Throwing some money on the table, I grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s go.”
“Where?” she asked as I pulled her out the door.
I kept moving forward and wrapped my arm around her waist to help her keep up. It was time for us to spend a little alone time without a million people within eyesight. “Let’s head down the beach. It’s beautiful this time of night.”
Alyssa
The beach? At night? Alone? Crap. The whole reason I’d met him at the pizza place was because we’d decided to be friends. I knew things were happening between us and I definitely liked him a lot. Part of me wanted to let go, call this a fling, and then say goodbye at the end of the summer. Could I actually do that? I still wasn’t sure. Would I end up hurt like I had been with Josh?
The second I’d gotten home after our time together at the beach, and was alone with my thoughts, I had started to worry about the merits of my idea. The problem was, now I wasn’t alone. Sven was next to me, sending my body into a raging storm of hormones. The idea of a summer fling was sounding better and better. Distantly, I could hear my brain arguing I was only going to get hurt, but I shut those thoughts off as I glanced at his profile.
We reached the sand and kicked off our shoes. It was cool beneath my feet now, and as we stepped out of the street lamp’s light, darkness enveloped us like a blanket. I drew in a deep breath as a breeze off of the ocean blew back my ponytail. I shivered.
Sven had his arm around me, pulling me into the heat of his body. Why did he always feel so good? My arms wrapped around him and I rested my cheek on his chest, breathing in his fresh snowy-pine scent. “What kind of cologne do you wear?”
“Do you like it?” he asked, his nose dropping into my hair. “I personally love the smell of your shampoo.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “So…we’re smelling each other.”
His fingers trailed down my bare arm, making me shiver yet again but for an entirely different reason. “I guess we are.”
“But we’re just friends, right? Do friends normally do that?”
“Nope,” he said, stopping. “Which is why we aren’t just friends.”
“We aren’t?” I asked, drawing in a deep breath. That was why I shouldn’t be walking on the beach. I knew alone time like that would equal intimacy. We were about to pass that critical point of no return.
“Alyssa.” His voice was a rough whisper as his fingers reached under my chin, tilting my face up and toward his. “Since the first moment I saw you sitting on the beach, I knew I didn’t want to just be your friend.”
“Oh,” I said like a complete ninny. His lips were close to mine as his breath warmed my cheeks. His mouth drifted closer and my lips parted of their own accord. As his lips gently brushed mine, I gasped, my whole body tingling. He lifted his head. “Tell me that you want to be just my friend.”
He kissed me again. This time it was a little firmer, a little longer—and completely amazing. When he lifted his head, my eyes fluttered open. “I don’t want to be just your friend.”
He dipped down again and this time he parted my lips. Honestly, I didn’t want him to stop. My head swam and my heart raced as the kiss deepened. We were definitely not just friends. If there had been any doubt before, that kiss proved it. His touch was everything I’d dreamed it could be, and so much better than any kiss that had come before it. My head swam as my heart thumped out of control.
When he finally lifted his head, my thoughts were complete mush. I could have stayed in his arms all night. “What time do you need to be home?”
“What?” I asked, swallowing as I stared up at him.
He lightly grasped my ponytail, skimming his fingers through my hair. “I don’t want you to be late. Do you have a time you’re supposed to be home?”
The ocean roared behind us and I pressed closer to his warmth. “Around ten I guess. I should get home before my grandmother goes to bed.”
He nodded. “Let’s get you home then. I think it’s close to ten.” His hand left my back as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.
Disappointment bubbled up inside of me, but I nodded. “Good idea. Thanks.”
“I know you didn’t want me to pick you up, but I’d like to walk you home. It’s late and dark.”
Just like that, the disappointment vanished, replaced with that gooey feeling I had around him more and more often. I pushed up on my tiptoes and kissed him again. Both of us lingered over the touch until I reluctantly broke the contact. “I’d like that. Thank you.”
“Can I ask you why you didn’t let me walk you to the restaurant?” He stepped toward the parking lot that ran along the beach and slipped back into his shoes.
I shrugged against his side, sliding my flip-flops back on. “I wasn’t planning on getting involved with anyone for a long time. Maybe never again, to be honest. You’re kind of catching me at an awkward time.”
“I can understand that,” he said as he leaned down and placed one small kiss behind my ear.
My skin tingled as my insides flipped and flopped. “We…” I stopped. “I kind of want to take things slow. I mean, I know this hasn’t been slow but…”
He reached for my hand, and laced his fingers through mine. “I don’t mind going slow at all. Although, I’m glad to have moved out of the friend zone.”
I gave him a sideways glance, biting my lip to hide a smile. “I can’t believe you made it past the stalker zone.”
He laughed as I directed him down my street. We were close to the water and it didn’t take long before we were standing outside of my grandmother’s tiny bungalow. “This is it,” I said, pointing at the little front porch.
“Cute,” he said, pulling me into a hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’d like that.”
“Goodnight, Alyssa.” He stepped back, cold air blasting my skin.
“Goodnight,” I said in a whisper while watching him disappear into the darkness. I didn’t want to see him go. It left me feeling empty.
