Take My Breath Away

by Wendy L. Wilson

  “What about you?” His words break the hushed calmness of our little secluded shoreline.

  Leaning to the side, he playfully bumps his shoulder into mine, sending ripples of goose bumps to crop up over the entire surface of my body.

  “Do you have any plans for the future?” he goes on with a gorgeous smile that completely has me wound up.

  “I got accepted to Purdue. I leave in August,” I tell him. Of course I would meet someone out here that is going all the way across the country from me.

  “I see. Do you know your major yet?”

  I laugh and toss my now empty drink to the side, slowly sliding my hand to the ground to support myself as I lean back, gazing out at the water. Judd shifts and once again I notice his hand getting closer to mine, which is making me giddy.

  “You know, I have no idea,” I spit out a laugh, looking over and seeing that he has been watching me the whole time with an unreadable expression that truly has me about to melt into a puddle.

  We talk on and on, throwing pebbles and spears of grass into the water with only the sounds of peace and seclusion surrounding us.

  Judd tips his drink back one last time and lowers his hand back down. What was at first a good foot or so of space separating us, has now become only a few inches with our hands sunk into the dirt and stones between us. I continue to catch him inching his fingers towards mine and my heart skips a beat each time, knowing it has to be intentional.

  Our conversation flows with such ease that I find myself sneaking glances in his direction while he talks. I watch his lips move and can’t help but imagine what it would be like to kiss him.

  Further up the shore, we hear nearby shouts that sound like our names. Judd rises to his feet and reaches out to help me up.

  “I think we better go before our friends call out the rescue dogs,” he says as I hesitantly let go of his hand after I am on my feet.

  His hands land on my hips to steady me as I stumble. “Whoa, I think the alcohol is catching up with you,” he points out with an easy smile that sets my heart racing.

  I lean into him to catch my bearings, only planning to stay there for a second, but the warmth of his body completely captivates me. I breathe in and catch a soapy scent that tells me he must have just showered. Moving my head a little closer, my chest expands as I take another deep breath and revel in the fragrance of his skin.

  He quietly laughs and I know he must notice me clinging to him. His hands brush along the contours of my hips up to my waist, but instead of pushing me away he pulls me in closer.

  “You want me to help you back to the cabin?” he asks in a concerned tone.

  I pull back just enough to look at him, not wanting to completely break our contact. “I was just dizzy. I think the alcohol rushed to my head,” I mutter, shaking my head and giving him a shy smile.

  He stares down at me and I really wish it was daytime so I could see his eyes.

  “I like your smile.” I hear him gulp and watch as he grazes his teeth across his bottom lip.

  A shiver travels down my spine just as I let out a calming breath to unwind the ball of nerves forming in my stomach. His hands remain at my waist and I don’t dare move any further away.

  He leans towards me to whisper into my ear, “Are you cold?”

  “No,” I barely get out.

  He pulls his face back a few inches and I stare up at his lips, fantasizing of how they would feel against mine. One of his hands leaves my waist, but I quickly feel it curled beneath my chin to lift my gaze up to meet his. The soft caress of his fingertips tickle my jawline as his deep husky voice whispers “Alyssa,” as if it’s a secret.

  There is a question in his voice but all I can get out is a quiet, “Mmhuh . . .”

  He slowly takes a step forward and leans in closer to my face, his lips only millimeters from mine. His breath moves across my lips as he quietly asks, “Can I kiss you?”

  I don’t even answer, my body just reacts. I close the small distance between us and mold my lips against his. His lips open slightly as his warm, wet tongue grazes my bottom lip. Urging my mouth open wider, he deepens the kiss, allowing us full access to taste and explore.

  My legs are wobbly, my body tingles and my heart is pounding so hard that I cannot think straight. I feel like I am floating on a cloud, flying like a bird, dancing with the stars in the sky.

  I run my hands along the strong contours of Judd’s chest, resting them where I can feel a steady thumping that matches my own hammering heartbeat.

  “Oh shit, I’m sorry,” an unknown voice speaks up from behind us.

  I pull away first, looking around Judd’s muscular frame. He turns to look over his shoulders, but keeps his hands at my waist.

