Love's Secret Torment

by Stacy L. Darnell

  “Are you excited to go hiking? The weather is supposed to be perfect.”

  “Yeah, I packed us a little lunch for when we reach the old mill.” She winked.

  I walked over and pulled her into me. Wrapping my arms around her, I kissed her softly on the cheek. She looked up at me with wide eyes, her mouth splitting into a broad grin that showed me how excited she was to see me.

  “Ready to go?”

  “Yup, let me just grab our food.”

  I watched her run back up the steps to the porch swing. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at her sexy, little ass.

  She walked back down the steps, carrying two narrow CamelBak backpacks containing what I assumed were our lunches and water. I took them from her and set them in the back of my truck.

  I opened the door, and she brushed against me. Her touch shot currents of heat across my body and felt electric to my soul. I felt connected to this girl. I didn’t understand why, but it made me feel alive, and I loved it.

  I ran around to the driver’s side and hopped in, relishing in the way she watched me slide into the driver’s seat and put my key into the ignition. She glanced up and saw me staring at her then blushed a crimson red.

  I rested my hand on her knee as I backed out of her driveway, hoping it might relieve any anxiety. She squeezed my hand in reassurance as I drove off.

  It was early in the day, and we made record time driving down toward Atlanta. Even on the weekends, the traffic was typically stop-and-go. I pulled into the park and left my truck in the lot near the office.

  “Which trail do you want to take?” Samone asked.

  I smiled. “I was thinking either the yellow or white. Sound good to you?”

  “Yes, sounds good. We could do both if you want to.”

  “Yeah, let’s do that,” I said

  I handed her the purple CamelBak, putting the black and red one on my back. We walked hand-in-hand toward the trailhead.

  I smiled to myself as we went along the water’s edge and stopped every so often for her to take pictures. Sweetwater Creek State Park was one of Samone’s favorite places. I loved bringing her here. When we reached the mill, we stopped at the lookout for lunch. I was surprised when I saw her pull a mini thermos out of her pack.

  “What’s in there?” I asked

  She blushed pink in her cheeks as she looked up at me with a small smile. “It’s a . . . umm . . . a mocha latte.”

  I laughed before I could stop myself. “I’m sorry, but . . . isn’t it a little hot outside for a latte?”

  Her eyes narrowed, and I worried I’d offended her.

  “It’s an iced mocha latte, thank you very much. And it’s small. I only brought it for the taste. I’m kind of addicted to them,” she finished, casting her eyes down.

  “Oh. Okay. Sorry. I was just surprised. Sometimes I forget how much you love them. Most kids our age aren’t into coffee drinks.”

  “It’s okay. I know I’m not normal,” she pouted.

  I reached out and lifted her chin. Locking her gaze with mine, I leaned forward and gently kissed her soft lips. “No, you’re not. You’re unique, and that’s even better. I don’t want a cookie-cutter girlfriend.”

  Her eyes snapped to mine, and she smiled, biting her bottom lip. I couldn’t stop watching her as we ate the rest of our lunch.

  “That was really good. Thanks,” I said.

  “You’re welcome. I figured we could stay a little longer than last time if we’re not so hungry.”

  “Good idea. Let’s get moving so we can finish both trails.”

  She stepped up on her tiptoes and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek then started skipping down the path. As I took off behind her, I couldn’t remember a time I was so content in my life.

  I wondered when the other shoe would drop and everything would be taken away. I was becoming too attached to her. I pushed back thoughts of slowing down. I wanted our relationship to grow and was determined not to let my idiocy get in the way. It was okay to let someone in. It was okay to let Samone in.

  I woke up early. I couldn’t sleep. Emjay was coming home from college to see Aunt Robin and me. It had been months since he’d been home. I loved my brother. We’d always been very close, even closer after Mom and Dad died. For a while, we only had each other, until we moved up here to stay with Aunt Robin. She traveled a lot with her boyfriend, Kent, but knew I was responsible enough to stay out of trouble while she was gone.

  I walked downstairs and smelled cinnamon rolls baking and coffee brewing. Clearly, Aunt Robin couldn’t sleep either.

