Chapter 6
Connor
“I cannot believe you’ve never seen this,” Tai whispers as the screen flashes to life in front of us. “So much respect gone in an instant. You’ll never get it back, man.”
The constant smiling I’ve done today has left my face aching, the corners of my mouth etched into permanent, deep creases.
I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone I connect with so effortlessly.
After we spent a good thirty minutes wrestling in the ocean like idiots, we collapsed into our chairs to soak in the sunshine.
Our chairs—because they are officially titled as such now, and I’ll fight anyone who tries to argue otherwise.
The entire morning slipped away in easy conversation as we shot the shit and talked about nothing in particular.
We didn’t even notice how much time has passed until our rumbling stomachs reminded us we had missed lunch.
Not much makes me miss a meal, but it seems Tai is quickly becoming the exception to that hard and fast rule. He’s becoming the exception to several hard and fast rules.
We grabbed lunch at the on-site deli and then killed more time until the movie started. The moment Tai saw what was playing, he let out an actual squeal before blushing so intensely I could see the flush past his sun-kissed cheeks.
I slide my arm around his shoulder, trying to keep my voice down so I don’t annoy the other guests. “Explain this to me again. She chases a boy to college and realizes she’s smart? Am I getting that right?”
“This is Elle Woods we’re talking about,” he stresses with a scoff.
“Yes, she has a moment of weakness and follows her shithead boyfriend to Harvard. But she becomes a total badass and an incredible lawyer… and she wears a lot of pink. You should relate to that, big guy.” He twists in his seat, leaning a little closer. “She’d love your flamingo shorts.”
I snort, which earns me a dirty look from an older lady a couple of seats away. “Sorry,” I whisper, though it comes out much louder than the snort itself. Her expression sours even further as she huffs and crosses her arms, whirling back toward the screen in a cloud of irritation.
Tai’s laughter shakes his entire body. He bites his lip hard in an attempt to muffle the sound, burying his face into my shoulder.
A strange sensation hits me right in the gut as I stare down at him, breathing in the intoxicating mix of his blueberry scent, salty ocean water, and pina colada sunscreen.
The inches between us suddenly feel like far too much space, so I lean in and press my nose into his hair.
God, he smells incredible.
Another urge rises out of nowhere, and before I can consider what I’m doing, my lips ghost over his temple. I freeze, my stomach fluttering in a way that’s both exhilarating and deeply uncomfortable.
What am I doing?
My heart races as I blink down at the top of his head, and my hand drifts to his long ponytail. I run my fingers through the strands a few times before gently raking my fingernails across his scalp.
A quiet, contented sound rumbles from his chest, sending another flutter through my stomach.
I glide my hand over his ponytail once more, wrapping it around my fist and giving it a gentle tug to tilt his face toward mine.
His lips are curved into a sweet smile as he looks up, and a giant knot forms in my throat as my gaze drops to his mouth.
What the hell is the matter with me?
The relaxation on Tai’s face tenses, and his expression falters for a brief moment before he regains his composure. “Sorry,” he whispers, “was I invading your personal space?”
I shake my head, unable to find the right words, and gently tuck him back against my shoulder.
My hand resumes its slow drag through his hair while my pulse continues to knock in my throat.
The movie plays on in the background, nothing more than a blur of colors and distant chatter, while my entire attention remains fixed on the man nestled against my side.
His sweet blueberry scent… the steady heat of his skin pressed to my neck… the gentle rise and fall of his chest with every breath he takes.
In only two days, it already feels like I’ve known him forever. I’ve always been good at making fast friends, but this is more intense. This quiet magnetism bubbling beneath the surface is something I’ve never experienced. I’ve never felt any sort of attraction to a man, but Tai is just… Tai.
He’s different.
My head spins as I try to sort through the confusion, and before I know it, the movie has ended and the credits are scrolling across the screen.
“What did I tell you?” Tai asks triumphantly, lifting his head from my shoulder. “Masterpiece.”
“Yeah,” I reply. Whatever expression is on my face gives him pause. I try to smile, to convince him that nothing is wrong, but the effort feels hollow. It feels too much like lying.
He sits up taller, brows pinching. “What’s going on? Were you bored? I’m sorry, I should’ve—”
“No,” I interrupt with a shake of my head. “The movie was great, I’m just… kinda all over the place right now.”
“Do you need some time alone? I’ve had a monopoly on you since you got here.”
The thought pinches something in my chest. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” I tease.
His gaze drifts slowly over my face before settling back on my eyes. “Good. I don’t want to be rid of you.”
My pulse speeds up as I fight to keep my panic from showing. “You say that now, but just wait until I swipe another liquor bottle. You might change your tune pretty quickly.”
His musical laugh rings out as we stand and make our way out of the theater. The bit of space between us gives me a chance to shake off the lingering haze still clouding my head.
“Two nights in a row would probably kill me,” he says. “Want to return to our spot?”
“Fuck yes I do. Let’s steal a pizza on the way there.”
He glances at me out of the corner of his eye, clearly amused. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I got paired up with a closet kleptomaniac.”
“Oh, come on.” I bump his shoulder harder than I intend, then let out a loud laugh when I have to grab his arm to keep him from stumbling off the walkway. “You like it.”
“Yeah, I do,” he says softly.
My palm slides down his forearm, and before I’m fully aware of what I’m doing, my hand slips into his. He sucks in a sharp inhale as he stares down at our joined hands, and my chest squeezes with an embarrassment so intense it makes me dizzy.
“Sorry,” I mutter, trying to pull away. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’m doing…”
He catches me before I can get free and weaves our fingers together more securely. He gives my hand a gentle tug and glances over his shoulder to where I’ve stumbled to a stop. The dusky light catches his silhouette, turning him almost otherworldly in the faint golden halo.
“Are you coming?” he asks, his voice carrying a quiet but authoritative undertone that makes it sound more like a command than a question.
A spark of something flares deep inside me. It’s strangely relieved as I let him take the lead. Where I’m floundering, he’s steady and in control.
Why does that bring me so much calm?
“Yeah,” I whisper, taking a few long strides to catch up with him. Hand in hand, he leads me along without another word, our fingers intertwined as though they belong exactly like this.
Voices approach from somewhere ahead, and my internal freak-out threatens to bubble over, but Tai is one step ahead of me.
After a small squeeze, he releases my hand and lets it fall back to my side.
The gesture gives me relief as much as it gives me guilt, and I immediately miss the warmth of his palm against mine.
“What are your thoughts on anchovies?” Tai asks.
The unexpected question cuts through the confusion. I grimace before I can stop myself, then quickly smooth out my expression. “That’s fine with me.”
“Bullshit,” he says as he shoves my shoulder. It doesn’t budge me at all, but it slices through some of the tension. “You looked like you were about to barf just thinking about it.”
I flash him a sheepish smile and shrug. “If you want it, I can deal with it.”
“Connor,” he scolds. My eyes meet his, and that dip in my belly hits even harder. “What did we say?”
“No lies.”
“No lies,” he confirms. And as I stare into the deep, warm brown of his eyes, I realize that any kind of lie feels futile when it comes to him anyway.
He sees my truth, whether I like it or not.