  “I didn’t mean to interrupt, man. We were just worried.”

  Judd shifts around, fumbling his hand around until it settles on mine. Grasping it in his own, he laces his fingers through mine and a burst of excitement blazes through me, causing my toes to curl, my skin to tingle and my head to spin.

  “Sure you didn’t . . .” He and the other guy laugh in unison. “We?” Judd asks and then I hear a cough a little ways behind the guy.

  It’s just a shadow but I know it’s my sister.

  “It’s just me,” Abby replies, confirming my assumption.

  If only I could see her; I am sure she has an “I told you so” grin plastered on her face.

  “We were just talking,” I quickly explain, hoping to steer off any gossip that may already be circulating.

  The other guy laughs harder and I hear my sister mumble, “Looked like it,” barely loud enough for me to hear.

  I immediately look down at my feet, embarrassed of the audience we more than likely had while we were swept away in a kiss. And oh wow, what a kiss!

  The guy clears his throat, bringing all of our attention his way.

  “Oh . . . Alyssa, this is Evan, my best friend,” Judd politely points out.

  “Hey. I’d ask how it’s going, but . . . you know,” Evan jokes and my face immediately heats up.

  Luckily, Abby jumps in to steer away any further embarrassment directed towards Judd and I, “Hi, Judd. I’m Abby, Alyssa’s older and very protective sister.”

  Her arms rise over her chest and I just have to roll my eyes at her attempt of intimidation.

  Judd and Evan both chuckle.

  “Maybe we should head back,” Evan suggests, “We have an early morning.”

  We let them take the lead as we head back to the cabin, arriving at mine first.

  No sooner than the front door is in site, Abby races for it. “Night guys, I’m hitting the hay. See you in a bit, Alyssa.” She gives me a sneaky glance and swiftly heads inside.

  Evan walks ahead, pacing in a circle between our cabins as he waits for Judd. I am sure he is hoping to get details on what we were doing out in the woods for so long just like I am expecting to get grilled by Abby as soon as I step inside. Wow, I can only imagine the talk already going around. I really don’t care though.

  As I nervously step side to side, I look at Judd, wishing there were more hours in the night. “Well, this is me,” I whisper, slowly sliding my hand from his grasp. “Good night.” I really don’t want to let go!

  He tightens his hold on my hand and pulls me into him in one quick motion. His arms fully wrap around my back. Please let him kiss me again.

  His cheek brushes against mine as his alluring voice speaks into my ear, “Can I see you again?” He leans away and looks into my eyes as if the answer is waiting there for him. “I work down at the shower house all day tomorrow, but I would really love to see you when I get through.”

  “I’d like that,” I say quietly, trying to contain the squeals and giggles that are going off inside of me.

  His mouth breaks wide open into a huge grin and he leans into me for a quick peck on the lips. Before I can say another word, he pulls away and softly says, “Good night.”

  Hesitantly turning away, he jogs t
o his friend and gives me one last glance.

  I watch them fade into the darkness along the pathway that runs in front of the cabins with a silly grin painted on my face before stumbling up two remaining stairs to head inside. Time to defuse the gossip. Piper was way off when she said this trip was going to be trouble. I have a feeling this may very well end up being the most amazing week ever.

  A SHARP SOUND SHATTERS ME out of my blissful dream of Judd. Peeling my eyes open, I spring upward in my cot with the sheet still clasped in my hands. Gasps and squeals fill the air and I look in the direction of the noise.

  “Good grief, Piper. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” one of the girls calls out.

  “Butter fingers,” Skylar says sarcastically.

  “I think she had too much booze last night.” Jessie tilts her head back and brings her hand to her mouth as if she has an imaginary drink.

  Giggling breaks out around the kitchen table where I see most of the girls drinking coffee and cramming pastries in their mouths. Piper is kneeling on the floor between the table and sink, sweeping up what looks to be a broken plate.

  “Good morning, sunshine,” my sister calls out in an overly chipper voice.

  Sucking in a monstrous breath of air, the corners of my mouth inch up into a huge smile.

