I pulled the bed sheet up to cover myself as I scooted closer to him. “I wonder if Bray and I have been too over the top and protective of her. With Mom and Dad coming and going a lot, we kinda took over that role, making sure guys stayed away and shit.”

  “You can’t protect her forever, Heath. There’s gonna be boys, and she’s gonna get her heart broken.”

  He took a deep breath in. “Yeah, I just hope it’s not anytime soon.”

  I so desperately wanted to tell him. But until I was sure of what was going on, I couldn’t start something that I knew Heath would finish. I just hoped Flick told them soon, because if they found out on their own, shit was going to explode.

  “You better get ready.”

  He groaned and leaned over and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before shuffling to the side of the bed and searching for his clothes. With his back to me, I quickly snatched my pajama pants off the floor and pulled them up over my legs. Sighing in relief.

  Guilt settled once again, but I pushed it away. Reminding myself that I was going to tell him. But even after almost dying, he had given me the most perfect night of my life, and I was even more reluctant to risk what we had.

  I just needed to wait for Helen.

  She would know what to do.

  I hoped.

  He laughed as he watched me struggle to find my shirt and put it on. It seemed stupid now, even to me, when he’d seen me in so much less. But underneath, I was still a shy girl, finding her way through this process.

  “Asshole,” I muttered as I pulled some fresh clothes from my drawers and headed for the shower. It only made him laugh harder, and while I wante
d to slap that gorgeous grin off his face, I couldn’t help but enjoy the sound.

  “What’s going on with you and Bray?” I asked Layla as we sat at the table outside by the pool.

  I caught the small smile even though she tried to hide it. “It’s nothing, Fay. He makes me laugh, okay?”

  I rolled my eyes at her evasion. “So does Andre when he sticks straws up his nose, but you don’t tease him or give him nicknames.”

  She looked past me, out to the water where Heath and Braydon were swimming laps. I’d learned today that Braydon does actually swim, not like Heath, but for exercise and endurance.

  “I guess it just feels nice to have someone not give a shit,” she murmured as she watched them. “Heath and him, this whole family, they’re different. They care, genuinely. Braydon looks at me like a person, and apart from you and the others, it’s been a long time since someone has looked at me as just a person.”

  I smiled. I knew exactly what she meant. It was hard to get by every day when people saw you as either a disgusting dirty nuisance to society or a charity case to make themselves feel better. It was rare where we lived to find people who gave a shit without getting anything out of it themselves.

  “You going to tell Heath about Jay?” she asked, keeping her voice low even though I knew there was no way they could hear us.

  “Yeah.” I sighed.

  “Soon?” she prompted.

  “Yes, soon. I swear.”

  I still hadn’t figured out how to tell him. But I would. Soon.

  We hung out for a few hours before Layla finally decided to head back.

  My heart hurt.

  “Fable, you need to let me go.”

  I shook my head, clinging to her for dear life as Braydon watched on in amusement. “I’ll let you know as soon as Helen is back, and has more information about the house,” I told her, still refusing to release her.

  Braydon eventually wedged his hand between us and started to pull her away. When I glared at him, he laughed. “Calm down, tiger. If we haven’t seen her by next weekend, I’m going to go and get her, and she can spend another night with us, okay?”