Sven
Julia had been right. I had dated my fair share, but I was all thrown off with Alyssa. Besides my fifth-grade crush, I couldn’t remember ever being this turned around by a girl. I could have kissed her all night. Unfortunately, being that emotionally invested meant my brain had taken a backseat and as soon as I got back to the house, I realized I had never gotten her number.
I’d wanted to text her. Nothing serious, but perhaps some cute little message saying I’d had a good time. It was too late to go back to her house, so I’d have to get her number in the morning.
As I went to bed, I heard it. Over the roar of the ocean was the faint sound of rain. By the middle of the night however, it had turned into a downpour. When I woke the next day, it was still raining, the streets had turned into miniature rivers, with water flowing down the asphalt and overflowing from house gutters. The winds whipped in gusts, which blew leaves from the trees. No wonder the ocean had been so tumultuous.
I had no way to text or call Alyssa. I waited until lunch and then took a walk over to her house. I waited after ringing the bell, but no one answered. She wouldn’t avoid me, would she? Our date had gone well. Then I notice the car I’d seen in the driveway the night before was gone. She and grandmother must have gone out.
Relieved, I headed back to my house. I’d try her again later. As I strolled back to the cottage, my phone rang. “Hello?” I said as I picked up the call.
“Hi, Honey,” my mom said, sounding perky. “How’s it going?”
“Hey. Good. What’s up?” It was a strange time of day for my mom to be calling. Normally, we talked at night. She was up in New York, staying with our grandmother who needed a lot of care while my aunt and uncle were away.
“Your dad called. He got a letter from Boston College. You’ve officially been upgraded from wait-listed to accepted,” she said, her excitement spilling out of the speaker. I could hear her clapping as her voice bounced over the words.
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“That’s amazing.” I stopped walking. Alyssa and I could be in the same city. The earth tilted for a second. I knew it was super early to talk about something like that but still…
“I know it was one of your top choices. I’m so happy for you.” She paused. “The only catch is that you need to take an early bus up to Boston tomorrow morning for an entrance exam on Friday.”
“Tomorrow?” My voice rose as I looked back at Alyssa’s house.
“It’s all right. Your aunt and uncle won’t mind and you can head back on Saturday. But if you go now, you could start in September instead of waiting until January.”
It was then a thought occurred to me. Should I even tell Alyssa about Boston? What if it put all kinds of pressure on a really new thing? Then again, I couldn’t simply disappear for three days without a word, could I? “Starting in September would be great.” I was getting drenched standing in the middle of the street.
“Exactly.” My mom drew in a breath. “Uncle Rick can take you to the bus station on his way to work in the morning. Call me when you get to the hotel. I’ll email you all the details.”
“K, Mom. Thanks.” I hung up the phone as I shook the rain out of my hair. Then I slowly started walking down the street. Alyssa and I were in that super-new phase where I didn’t quite know how to handle this. Maybe Julia could help.
I had to set those thoughts aside for a while when I got back to the house. I caught the kids in an epic Nerf gun war and I had to join. Lunch came after, and before I knew it, it was midafternoon. Sitting across from my sister, I tried to figure out where to start as I tapped the arm of the chair.
“Sooo,” she said, starting the conversation for me. “Was last night a date?”
I nodded. “Definitely a date.”
She grinned. “Fantastic.”
“Here’s the crazy part. She’s here for the summer too. In August, she goes back to Boston.” I leaned forward and put my elbows on my knees. “I just got into my top choice school, Boston College. I actually need to catch a bus in the morning to get up there to take the entrance exam. I should be back Saturday.”
Julia cocked her head to the side. “The plot thickens.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Yeah, it’s thick for sure. Her parents are splitting and her boyfriend dumped her because she was coming down here for the summer. She’s a little hesitant to start something new and—”
Julia held up her hand. “I see the problem. This girl didn’t want to call last night a date. You’re not sure about telling her that you might move to her city, at least not until you know where this is going.”
“Exactly.” I relaxed back into my seat. “It’s like you know me.”
“I do. And I know girls too.” She bobbed her head back and forth like she was thinking. “You don’t want to lie or keep anything from her. That could come back to bite you. But…” She looked up at the ceiling as she paused. “You have to keep the announcement casual. It’s a coincidence, so present it as such. No pressure.”
I nodded. I liked that. “You don’t think it’ll freak her out?”
“Not if you do it right.”
“I’ll have to go over there. I haven’t gotten her number yet.”
“Smooth,” Julia said as she rolled her eyes. “I would make sure to get her number before you go.”
I glared at my sister. “I’m not a total newbie.”
“I know.” Her eyes twinkled as she looked at me. “That’s what is so cute about this. Normally you’re all smooth, but she’s got you tied in knots.” She stood. “Will and Kerry are quiet. I’d better go check on them. Quiet is when you have to worry.”
I shook my head as I stood too. The rain had stopped. Maybe I’d try going over to Alyssa’s again. This time, I’d go prepared. Grabbing my wallet, I headed out the door.
Alyssa
We pulled into the driveway and I spotted the flowers. My entire face heated. A pretty vase of pink roses sat next to the door on the covered porch.