  Last night when I came inside, a handful of the girls, including my sister, Piper and a girl with bright red hair were awake and loaded with questions. Still grinning ear to ear from the heart-pounding kiss I experienced with Judd, I quickly cleared up their assumptions of me making out in the woods all night. Holy crap, did that really happen?

  The past two days have been so surreal; I swear I am living in some kind of alternate universe watching where my life currently is or where it could be, depending on my choices. If that is the case I choose door number two, kissing Judd. One evening of getting to know him and now I cannot wait to see him again.

  “Alyssa, are you going to stay in bed dreaming about lover-boy all day or are you going to join us at the beach?” My sister’s playful tone and the quiet snickers that fill the room, tell me that Piper and Abby must have shared the details of my night with all the others.

  “Good job, Alyssa, that one is yummy,” Lanie moans.

  “No doubt, I would have been all over that in a flat second. Screw the kissing,” Red chimes in.

  “Well I think you were sparking your own fires out by the boat dock, Jessie,” Piper teases the red head.

  I make a mental note of Red’s name, fling my sheet to the bottom of my cot and swing my legs over the edge. Stretching my arms high up in the air, an exaggerated yawn escapes my mouth. Coffee, I need coffee. Just as that thought enters my mind, Abby sashays across the room in a white and pink polka dot bikini with a large coffee cup in hand.

  I drop my arms into my lap and look at her with a big smile. “Thank ya, Abbs.”

  After I grab the cup, I bring it to my mouth and let the steam moisten my skin as I breathe in the strong hazelnut aroma. I gulp down several swallows, thankful that it isn’t too hot.

  Abby stays in front of me with her hands on her narrow hips.

  “So, are you going to join us?” she says while sliding her pedicured, tan feet across the floor to bump into my unpainted, neglected toes.

  Ha . . . she is fishing for information. She beams with pride, looking at me as if this is a path she personally chose. It’s no secret that she knows how Judd affected me, plus she witnessed us sucking face firsthand, so she definitely knows that he lit my fire.

  I shake my head, having absolutely no intention of joining the girls today. No way, when I know where he is going to be!

  She crosses her arms and smiles. “Ok, soooo . . .” she pesters me with a grin nearly as huge as mine.

  The sound of birds chirping outside of the cabin alerts me to the fact that it has suddenly become eerily quiet. Craning my neck to see around Abby, several heads snap in the opposite direction. Abby and I share a look and then laugh realizing she is not the only one interested in my plans for the day. It feels like this cabin is full of a bunch of junior high girls with their first crushes. The crazy thing is I’m acting like one, too.

  Turning our attention back to each other, Abby squats down in front of me.

  I bite my lip hard and twist my hands together in a nervous manner. “I was thinking maybe . . .”

  Abby nods with excitement in her eyes, letting me know I have her full attention.

  “ . . . I might go down to the shower house and see how Judd’s work is going, because we didn’t set a time for meeting up. So if I’m not here and he’s not there, then we may miss each other. So I thought . . .” I stutter, trying to make excuses why I am ready to abandon a day hanging with the girls.

  Abby laughs and puts her hand up to stop me from my ramblings. Pursing her lips, she stares at me with an intensity in her eyes that I’ve only seen a few times. A warm laugh slips out of her and she pats my knee before standing back up.

  “Don’t sweat it. Have fun Lyssi-bee.”

  Oh no, she’s breaking out Dad’s nickname for me. This is getting a little too mushy for my taste.

  After placing my coffee mug on the floor, I spring off the bed and plant my feet on the ground beside her. Playfully bumping my hip into hers, I unintentionally bump her harder than I meant to. I remain frozen, unable to judge her reaction as she stumbles and lands flat on her ass. She glares up at me and I know I’m in trouble.

  “You’re getting it now,” she says with a sly grin as she pushes back up to her feet with cat-like reflexes.

  We both race into the kitchen and my lungs feel as though they may explode from laughing so hard. Abby’s full weight tackles me to the floor and she starts in on the tickling. Nostalgia washes over me as the room fills with laughing, yelling and cheering. A couple of girls even lend her a hand and get in on the mayhem by holding me down. Yep, I was right . . . A bunch of junior high girls.