  “Good morning Aunt Robin.”

  “Oh, good morning. Did you sleep well?”

  “Yeah, it was good. Just woke up early. I guess I’m a little excited to see Emjay today,” I answered.

  “Me too, dear. Me too. We really need to go see him if it’s going to be this long in between his visits home.”

  “That’s a good idea.” I smiled.

  “Alec, hey!” Aunt Robin startled me.

  “What?” I asked, surprised by her worried tone.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” I answered confused. “Umm, hey . . . do you need any help with the cinnamon rolls? I can put the icing on for you,” I said, my mouth watering as she pulled them out of the oven.

  “Yes.” She looked at me skeptically, with her brow scrunched down. “Thanks, but that doesn’t mean you get to eat one early. You can lick the icing spoon though,” she smirked.

  I laughed. “Okay.”

  I took the icing from her and set it in the microwave for ten seconds for easier drizzling. Aunt Robin set the table for when Emjay got there. She always liked to entertain when she was home. I wished that was more often than not.

  I heard Emjay’s car pull into the drive way and his door shut. Aunt Robin rushed to the front entry to greet him.

  “Hey, Aunt Robin.”

  He sounded older than the last time we’d seen him.

  “Hello, dear. We’ve missed you.”

  “Are those your homemade cinnamon rolls I smell?”

  She laughed. “Yes, they are. See? You should come home more often.”

  They rounded the corner, and I looked up and saw my brother. I couldn’t help the swell of pride that filled me. It had only been a few years since our parents died. For a while, I wondered if he would even go to college. He withdrew into himself. I know he thought the same of me, too. It was, and still is, hard to deal with the death of our parents. To see him coming home from college with a smile on his face gave me relief. I wondered if that happiness had anything to do with the overabundance of beautiful girls on campus.

  He walked up and gave me a solid brotherly hug. “Missed ya, little bro.”

  “I missed you, too, man,” I replied. “How long are you staying?”

  “Just a couple days,” he said. “Then I have to head back for my shifts at work.”

  “Cool. Well then, Aunt Robin can we eat? I’ve been smelling these since I woke up and I’m dying to have one,” I said as I licked the icing spoon.

  She laughed. “Okay, okay. You boys sit down. Let’s eat.”

  “So, Alec has a steady girlfriend since last year, don’t you dear,” Aunt Robin blurted.

  Emjay swung his head around and looked at me, his eyes wide with shock. “Wow, you never told me about her. Why’s that?”

  “They seem like they’re pretty serious too, if you ask me,” she said.

  “Really, bro? A serious girlfriend . . . for that long? She must be something to break you out of your hermit shell,” he teased. “Congrats, man.”

  “I can interact with the outside world,” I deadpanned.

  “She’s adorable, too,” Aunt Robin chimed in.

  “Yeah, she’s amazing. We met at a drunk driving charity event we were both volunteering at.”

  Emjay smiled, and I could tell he was happy for me, but he was definitely curious.

  “I’d seen her in school before, but .
. . well, you know . . . I’m not exactly a social person. Anyway, she’s great. Just the thought of her makes me smile. I feel like a goober, but I don’t care.”

  Emjay’s eyebrows perked up. “Ha ha! Goober! Can I call you that now?”

  “Not unless you wanna wake up to a wet bed from having your hand soaked in warm water.”

  “Okay. Damn. I was just kidding, ya brat.”

  “Anyway, her view of the world is innocent and pure. It’s refreshing. She doesn’t condemn people for the mistakes they’ve made. She has a pure and forgiving heart.”

  “Nice! It sounds like you are . . . in love,” he said.

  “Yeah, I definitely love her. She makes this whole, sometimes very ugly world, better.”

  “Well that’s good. I’m happy for you.”

  “We all deserve some happiness,” Aunt Robin said. “Kent and I are going on a trek across Europe this year, and I, for one, can’t wait.”

  “That’s great, Aunt Robin.”

  “That’s awesome,” Emjay added. “Take lots of pictures to show us when you get back.”

