Bea’s patient. Austin is the furthest thing from it.
"Don’t be a wimp, Cass. Hurry up about it. My balls are shrinking down here," he said, no sign of embarrassment, loud enough for me and everyone else to hear. I could sense the frustration in his voice, but it didn’t encourage me to jump. It put me more on edge than I already was.
I don’t know what Austin’s problem is with me, but he always seems so cold toward me. Almost like he only hangs around Bea and me because he feels like he has to. But no one is holding him hostage. He’s free to leave if he wants.
And right now, I kind of want him to.
Bea thinks he has the ‘treat her mean, keep her keen’ mindset because he has a crush on me, but I don’t believe that for a second. He’s shown no interest in me, and I doubt he ever will.
Feeling a familiar warmth approach, I hear his soft, deep voice from behind me, and I close my eyes to take a deep breath.
"You don’t need to jump if you’re not ready, Herring." Harley’s voice is only slightly more than a whisper, reassuring me, and I feel instantly at ease. shivers coating my skin. “But if you decide to jump, I’ll hold your hand on the way down.” His words get my attention, my gaze to flick to our hands as his knuckles graze mine ever so slightly.
I feel my body heat from the temptation.
"I don’t think I can do it." I can’t tell If I’m talking to him or if I’m talking to myself, but I know he hears me, and for that, I’m glad.
"Well, then, maybe I’ll wait down there to catch you when you decide to jump."
His voice is still low, arms shaking by his sides, preparing to launch himself off the cliff.
"Do you promise?" I match his tone, hiding the quiver in my voice, making sure no one else can hear me.
"I promise." He nods as he smiles at me, revealing his lone dimple, throwing himself off the cliff while he lets out a loud "woo".
I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this. All for a damn roof over my head.
At least it’s a pretty roof, I tell myself.
Me:Ugh, let’s get it over with.
Harley:I’m on my way to your house. Be there in 5.
"Your house isn’t five minutes away from here. Were you already on your way over?" I ask as I hop into the passenger side of his Range Rover, and it hits me that I haven’t been in a car with Harley since we were sixteen.
He drives a much more expensive car now than he did then.
"I was hopeful," he says. His voice woven with humor, he keeps his eyes firmly on the road.
"I can’t believe I’m doing this." I cross my arms over my chest, sinking further into the leather seats to get comfortable for the drive.
"You better believe it, baby," he replies casually, as if he calls everyonebaby, but it’s the first time those words have left his mouth directed toward me. The realistic part of me knows it’s just a figure of speech, but I kind of want to hear it again.
Get a grip, Cassandra.
"I can’t do it," I shout below me as I see Harley’s figure floating in the dark, murky water below. “How do I know a giant eel or anaconda isn’t going to swallow me whole the second my body hits the water?” I ask, biding myself more time.
Did I mention I hate open water?
It’s dark out, with the only light shining on us being the natural light from the moon, and while it’s enough to show me the outline of Harley waiting for me, it’s not enough for me to spot any potential threats.
"Herring. I promise, I’m the only one in this creek waiting for you."
It’s cold. I’m shivering, knowing I’m about to voluntarily throw myself into a bed of water with god knows what waiting for me, that I forget all about my nipples and how they’re poking through my pastel blue bikini. I cross my arms over my chest to hide them, hoping Harley can’t see my body clear enough from where he is.
"I can’t!" I shout back, my right foot taking a small step forward.
"Yes, you can!” he yells back for the tenth time, yet he sounds just as encouraging as he did the first time he said those words to me.
