23. Chapter 22
Chapter 22
BECCA
I honestly don’t know what came over me. It was like I was possessed by my thirteen-year-old self trying to flirt. What woman jumps directly on top of a guy she might be interested in?
When my legs hit the water, they slid around Shyloh’s front before my vagina smacked him right on the head. It was unfortunately not the head I’d like to be sitting on.
The pain shot through my nerves as I tried to kick myself up to the surface where a bloodied Shyloh was waiting for me.
“Oh—Shy, I'm so sorry. Truly so sorry. I didn’t think—”
He held up his hand, silently asking me to stop talking. He went under the water and, just a few seconds later, he was directly in front of me with only a cut on his lip that was bleeding a lot less.
This man made me so damn anxious. I could barely think around him, especially after the orgasm he gave me last night. All I knew was I wanted another one—maybe a couple more, actually.
A tingle crept over my spine when I realized how close he was to me. His hand gently wrapped around my hips and tugged me toward him. Leaning down, he whispered, “If you wanted to sit on my face, all you had to do was ask.” Then he kissed my cheek before swimming away to the others, who were jumping off the falls.
I was starting to think maybe I didn’t dislike him as much as I originally thought, or maybe my lady bits were taking me hostage. Either way, I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him. His tattoos caressed the muscles on his arms and the abs that wrapped around his stomach. His beard hid the striking jawline I knew was underneath.
But that mouth of his was what would be the most trouble. Not only for what he said, but what he could do with it, and I was hoping to find out all about it.
“Becca! Come jump with me,” Shy yelled, and everyone else in the group started chanting my name. I wasn’t planning on jumping off the falls; mostly I wanted to relax and cool off my sore muscles. But unfortunately for me, this group was very adamant, and I couldn’t ignore them.
“Fine. Fine. I’ll go as long as you all stop saying my name.”
Everyone cheered and I climbed up the rocks to meet Shyloh under the falls. He smirked and leaned over with a gentle pull of his bottom lip. “What about moaning your name? Could I do that? ”
“There are people watching us right now. You keep talking like that, you might get a boner,” I replied.
Two large hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me against him. I could feel the thickness in his swim trunks. “Too late for that, baby.”
Then he pulled me through the water into the falls, rushing towards the cold lagoon below. It was quick and chilling, but when we returned to the surface, there was nothing chilly about the way I was feeling. I was a heated mess that needed to spend some quality time with Shyloh.
***
After we settled down for the night, I lingered by the campfire with a lemon glaze tea to calm my nerves, bundled in a sweatshirt to keep me cozy.
“Is this seat taken?” a familiar voice asked from behind me.
Without turning around, I said, “You’re going to sit anyway—I don’t even know why you ask.”
Shyloh chuckled with his deep raspy voice. “Because I’m a gentleman and even though I’m gonna do it anyway, it’s important to ask.” He knocked into my shoulder before sitting beside me on the log.
“What are you doing out here so late?” he asked me tenderly, in a way that sounded like he cared.
“Just wanted to calm down a little before bed.”
He scooted closer. “Calm down from what? ”
I smirked, sipping my tea. “You know exactly what, Shy. Don’t play coy now.”
“So, you’re still thinking about my dick, aren’t you?”
Laughter overwhelmed me. How could he be so charming and also such a prick at the same time?
“What? What’s so funny?” Shyloh asked with a new look on his face: concern.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just, um—you are one of the most complicated humans I’ve ever met.”
“I don’t think I’m that complicated. I feel like I’m actually pretty simple,” he remarked. “And actually, I think that you are the complicated one. Not me.”
“I am not complicated,” I argued.
I felt his blank stare. “Are you being serious right now? You say, ‘I don’t want you, Shy.’ Then in the same breath, you want me to give you an orgasm. You are by far the most complicated woman I’ve ever known.”
I took a deep breath, absorbing what he just said. Part of it resonated with me, even though I didn’t want to agree that it was the truth—the orgasm part at least.
“C’mon… you know it’s true, Becca.”
“Yeah, I know it’s true. So—” I sip my tea. “How are you feeling about not playing football anymore?”
Shyloh grimaced. “Oof. Starting with the hard-hitting questions, are we?”
I gave a sad smile and shrugged. “I mean, you don’t have to answer. I was just wondering. ”
“No, it’s okay, I can answer it. I, um… I’m doing better now than I was. When I had to learn to walk again, that’s when I knew there was no way I’d play. I feel like part of me died that day, to be honest. Football was everything and now it’s nothing.”
That made me genuinely sad to hear. I’d known it was probably hurting him pretty bad emotionally but hearing him say it out loud made it a lot more painful. Especially since I didn’t stick around to make sure he’d be okay.
“Shy, I want you to know that I’m sorry—”
“You don’t have to apologize, Becca,” he interrupted me.
I turned and placed my hand on his forearm. “But I do, Shyloh. I do. I— I’ve been so selfish, and I couldn’t see that at the time. I needed to be there for you, and I wasn’t.”
His glossy hazel eyes roamed over my face. “It’s okay, Becks. You were scared, I’m not holding it against you. Okay?”
I nodded and he smiled, leaning over and kissing my forehead. “It’s time to get some sleep. Too many big thoughts in one night.”
“You’re probably right. Goodnight,” I said softly as he walked back to his tent.
***
The next day of hiking didn’t go as well. Joy got her feet stuck in the thick clay mud, Mark was attacked by a squirrel, and the amount of bugs that were out were biblical.
“This was, hands down, the worst day. Sorry boss,” Shyloh grimaced across the campfire, and everyone laughed, including me .
“Yeah, not my best work today. Sorry about that,” I admitted.
Everyone shrugged and started to say their goodnights before returning to their tents. All except Shyloh.
He was sitting across from me, smirking.
“What’s that look for?”
He tilted his head. “What? I can’t just look at you?”
I rolled my eyes, kicking the dirt over the campfire. “Goodnight, Shy. See you tomorrow.”
No reply. He was still sitting there.
What the fuck was he doing?
After a few minutes in my tent, I wanted to know if he was still there or not. I grabbed my little lantern and stepped out of the tent, walking to the unlit campfire. There I found Shyloh, lying on the ground with his hands behind his head, looking at the sky.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
“I’m looking at the sky. What are you doing?” he replied.
“Well, I was trying to get some sleep, but I was worried you’d be eaten by a bear if you were still out here.”
“No bears yet. Come lay with me.”
I didn’t argue with him for what felt like the first time. Laying on my back beside him, I looked up at the same sky. It was stunning.
“It’s perfect, isn’t it?” he offered quietly, the warmth of his body next to mine giving me comfort. My hand brushed his and I pulled back.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
“Give me your hand, Becks,” Shy said, taking my hand in his. He interlaced our fingers as we lay still. I don’t know how long we stayed there together, but it was what I needed.
Shyloh Mendoza was what I needed.
“I should probably head to my tent,” I whispered as I sat up, and Shyloh followed my lead.
“You’re probably right. Goodnight, Becks.” He grabbed my neck and leaned over to kiss my cheek. He couldn’t see it, but I was blushing. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
I watched him walk to his tent, but this time, I didn’t want to go back to mine.
After a few minutes, I gained the courage to walk to his tent and whisper his name. He was obviously startled when he flung the tent open with no shirt on.
“Is everything okay?”
I stood there, looking everywhere else except him. “Yeah—everything is great, I just, um—I—”
“You what? Wanted to come stay?”
My eyes locked onto his and I nodded. “Yeah. I’d like to stay if that’s okay with you.”
“No need to ask again. Come on in, boss.”