I just nod in concession. Before my better judgment can argue against it, I tell him my cell phone number.
He calls it and says, “There, now you have my number too. I was told that you are moving to Houston soon, and that’s where I live, you know.”
“I think I might have heard that,” I say as a smirk spreads across my face. “When are you heading back to Houston, Dax?”
He remains focused on me and says nothing. After a few seconds go by, and I don’t think he will answer, he replies with a sigh, “In the morning.” His hand gently passes through his hair as he looks out at the ocean and the tide coming in. “This is the end of our short vacation, and we leave tomorrow morning.”
“Oh,” is all I can say at this point.
He grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers together. With that action, I can feel all the unspoken words between us. I just wish he didn’t have to leave in the morning, taking the possibilities for more with him.
ChapterSeven
Liv
As the day wears on,the people on the beach begin to thin out. Parents take their kids home, and older couples head back for dinner, leaving the remnants behind, indicating a good time was had by all. We surfed, played music, and enjoyed the company of good friends all day. And we have no intention of going home yet. The sandcastles still line the sand, and more intricate pieces are roped off from where the sea sculptures were judged. The guys managed to gather enough wood to make for an epic bonfire, and we’ll be lighting it up soon. Although the day was a scorcher, the temp began to drop slightly, taking most of the oppressive humidity with it. The breeze off the water feels good against our sun-kissed and sandy skin.
This will end sooner than we would like, and everyone will return to their lives. School to finish up, work to return to, and time to reminisce about another spring break in the books. With the memories we made today, I know it’ll be a year to remember.
Thankfully the day progressed with ease after the earlier altercation between Brodie and me. As I make my way toward the grill, I can smell the food cooking, and my mouth waters, suddenly realizing how hungry I am. And it’s not just me. I see my friends slowly making their way toward the tables we have set up like a moth to a flame. The guys are grilling up the fajitas, and the tortillas are on the portable burner being reheated to place into a warming pouch. The scents of bell pepper and onions fill the air, as well as the mouth-watering scents of beef and chicken marinated fajitas on the grill. Our favorite V & V sausage, a staple at any south Texas bar-b-que, is being placed into foil trays and covered to prevent sand from being scattered throughout our food. Sand gets everywhere, and unless you want a mouth full of it, you need to take extra precautions and cover that shit up. You learn that quickly when having a cookout at the beach.
We gather in a procession and make our way through the buffet-style spread. I load my plate up since I haven’t had much food today. My appetite was poor, and my stomach was in knots. I sit with my friends, and Dax slides into the chair next to me. His thigh brushes mine, and just like every other time we touch, little sparks fly at the contact. I can feel the heat from the day emanating from his skin. I want to lean into him but hold myself back. I sense someone staring at me and look around but see no one. We chatted away while we ate, and it was only when Emma called my name that I looked over to her and noticed Brodie. His brows furrowed, and his eyes bore into mine with a frown. Boy, if looks could kill. I keep my face impassive and maintain eye contact as long as I can, not wanting to be the one to look away first. When I think that I can’t stand to look at him anymore, he shakes his head and looks away again over at the waves. He heads in the direction of the water, but not before I notice that he picks up a bottle of Jack off one of the tables.
My stomach clenches for a moment, knowing that if he starts drinking straight alcohol, it’s a recipe for disaster. I try to shake the feeling in my gut and cross my fingers that he had some food to soak up the alcohol. I didn’t see him in line to get something to eat, but I couldn’t let this concern me any longer. He isnotmy problem anymore. We had been off and on over the past few months, and if there was any doubt, his actions last night made things very clear on where we stand. When things get tough, he seems to find one vice or another to placate whatever is bothering him instead of handling things like an adult. I’ve had enough. I realized I hadn’t been in love with Brodie for a while. Our longtime friendship kept things going. I love him, but I haven’t been in love with him in a long time.
I fist my hands at my side and release them a couple of times, trying to clear my head. Dax immediately looks down as if he can read my mind, and then his eyes meet mine. He holds my gaze and lifts his hand to my face stroking his thumb gently over my skin. His touch is magnetic, and I let myself lean into him.
“He’ll be okay,” he says. “He just needs time to come to terms with it. Don’t think this is your fault for any reason, Liv.”
I grab his hand and hold on to it and look into his eyes. “I’ve already spent too much time thinking about this today. I just want to spend the rest of the time we have here with you. If that’s okay.”
His gaze drifts down to my lips for a moment, flashes me his perfect orthodontic smile, and nods. “That’s more than okay with me. Are you done eating?”
I look down at my remaining taco and bite the last bite.
He just laughs. “Want anything else?”
I give him my most pensive face and shake my head. “Nope, all done. Now let’s have some drinks.”
He stands up and grabs both our plates before I can react. I trail behind him as he takes them over to the trash.
“I could have done that, Dax.”
“No, I want you to relax. I can take care of this, and I want to take care of you.”
He tosses the plates in the bin, saunters back over to me, and suddenly pulls me into his arms. It catches me a bit off guard, and I fall forward into him. Every nerve is instantly on high alert. I can feel my breasts press against his chest. My nipples pebbled against my bikini top. His hands dip under my top, and I can feel his warm palm on the small of my back. My arms come up to wrap around his neck, pulling us closer together.
“And here I thought I was taking care of you. You’re the one with the busted ankle,” I tease. “I believe you needed a nurse yesterday, and you had to settle for Jameson’s subpar skills, but I’m here now.”
He brings his head down and nuzzles his face into my neck, breathing deeply. God, he feels good in my arms. Heat flashes through my body, and a pulse begins between my legs. These feelings seem too intense to have in such a short time, and I feel the need to try to downplay this as much as possible.
“Let’s see where everyone has gotten off to.”
We make our way over to the fire. The scent of wood burning and the bonfire’s heat permeates the air. Our fingers stay intertwined as we walk as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. I can see Emma up ahead, and I lead him toward her. All our friends are getting together closer to the fire. I feel a wave of nostalgia, bringing me back to the time when things were different—simpler, when we were all younger and our entire future ahead of us. There were frequent parties and friends to keep us busy. It all seems like a lifetime ago. We were all happy and together. I love these guys. We have been friends for a long time. Most of my life, to be exact.
I see Zach and the rest of our friends gather around, and he takes out his guitar. He starts to play and belts out a Guns and Roses song, “I used to love her, but I had to kill her,” starts playing, and everyone joins in singing. This is what we do—we hang out, play music, drink, and just enjoy being with each other alongside a roaring fire. Everyone is drinking and enjoying themselves. I catch Brodie off by the water, chatting animatedly with his buddies. He seems okay, and that takes a huge relief off my shoulders. A weight I didn’t know that I was carrying.
The night progresses, and the music and drinks continue to flow. Dax has been by my side all night, and I do not hate it. I’m having a perfect time with him. I look off in the distance from the sand dunes and see two figures emerging.
