Bad Boy Good Heart

Chapter 9

Alice's POV
I cover my stomach and try not to look to wounded. His eye brows scrunch up in confusion and he lays next to me in the sand. He inhales and exhales so deeply that it catches my attention. He does this over and over as I stare at him. His eyes are closed, he almost looks like he's meditating.

"What are you doing?" I ask him

"What are you doing?" He asks

"I was taking a breather. I was tired." I prop myself up on my elbow to look at him. "Now I'm staring at you and watching you breathe deeply...so what are you doing?"

"I am breathing...and taking in my surroundings. " He inhales deeply.

Woah. I didn't expect of him to be the type to 'take in surroundings.'

His face is so peaceful right now. Like he has no worries. This just proves that there's so much more to know about this boy than I thought. His eyes peak open and I give him a shy smile. It's not like he hasn't caught me staring before.

He props himself up on one elbow to face me.

"Lay back." He demands gently.

"What?" I say giggling.

He doesn't smile or even smirk at me.

"Lay back."

I do as in told and lay back flat across the sand, my head falling over to the side in his direction. We stare at each other lazily breathing and drinking one another in.

"Close your eyes." He says in a low voice.

His beautiful sunlit face and subtle smile is the last thing I see before I let my kids drift slowly shut. I relax into the warm sand, listening for the next direction.

"Now what?"

"Now be quiet. Listen to the ocean, the birds, the children...feel the sand on your finger tips, inhale the oceans smell of salt..."

"Okay..."

We lay like this in silence for some time. I don't think I've ever been this calm, I feel in touch with nature. Everything is heightened.

"Okay." He says

I don't open my eyes, but lay there still listening.

"Alice..." he kicks some sand into my now dry body.

"What." I snap peaking an eye open up at him. He's standing over my body frowning down at me. The sun has set and now the sky is turning over to darkness, the temperature has definitely cooled but it's not uncomfortable.

"Get up."

"Why?"

"We've been laying here for a long time. I have to use the bathroom."

"Oh okay." I pull my self up from the sand and we start walking back to the car.

"How long have we been laying there?" I ask.

"I wouldn't know sweet heart. My phone is in the car."

I blush from embarrassment. Of course his phone is in the car. Why would he bring it out near the water. Duh Alice.

"Turn around." he says as we reach the car.

I turn and he starts to dust the sand from my shoulders, my back, and my lower back.

"Hold your bikini bottoms."

"I can dust my own butt off. But thanks for doing my back for me." I turn to face him. "You turn around."

He turns and I dust him off the same way he's dusted me off. I can't help but notice his back muscles and incredibly smooth skin before we get into the car. Just as he shuts his door and starts the car, my phone starts to ring.

"Who's Xavier?" He asks as I lift pick up my phone.

I hold up one finger to silence him.

"Hello?"

"Hey what are you doing?"

I don't want to hang out with him if that's what he's going to lead up too. And I don't want to talk to Mr. Conceited, either.

"I'm at the beach."

"Oh with who? No no, never mind. Anyways I think I came off a bit conceited before. And I want to actually get to know you. So...would you be willing to go out with me again another time?"

I roll my eyes and groan. But if he realized that he was being conceited, then maybe he won't do it again. We might have just had a bad first get together...

"Sure. But don't be to arrogant." I say laughing about it.

"Okay. I'll see you later then? Oh, its this party at my friend Daniels house. Wanna come? I promise I won't touch you in any way you don't wanna be touched."

"Sure. When?"

"Tomorrow at 10..." He sounds nervous as if he thinks ill change my mind.

"Where?"

"At 9801 park dale Rd."

"Okay yea. Ill meet you there."

"K"

I hang up the phone and realize that we still have not moved from the beach lot.

"Who was that?" Conner asks me.

"That was Xavier..."

"Okay. I don't take you much for a partier." He starts to car.

"And I didn't take you for a 'listen to the ocean' type of person."

"Touché." He says grinning.

We pull out of the lot and head back towards the direction we came from his home.

"So are you really going to go?"

"You told me I needed to learn to live a little." I say grinning at him.

"If I hadn't have told you...would you go?" His tone is very serious, all playfulness forgotten.

"Um. I don't know, maybe. No."

"Okay."

We drive in silence the rest of the way to his house. As we pull into the parking lot I get excited to see Marlo. I had fun all day with Conner, but I do miss my Marlo. I think I'll adopt him after all.

Conner knocks on the door as I stand behind him, giddy and happy. His mother opens the door and I could just pass out from her beauty. Her hair is long and golden and her eyes are blue like Conners and Cassidy's. Her cheeks are very rosy as if someone has just made her laugh and her lips are full, as well as her eye brows.

"She's upstairs." His mom says without saying hi to Conner, or acknowledging me.

I wave and smile try to smile my prettiest smile at her. She merely nods her head and then steps aside to let us in.

The inside of the house is painted yellow and cream. There are various family portraits here and there.

Conner takes my hand and pulls me up the stairs. As we enter a room, Cassidy lay on the bed alone crying into a pillow. My heart drops.

"Cassidy." Conner says. His voice sounds so broken and raw at the sight of his crying sister.

She shoots up from her face down position, obviously startled.

"I'm sorry it was accident I swear. "

"What was?" My voice starts to shake.

"I was-s walking h-him..."