  We each ate our breakfast and caught up on each other’s lives. When we were done, Emjay and I headed out back to look at my truck.

  “It’s been running hard on and off for a while. I’ve gone over it with a fine-toothed comb, but I’m just not sure what the problem is.”

  “Well it could be a bunch of things. I’ll have a look. We can take my car to the auto parts store if there’s anything we need.”

  I turned on the radio, and we both dove into auto repair mode.

  I was sitting at the park having lunch with Heather when I got a text message from Alec.

  A: Swimming hole at 4pm. I’ll pick you up?

  Me: Sounds great! I’ll be ready. Love you.

  A: Love you always.

  I smiled and looked across the picnic table at Heather. “Hey, do you and Peter want to go to the swimming hole with me and Alec? Maybe Marchello and Emily can come, too.”

  “Oh, hell yeah! Let me text Peter and Emily. She and Marchello were going to walk the trails at Sweet Water. What time should we meet?”

  “Alec said he would pick me up at four.”

  “Okay, count us in. I’m pretty sure Emily and Marchello will be there, too”

  “All right, I’m going to head to the mall. I want to get a new bathing suit. I’ll see you there.” I stood up and gave her a hug.

  “Laters.”

  When I got home, Dad was sitting on the porch talking to Mr. McGraw from next door. I walked over and kissed Dad on the forehead and waved to Mr. McGraw before walking inside.

  I headed upstairs and took a quick shower.

  I washed my hair and shaved my legs while the conditioner worked its magic on my unruly hair. As I rinsed the suds off, I thought of Alec. I hoped he would like my new bathing suit. I had only ever worn a one-piece bathing suit around him, so I was a little nervous.

  When I got out of the shower, Mom was walking into my bedroom. I showed her my new bikini.

  “It’s adorable, Sam.”

  I covered my face with my hands. “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Not really. I just haven’t worn a two-piece around Alec before, and I guess I’m kind of nervous.”

  “Oh dear . . . well, you’re as cute as a button, and that boy adores you, so I am sure it’ll be fine.”

  “Yeah, I know. So you really like it?”

  “Yes, the colors are great. Listen, I’m gonna go downstairs and get dinner going. Will you be back in time?”

  “No, I don’t think so. Alec isn’t picking me up until four. So we’ll probably just eat out tonight.”

  “Okay, have fun and be careful. Love you,” she said as she walked out of my bedroom.

  I decided to wear my new bathing suit under my clothes. When I put my shorts and shirt back on again, I stood and stared at myself in the mirror. It really was cute. I just hoped Alec would think so. If I was being honest with myself, I was just as excited for Alec to see me in it, as I was nervous.

  Alec’s horn honked, and I smiled. I looked at my watch and saw it was exactly four pm on the dot. Damn, he was good.

  I walked downstairs as Dad was letting Alec in the front door. He stood in the foyer wearing board shorts and a white t-shirt. His tanned legs were mouthwatering, and I suddenly felt other things deep within me at the thought of Alec seeing me in my new bikini.

  He looked up at me coming down the stairs in my shorts and thin white t-shirt, through which he could see my bathing suit. I noticed his expression change from happy to surprise, as his jaw went slack when he realized my suit was a bikini. His smile gave me the extra confidence I needed.

  I felt goose bumps spread across my skin. He looked in my eyes, his brow slightly raised, his stare intent, and I gave him the “not here in my parents’ house” look. Shaking my head, I took his hand as he pulled me down the last step and looked around to make sure we were alone. He pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my forehead.

  “You look beautiful,” he said, smiling down at me.

  “Thanks. You look kind of great yourself,” I teased.

  He cocked an eyebrow at me and smacked me on my ass, steering me toward the kitchen where my parents were talking.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Lang, thanks for letting me take Samone out. I promise to have her home at a decent hour. I do have special plans for dinner, she doesn’t know about yet. So it may be later than usual if that’s all right.”

  My head had jerked up when he mentioned special dinner plans.

  “Yes, that’s fine, Alec,” my dad said.

  My mom gave me a wave and put a pan in the oven.

