14. Lara
Ihate myself.
My lips tingle, and my skin buzzes as I stumble onto the trail toward the rivers.
Kissing Dylan is forbidden—forbidden fruit that keeps tempting me.
I”m raised better.
But Dylan is my kryptonite.
As I draw nearer to the water where my friends are hollering, I”m captivated by the view. The splash of sunlight on the water”s surface creates a mesmerizing spectacle, casting vibrant hues over its serene expanse.
”Look who finally made it.” Carter grins, his brown eyes glinting in the sunlight, wearing his swimming trunks that cling to his athletic frame. ”Come in. The water”s amazing.”
I approach the shoreline, feeling the grains of river sand beneath my feet, and arch a brow at him. ”How did it go from hiking to swimming?”
”You want to cool down, don”t you?” Tanner calls before Carter playfully dunks his younger brother.
Parker is swimming laps with Mike. That”s good. He might not realize I arrived late.
I strip off my clothes, neatly fold everything, and leave them where everyone has thrown their belongings onto a big rock.
I sense watchful eyes on me, making me feel bare even though I”m wearing a full-body swimsuit. I bite my lip, not wanting to cave by turning because it”s not my boyfriend staring.
Dylan”s looks are the only ones that make me feel this way, so I try to keep my gaze away from his, but my eyes have a mind of their own.
They betray me as they flicker to where he”s standing in the water, his gaze locked onto me. My heart races as he basks in the water, submerged up to his chest.
Every inch of me wants to join him. I want to surrender to the moment. I want to feel the water”s embrace and Dylan”s touch.
As my eyes fall onto his mouth, I resist the urge to touch my lips, the memory of our stolen kisses still lingering. I have no idea how I”ll last the remainder of the day like this, so I scramble for something to divert my attention.
Gah, his glorious abs shimmer in the sun as he moves, drawing me back in like a magnet.
I snap my attention to Sloan to readjust my priorities.
She has her arms crossed and is fully dressed.
”You”re not going to get in the water?” I ask casually.
Sloan rolls her eyes, her expression hinting at a mix of annoyance. ”No one told us to grab swimsuits.”
”If we”d known, we would”ve gone with the bikinis we got from the mall,” Tiffany grumbles.
”Ever heard of skinny dipping?” Mike hollers, his mischievous grin widening as he swims to us with a wicked look.
God, guys can be so gross sometimes.
”Or in your bras and panties?” Parker chimes in. ”They”re the same thing.”
A rush of heat hits my cheeks, and his audacious suggestion mortifies me.
”Parker?” I exclaim, my voice filled with shock and embarrassment. My eyes dart around, hoping no one overheard, but I know they have.
”I”m just suggesting so they can have fun, too,” Parker continues, his tone remaining nonchalant. ”Don”t be so uptight.”
I pause for a moment.
Am I uptight?Maybe I”m too reserved—too worried about what others think all the time.
”What do you think?” Tiffany looks at Sloan, her eyes sparkling from the mischievous dare. She”s always admired Sloan”s perspective, and she”ll go with whatever Sloan says.
”All right,” Sloan purrs, the playful glimmer in her eyes mirroring Tiffany”s. ”I mean, he”s kinda right.”
Tiffany takes a breath as she works to open the buttons of her red romper before standing in her lacy blue underwear.
Mike whistles.
Dylan also looks at Tiffany, and a rush of emotions floods me.
Uncertainty fills my mind, and my heart sinks.
Sloan walks past me next in her underwear, and I can”t help but compare myself to her.
She”s curvy, with hips and full breasts, long blonde hair, and flawless skin. I shrink in comparison, feeling inadequate and insecure with my long, slim body and flat chest.
It”s no wonder the guys are transfixed.
I glance at Dylan, but his eyes are glued to mine suddenly.
”Cannonball!”
The loud echo of Tanner”s voice snaps all our attention to where he”s standing on an overhang over the water. The showoff. He even manages a backflip before slashing into the river.
I shake my head at his antics, turn back to Dylan, and he”s laughing.
I smile at him and head into the water to blow off steam.
The guys follow suit, and Sloan and Tiffany engage in lighthearted chit-chat. Their laughter is annoying as they watch Dylan dive into the depths of the river and resurface with a victorious grin.
I try not to roll my eyes at them.
With a huff, I wade toward Parker. ”You wanna race?” I challenge.
Parker waves me off, his eyes focused on something behind me. ”I”m gonna race Tanner next. Your man is gonna win us two slices of apple pie from these losers.”
As my gaze shifts toward the source of Parker”s distraction, a pang of nausea grips me. My eyes fixate on Sloan and Tiffany as they splash around, the tantalizing curves of their breasts barely contained in their bombshell bras that are on the verge of spilling out on full display at any moment.
I don”t want to be envious of them, but I am.
I force myself to look away and swim toward the shore, trying to push those negative thoughts out of my head. But it”s a constant battle. No matter how hard I try, I can never entirely escape the self-consciousness and insecurities that plague me.
