Finally, my hands slowly drift away from her skin.
She doesn’t seem to notice how long my hands lingered on her body. She’s smiling. It’s that smile. The rainbow one. She’s so happy.
“I’m floating. I thought I couldn’t.” Her voice holds real joy.
I taught her how to do that. She’s this happy because of something I did.That shit feels GOOD.
“You’re doing it. You look great.”
“It feels like....like if I can just stay right here....I won’t need anything more than this, and everything will be okay.”
I’ve floated before, but I’ve never felt like that. I’m glad she does, though.
Without a word, I let my feet drift up from the floor of the pool and float beside her.
Suddenly, I feel likeI won’t need anything more either, and maybe...it will all be okay.
Chapter 12
Vaughn
Gimme All Your Lovin’ rings out into the night air, and it’s the push I need to finally ask “So what made you change your mind about me?”
I continue to look up at one of Austin’s beautiful night skies while I wait for Eli to respond. The country club is relatively secluded, so the light pollution here is minimal. The stars are so vivid, and there are thousands of them littering the inky black night.
The music Eli chose is the perfect backdrop to this beautiful view. Eli has a playlist for everything, and it’s somehow always the perfect music for the scene.
“What makes you think I’ve changed my mind about you?”
I know he has. He was into me that first night. He was open about it, and when he was all jacked up on GHB, he even thought we were soulmates. Now, he won’t so much as sit beside me, and he hasn’t tried to kiss me even though we’ve been hanging out every day for more than a month. He’s not interested in me anymore, and I know he’s physically attracted to me, so it’s something I did.Or it’s my personality. That would sting.It can’t be my personality, though.We’re friends. He doesn’t have to hang out with me, but he does. He likes me. He just doesn’t want more than that anymore.
“I know you have. It’s okay. I’m just curious.”Also, it’s not okay, and it freaking stings because I’m so not in the same place.
The water shifts beside me as he stands up.
“What are you talking about? Nothing has changed.”
“Oh, come on. You were into me when we met. You said I was going to meet your mother, and you thought we were soulmates.”
His head tilts to the side slightly, and his eyes narrow as though he’s trying to understand something. His hair is wet, and it frames his face, giving him a sexy, tatted badass with dimples vibe. Water beads up on his broad chest and Sultan-of-Swat arms.Where did this guy come from? Was he made? Does his dad have a propensity for lightning bolts while his mom is the overarching authority on women, childbirth, and marriage?
“I’m still into you, Vaughn. I bring you coffee every day. I follow you home from work every night. What would give you the impression that I’m not into you? This is breaking and entering, but here I am....for you.”
Oooookay. Well....all of that is true, but the things I’ve been thinking are true, too. Why hasn’t he made a move?
I stand up to face him, but he towers over me, so I just look up at him from way down here.He’s hot. Like move over Chris Hemsworth hot. He has so many tattoos. Too many to count, and they’re everywhere. Even his neck and the backs of his hands. Then, there’s this almost shoulder length dark blonde hair that he keeps tied back and those icy blue eyes. His eyes are just as much white as they are blue.Pale and beautiful. He’s tan, and his smooth skin rises and dips with the curve of every muscle.So many muscles. His body is just a collection of tattoos and very strategically organized muscles. The muscles in his lower abdomen that come together in the most incredible way, meeting in a V that disappears beneath his boxers, are my favorite ones.
I’ve been lost in my appreciation of him for so long that I’ve forgotten what he said.Oh yeah, he’s into me. Coffee every day, follows me home every night. Right.
“Yeah....but, you don’t even sit by me. It’s been more than a month, and you’ve made no moves. Zero. You kiss me on the forehead like my brother.”
“You have a brother?”
“No. But he would kiss me on the forehead if I had one.”
He chuckles. He chuckles while I still need answers.
“I’m into you, V. I’m so into you that I don’t want to wreck my chance by starting something you’re not ready for.”
