WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(26)

"Hmm..."I moaned as Tyler was kissing my neck, tracing a line down my collarbone. We'd been lounging by the pool under the scorching sun and I'd asked him to put some sun lotion on my back, which he had accepted eagerly.

It was only the two of us thankfully, because I wouldn't want anybody to witness where this was going.

I turned around on the double deckchair and in a second he was above me with his legs between mine. As he leaned down slowly on his arms, his well-defined muscles flexing easily, I couldn't help but let out a pleased sigh which gave his tongue instant access when he finally reached my mouth.

I moaned again and he deepened the kiss melding his lips against mine, sucking and licking them. I arched my back, needing to feel more of him but felt somebody shaking me.

"Poppy!" Why was Tyler shouting at me? "Poppy! Wake up!" No way! I thought as I realized it had been a dream. Please, tell me I didn't just ridicule myself!? I thought with my hands hiding my face.

"Were you dreaming about me?" I peeked through my fingers and scrunched up my nose at his smirk.

I wanted to dig a hole and hide in it until the end of my life. I was truly and utterly mortified.

He took my hands in his gently.

"Open your eyes, Poppy..." He instructed so I did. "So was it me?" He insisted and wanted nothing more than for him to drop the subject I nodded. His eyes darkened instantly and his hold on my hands tightened. "I'm going to kiss you, now..." He murmured and I shivered when our lips finally met. He didn't seem bothered by my morning breath and started kissing me exactly like in my dream, leaving me hot and bothered.

Somebody knocked on the door and we both jerked away from each other, slightly out of breath.

Tyler, who was already dressed, went to open the door.

"Your Dad's been trying to call you..." Landon told him.

Tyler turned to look at me, "Are you going to be ok?" I nodded, still recovering from our incredible kiss.

The thing was even though we lived together, we were constantly surrounded by people and apart from the few sweet kisses Tyler managed to steal here and there, we hadn't properly made out since Friday night's party. Until that morning, that was...

I smiled when I saw the glass of orange juice he'd left for me on the bedside table. He was so thoughtful. I closed my eyes but opened them when I felt something wet on my cheeks. I went to touch them and surely enough, his kindness had brought me to tears.

After drinking the delicious juice I hopped in the shower. Twenty minutes later, I was ready. Tyler hadn't come back to the room apparently so after making the bed, I went to get something to eat at the kitchen.

"Morning." I said to Landon, well, and Owen since he was seated next to him and they were eating their cereals in silence.

"Morning." Landon answered. I felt Owen's stare on me but didn't find it in me to acknowledge him. I needed more time to process everything and decide what to do about him. I knew I wasn't just angry at Tom. His sleeping around, his immature and selfish reasoning that he was doing it on my behalf, his decision to go through with Owen's punishment...

All this had opened my eyes about how different he was from the boy I'd fallen in love when I was nine. I couldn't tell whether I'd been blinded by love and making him stronger than he really was in my mind or if he'd just changed over time, but one thing was sure, I didn't like the boy he'd been in the last two years.

So I didn't have to think twice about the way I felt as far as Tom was concerned, I'd crossed him off my life for good. It may sound harsh to some but that was the way it was. He'd hurt me far too much and my dislike for him was far too pronounced to salvage our friendship.