  Once the onslaught of tickling diminishes, I excitedly head back to my cot so I can change into a bikini while the others discuss plans for the week.

  “Piper, don’t forget . . . we need to run to town to get food for the bonfire with the guys tonight,” Abby calls out from the living room.

  I snap my head in Piper’s direction, and see her still standing in the kitchen by the sink.

  “I say we get a little sunshine and head to the store after lunch,” she shrugs.

  “Sounds good to me,” Abby smiles and then looks toward me. “Hey Alyssa, you want to ditch your plans and come join us?” she says with a bit of a smirk and a wink of her eye.

  My eyes widen not wanting to discuss out loud what my plans are, even though half of the girls more than likely already gained knowledge of my agenda when they were eavesdropping. I shake my head and lower my eyes in a warning to Abby. Shut it!

  “Wait, isn’t Judd Tristan’s younger brother?” Crystal asks and I honestly haven’t got a clue.

  My ears perk up with the mention of Judd’s name and now I fully intend on following along with their conversation.

  “No, I thought Mitch was,” Jessie corrects her.

  Piper throws her hands onto her hips as if someone has all of a sudden hit a chord. “No, Mitch is Evan’s brother and a total loser,” she says in a spiteful tone and then starts muttering something under her breath that I can barely hear. The only word I make out is Evan’s name and it doesn’t sound like she’s saying anything nice.

  “Now isn’t Mitch the one you used to date, Abby?” Lanie looks at my sister. “Yeah, that’s who you lost your . . .”

  Hhhmmmm . . . so that’s the Mitch. I remember the name from a couple of summers back and her marathon phone calls with Piper, talking about him. That was the year she came back all heartbroken and then we found out Dad had cancer.

  Abby shoots her a glare and Skylar sympathetically swoops in to redirect the conversation back to who is who, “Tristan is Judd’s older brother, I’m pretty sure.”

  �
��Good grief, did you see him drop his drawers? Holy hell! Give me some of that,” Jessie cries out while distorting her face into a look of awe.

  Crystal screams out and points to Jessie, “Oh. My. God. I know! It was dark out but there was no hiding that appendage! I think my eyes bugged out of my head.”

  “Oh girl, we were all looking at that!” Skylar adds.

  “All I can say is stay away from Tristan and Mitch. They are straight up players and sleazebags,” Abby says in a motherly tone, like she is ready to issue us all chastity belts.

  This brings on a whole new round of laughter from everyone, myself included.

  “Yeah, Abby, because we definitely don’t want that; two guys that are looking for nothing more than a roll in the sack with a group of girls that came out for a fun, no strings attached week. Yep, we’ll keep our distance!” Jessie rolls her eyes and we all laugh hysterically at her sarcasm.

  Abby waves her hand in the air and abandons her efforts of convincing the girls that some of the guys are bad news.

  Once the hysteria dies down, the girls retreat to the beach while I finish getting ready. I adjust the triangles of my black and white zebra print bikini to position them equally over each of my breasts then grab my brush to run it through my thick blonde locks. Puckering my lips, I smear on a thin coat of lip gloss and decide to forgo the mascara or blush. My baby blue eyes are already framed by long dark eyelashes and sometimes mascara seems like overkill.

  Standing back, I look into the full length mirror hanging on the wall of the tiny bathroom. I take in the entire view so I know just what Judd will see. Luckily, the scorching red sunburn I received yesterday has paled, giving my usual porcelain skin tone a soft bronzy glow. My flat stomach shows off a belly button piercing that I got last summer with both of my sisters, and the slight heel of my sandals make my legs look sexy and toned.

  I giddily bounce on the balls of my feet in anticipation of seeing Judd and then turn to put my toiletries back in my bag.

  Uneasiness rises within me as I wonder if he will be bothered by my surprise visit. With that thought, Dad’s words replay in my mind, “Be young, don’t worry about relationships and have fun!” I nod my head deciding to take a chance, however, immediately knowing I fully plan to disobey my father’s last words, “Not too much fun.”