  “You kids have fun and be careful,” Dad said as we walked to the foyer.

  “Thanks, Dad. We will. Love you guys,”

  I followed Alec out as he held the screen door for me.

  “Oh, Alec, wait. I need a change of clothes for dinner,” I said as I stopped at the stairs. “What kind of outfit should I have?”

  “Anything semi-casual is fine.”

  “Umm, okay. I’ll be right back.”

  I could feel his eyes on me as I ran upstairs. I quickly grabbed the new dress I bought with Tricia. I threw in my make-up bag and hairbrush for good measure. Running downstairs, I saw him waiting for me. He smiled with that sexy smirk of his.

  As we got to his truck, he leaned over and captured my mouth with his. Feeling his hands in my hair as he pulled me closer to him was exhilarating.

  “Mmm, kissing me like that in my driveway where my dad can see could get you smack-full of buckshot, mister,” I teased

  “Ha! Never. Your parents adore me.”

  “Yeah, that’s true, they do.”

  “So, to the swimming hole then dinner. Where did you say we were going again?”

  “I didn’t say, little miss sneaky. You’ll find out when I’m damn good and ready to tell you.”

  “Fine. Don’t tell me.” I stuck out my lower lip in a pout I knew he couldn’t resist.

  “Okay, this time I’ll tell you. I swear, Samone, you’re spoiled rotten.” He winked. “We’re going to have dinner at The Sundial Restaurant in Atlanta.”

  “Holy crap! Seriously? I’ve always wanted to go there. I can’t wait.”

  “Good, I’m happy you’re happy.”

  We arrived at the swimming hole a few minutes later. Everyone else was already there. It was good to see our friends. I jumped out of the truck and waved to everyone while I stripped down to my bikini behind the truck door. That’s when Alec walked around and saw me.

  He stood there staring at me with his mouth hanging open. It made me feel empowered to insight such a reaction in him.

  “Wow, you look—incredible,” he breathed.

  My cheeks felt hot. “Thanks. I . . . was hoping you’d like it. I just bought it this afternoon after your text.”

  “Well, you did great picking it out,” he said as his eyes roame
d all over my body.

  I felt tingles and heat everywhere.

  “As much as I want to just stand here and look at you, we should probably head over, before they start staring at us.”

  “Okay.” I laughed nervously.

  “Hey, everyone,” I said as we walked over to them.

  Alec sat down on a big tree stump and he pulled me onto his lap. His hand was running up and down my back, finally resting near my waist. His touch left a heated trail all along my skin.

  “Who’s in first?” Alec asked

  “Always me!” Marchello yelled as he jumped on the rope swing and dropped into the water, leaving a big splash that soaked Emily and Heather.

  We laughed as the girls shrieked from the cold water hitting them. We each took our turns swinging from the rope and dropping into the water, swimming and having fun. As it got later, Alec whistled for my attention. I swam over from the girls to meet him, and he wrapped me up in his arms.

  “We should get going,” he said between kisses, “if we’re going to make our dinner reservation.”

  “Oh.” I smiled. “Let’s go.”

  We made our way to the bank where the others had gathered.

  “Hey, we’re gonna take off. I have dinner reservations and definitely don’t want to get stuck in traffic,” he said.

  “Okay, we’ll see you guys next time,” Peter said, and the others waved.

  Alec climbed up the bank and helped me out. He ran over to his truck and grabbed our towels, meeting me halfway back. I wrapped the towel around me and warmed up. Drying off, it occurred to me I had nowhere to change or deal with my wet hair.

  “Alec, where am I going to change?”

  “I thought we could drive a little down the road and you could change in the truck. I’ll change outside behind the truck bed.”

  “Oh, okay. That’ll work.”

  We drove down the road to an overgrown section of woods. He got out and grabbed a duffle bag out of the truck bed. I dried off the excess water and changed into my dress.

  I couldn’t stop myself from peeking in the side view mirror and gasped when I saw Alec pulling his pants up over his cute ass. He turned around and caught me looking, and I threw my hands up over my face. It was my own fault I peeked and he’d caught me looking.