Page 104 of Meant to Be

Dust circles us and lands in a soft layer over our skins. I shake it out of my eyes and look down at my feet.

“Fell off my bike. Being an idiot.”

Her finger presses underneath my chin, forcing our gazes to meet.

“That’s not what happened.”

“Is it okay if we don’t talk about it?”

Her thumb drags across my lip, touching the ring.

“Yes. But any time you want to, I’m here.”

“Are you?” I ask softly. Her eyebrows furrow, head tilting. “You’re never here. You’re always with them.With him.”

She pulls her hand away and I feel a slight breeze pass over my skin at the lack of contact.

“My head is a mess. Everything is complicated.”

“Do you like me?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s not complicated.”

She rolls her lips into her mouth, bits of her hair sliding out from behind her ear.

“If the roles were reversed, I would have made my decision long ago,” I tell her. My hands twitch to sweep her hair back, but I leave them at my side. “I want to be with you. I can’t be any fucking clearer. You want to be with me. What are you waiting for?”

“I don’t know.”

Breathing heavily, I step back, rubbing my hand down my face.

“Look, I really need to just not think for a while,” I say. I yank my shirt over my head and throw it on the ground. Her eyes roam over my torso before sinking low over my stomach. “Swim with me.”

Shyly, she steps out of her shoes and slides her cut-off denim shorts down her thighs. Heat rushes to my groin when she pulls her top off. I drink all of her in. Every beautiful inch of her.

After I throw my shorts off, she takes my hand, and leads me to the water. The water isn’t as cold as I hoped, but it’s still a relief from the dry heat.

Josie slides her arms over my shoulders and wraps her legs around my waist. Her breath fans over my lips as I grip her hips, pulling her closer.

“We can’t stay like this,” I say. “Not forever.”

“No,” she murmurs, pressing her forehead to mine. “But you will be.”

“I will be what?”

“My forever.”