Paris // Jake Kiszka

Valencia

The sun was beginning to set over the horizon. A deep hue of red and orange bleeding into the blue. Soft waves lapped the shoreline, an almost calm and serene breeze picking up Jake's hair as he stared off into the dying light. The sand was still warm beneath your bodies, soft and pale as you leaned into Jake's chest, your arms lazily draped over his knees. Valencia was not on your list of destinations, but Jake had insisted. As you felt his lips against your hair, you were secretly elated that he had brought you there.

"I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful." You mused, referring to the crimson sky.

Jake kept his head tilted towards yours. "Me neither." He replied.

You knew that he wasn't looking at the sunset anymore. You turned your head to meet his gaze, a look of devotion permeating from his eyes. You weren't sure if you met it entirely with your own, there was a feeling in that space between your stomach and chest that ached and burned and felt giddy all at once. Was that the same thing?

"I can't believe we almost didn't come here." You sighed, thinking of the way you had already bought train tickets to Brussels.

Jake had scorned the idea in favour of somewhere warmer. His reasoning converting you almost immediately after presenting you with images of crystal clear waters and palm tree lined vistas. You liked the idea of cities, but in truth you were exhausted from the incessant culture chase. The past three days had been spent at leisure, bathing in the sun on the beach and drinking cocktails at the hotel bar. It had been one week since Paris.

"We were definitely coming here." He almost laughed, "I was getting you somewhere so that I could look at your body in a bikini all day."

You nudged him playfully. The laughter between you both emerging from a rule you had agreed to before stepping on the plane from Amsterdam. A rule that had been decidedly archaic, given that you knew every cell of his body as you did your own. To not have sex in order to spend the dwindling time you had left together not distracted from getting to know one another.

The difficulty in which it had been, to rub sunscreen into his back, without pressing your body too greedily against him had proven too much at times. Kisses under moonlit skies growing more intense by the hands which came about your waist, holding you so close you could feel him breathe against you. You wanted nothing more than to fuck him on this beautiful, perfect beach.

"So, tell me again." You said, sifting sand through your fingers to keep yourself from touching him. "You're opening for Metallica in the fall?"

You found yourself hanging on to his every word. The way he talked about his music, the way he strummed on his guitar every morning to wake you with sweet sounds. The way he made it all sound so inconsequential. It was his life. Yours was so far removed, it was as if the world bringing you both together was some idiotic joke. But, he had promised to protect your bubble and you believed him. That was one of the first things you had taken to your heart about Jake. He was honest.

"It's not a life I would expect you to just accept." He said gravely, his tone turning from one of excitement. "I've made some bad decisions in relationships because of the band. I've been selfish and I've done some pretty questionable things."

You could feel his heart begin to pound in his chest. His pulse quickening. "Such as?"

He took a deep breath. "Well, I suppose you could say I was unfaithful. Not in any type of way that the consequences would have been life-altering. But I did it."

You could feel his palms begin to sweat as they ran down the length of your arms. Pulling you in deeper into his embrace. Your waist pinched in by his thighs and a sense that he was terrified you would move away from him.