“Oh!” Mimi grinned over at me. “Looks like someone has an admirer.”
“How do you know it’s me? Could be you.” I fired back at her with a grin, hoping she wouldn’t ask too many questions.
She shot me a sideways grin of her own. “I didn’t have a hot date last night.”
“Mimi!” I said as I opened the door and hopped over several puddles to reach the porch. Tucked into the flowers was a slightly damp card. My fingers shook as I opened it.
Alyssa,
I had a great time last night. Call me.
Sven
Scrawled in neat writing below his name was his phone number. I clutched the card in my hand as I picked up the flowers and brought them to my nose. Mimi popped open the trunk to unload the bags from our shopping trip. I set the flowers to the side, slipped the note into the pocket of my jean shorts, and went down to help her.
She gave me a long look with her eyebrows raised, but she didn’t say a word as she grabbed two bags from the trunk. I grabbed a couple too and followed her into the house. Setting the bags on the counter, I headed back out to the porch to collect the roses. I picked them up, once again bringing them to my nose.
“You like them?” A deep voice asked. Sven.
He stood on the sidewalk, hands in his jean pockets, rocking back on his heels.
“I do,” I said. “They’re beautiful.”
He started up the driveway. “I wanted to talk with you. Do you have a minute?”
My mouth pulled to the side as I looked through the window of the kitchen. Mimi was shuffling about, putting away groceries. The windows were open and I could see her grey head bobbing about as she hummed to herself.
“Let me just bring these inside and we can go for a walk.” I turned to go into the house, but Sven cleared his throat.
“You want to walk today? It’s misting and the puddles are a nuisance.”
I kept going, heading into the house and setting the flowers on the table. If we were only going to be a fling then meeting my family didn’t seem like the way to go. “I’m going to take a walk,” I called out as I set the flowers down and made a dash for the door.
“Don’t get too wet,” Mimi said as she put some rice in the cupboard.
Heading back outside, I grabbed my raincoat off the hook and tossed it on over my T-shirt.
Sven still stood where I’d left him, staring at me with one of his eyebrows cocked up. “Still not letting me inside?”
Inwardly, I cringed. He was on to me.
Sven
Irritation rippled along my skin. Though we’d only known each other a few days, I thought Alyssa was different from the other girls I’d dated. Special. The idea she didn’t want me to meet her grandmother sent warning signals all throughout my brain. Did she not feel the same? I watched her shrug on her coat and then we headed down toward the beach. The ocean still roared from the passing storm and even from this distance, I could see the surf crashing onto the sand.
“I’m not not letting you inside,” she said from next to me. Maybe the distant waves were too loud because her words sounded like mumbles. “My grandmother has never met someone I’m seeing. Not ever. It seems like a bigger deal that my parents.”
My shoulders relaxed. That actually made sense. Why was I so uptight about everything? “Thanks. That makes me feel better. I thought maybe I was secret or something.”
“You’re not a secret.” She reached out and lightly at jabbed my arm with her fist. I looked at the spot on my arm where she’d touched. Something wasn’t right. She should be holding my hand, not shoving me.
“If I’m not a secret. What am I?” I asked, stopping.
She stopped too, her eyebrows going up. “You’re the guy I went out with last night.”
I nodded stiffly. She was right. We’d been on one date, and I was being ridiculous. However, the vague sense she wanted to downplay us was making me twitchy. “Right.” I drew in a breath and we started walking again. I’d built this
whole thing up in my head about needing to explain to her why I was leaving for a few days, but maybe I was making a big deal about nothing. “Speaking of, I had a great time last night.”
“Me too,” she said. She wrapped her arms around herself. “We should do it again.”
“Are you cold?” I asked.
She nodded.
I wanted to pull her close, but then I’d be even wetter then I already was, which would do her no good. “We could go to my place. My cousins are running around but—”
“No,” she said, interrupting. “I’ll be fine.”
My eyes narrowed. She didn’t want to meet my family either. She was more distant than she had been the night before, and I didn’t know how to read her now. Should I ask her what was up? Should I tell her about Boston? Or, should I simply walk away? “Well, I won’t keep you then. It’s no day to hang outside.”
She nibbled on her lip. My insides clenched as I watched her cute little bites on her own skin. “There are some covered benches over by the water. Want to just sit for a few?”
I swallowed hard as I tried to decide. I liked this girl, but I had the feeling we weren’t on the same page. “All right.”
We walked again. “Is tomorrow supposed to be nice?” she asked, giving me a sideways glance. We were back to discussing the weather. A sure sign things were awkward.
“I think so,” I said.
This time her fingers lightly brushed my bare arm. “Maybe we can hang on the beach again tomorrow.”
Hang on the beach. That sounded like we were back to being friends. “Hang?”
She shrugged. “I think I might be saying everything wrong today.” We’d reached the covered seats and we slipped inside. The benches were all wet so we couldn’t really sit, but we were protected from the on-again-off-again rain. “I don’t have much experience dating. Especially not like this.”
Don’t Fall for the Summer Fling Page 4