While everyone is busy playing and splashing, I sneak off to clear my head—and more importantly, away from Dylan”s intense gaze.
I trail the river around the bend, following its gentle curves as it meanders through the lush landscape with the water cascading over rocks, accompanied by the sweet melodies of birds perched around. The warmth of the sunlight caresses my skin, bringing much-needed serenity.
A sound catches my attention. Startled, I whirl to find Dylan standing behind me, his hands casually tucked in his swimming trunk pockets.
”Didn”t mean to startle you,” he says, breaking the silence.
I stumble over my words, trying to hide my excitement at his unexpected arrival. ”W-what brings you here?”
”To check on you,” he says, his gaze warm and sincere. ”You seemed a little lost, so I thought I”d make sure you”re okay.”
Dylan always could read me.
”I”m fine,” I assure him, trying to brush off his concern.
But he seems to need more convincing.
”Mind if I join you?”
I”m grateful he took the time to check on me and show his care and concern. I really am. But a part of me wonders if he”d rather be back with the others, enjoying their company. It”s hard to understand why he”d give up spending time with Sloan to be by my side.
”For the record,” he drawls, ”you”re the most beautiful girl there is.” His compliment catches me off guard, and my breath hitches as he draws near. ”There”s no point in being jealous. I only have eyes for you.”
”Are you mind reading me, Dylan?” I playfully ask, raising an eyebrow.
He chuckles. ”You”re just easy to read.”
Curiosity is getting the best of me, so I tilt my head. ”Is that right?”
The sunlight illuminates his face, highlighting the twinkle in his eyes as he runs his fingers through his hair and slicks it back. ”You want to get in the water?”
With a bold smile, I blurt out, ”You want to chase me in?”
The air crackles with heat as I await his response.
His lips curl into a half-smirk. ”You can run... but let me tell you, I”ll always catch you.” His voice drops to a husky whisper. ”You know why?”
I lick my dry lips, feeling all hot and tingly.
”Why?” I whisper, barely able to keep it together.
A mischievous grin spreads across his face. ”Because you belong in my arms.”
His words send shivers up my spine.
”Now run,” he commands.
Unable to resist the thrill, and with his words as a warning, I run down the river bed.
Dylan”s footsteps grow closer and closer behind me. Squealing with excitement, I dart around the bend and run without tripping to the best of my abilities.
Glancing over my shoulder, I see Dylan gaining on me.
Determined not to let him catch me, I leap over a fallen log, but he remains on my heels, closing the distance between us.
I can”t outrun him, but for now, I immerse myself in the rush of the chase—the thrill of his pursuit fuels me.
Suddenly, he grabs me tightly around my waist, halting my escape.
”Got you,” he growls into my ear.
Goosebumps rise across my flesh at the sound of his deep voice and the warmth of his breath against the shell of my ear.
”I”ll always catch you,” he whispers.
We stand, locked in this moment, his arms around me, my heart pounding. ”Dylan?” I breathe, my voice barely audible.
He nuzzles his face into my neck. ”Hmm?”
”Why will you always catch me?”
”Because I”m here for you.”
And in the moment, I wonder if this is true.
How do I trust?
As we stand on the river bed, with the water rushing beside us, I realize trust isn”t about guarantees.
And that”s terrifying.
”Ask me to kiss you,” Dylan rasps against my neck. ”Just say the word.”
My heart races. I”m about to turn in his arms to face him, ready to give in to the overwhelming temptation. But then, my foot slips on a rock, causing me to lose my balance. Dylan pulls me backward and presses into my back.
My bottom lip catches between my teeth. I hesitate, not wanting to rush into anything I might regret. But I gather my courage and spin in his arms. ”Kiss me already.”
And he does… for the second time today.
His mouth steals my breath. His hand wraps around my waist, pulling me closer as the world fades.
The intensity builds, and then I break away with a gasp. His mouth trails down the column of my throat, leaving tingling sensations. I gasp with pleasure as he spreads my legs with his and presses against my center.
But then he pulls away, his eyes closed as if fighting for control.
”We need to stop,” he says, his voice strained. ”Before I do something we both regret.”
”Y-yeah.” I nod, my voice barely above a whisper. ”Okay.” My hand moves to his shoulders, seeking support.
He takes a breath, and when he opens his eyes, I”m struck by the emotions swirling within them: desire, arousal, and a battle for control.
”You okay?” I ask softly.
”Um. Never better.” He chuckles, a hint of playfulness returning to his eyes, but he”s still fighting for self-control.
I giggle a little nervously.
He holds out his elbow and swallows hard. ”How about we walk back together?”
I get myself under control quickly and loop my arm around his. ”Still holding onto that dream?”
”I”m living that dream when I spend even a second with you,” he says, his voice filled with sincerity.
How will I ever go back to being just friends with Dylan?
And how will I face Parker knowing my heart now belongs to someone else?