Skipping Stones - COMPLETE

Chapter 10

INHALING THROUGH MY nose, I breathe in this moment, fresh air. I don't want it to end. The taste of mint, his soft smooth tongue, and the ability to completely submit to him brings a peace to me that I haven't felt in days. In this moment, it is clear that he's quickly becoming my medicine.

I take his head in my hands, hoping to deepen our kiss. With each twirl of our tongues, it's like we're connecting in a deeper way. With each flick, a brick shatters on my chest. With each second that passes, I realize that as long as I'm in his arms, I might be able to survive this anguish.

He slowly pulls back, rubbing my nose with his. "Don't stop," I beg, needing him, needing more.

He reaches down and picks up the stone I dropped, and he hands it back to me. "How about we play a game?"

"I'm not up for games." I lean in closer. "I am up for more kissing."

He chuckles and tosses the stone in the air, only to catch it. "What if I told you there was more of that, too?"

My eyes follow the stone up and then back again. The last time when he catches it, he brings it to the side of his face. I follow until I'm back to his amused, chocolate gaze. Everything about him is hypnotizing. I swallow. "I'd say that you've clearly got my attention."

He nods and gives me a playful wink. "Smart girl," he says as he gets up from his rock and takes a couple steps closer to the creek.

I shrug my shoulders, rolling my eyes, as I mimic his movements. I mutter, "I don't think this has a thing to do with my brain."

He turns back, flashing a perfect smile. It's one that I don't think I'll ever forget. The way the sunlight is bouncing off the water creates a glow around him. He's my angel. I smile only able to think about the kiss. I need more of that. I need more of him and that kiss so I can forget that I'm an orphan. I need more of him so I don't feel guilty for existing.

"The game," he whispers.

I nod. Focus on him, Alex. Focus on the moment. "The game..."

"I'm going to teach you to skip stones."

"That's not a game," I counter. "That's a lesson –" He causes me to stutter as he moves in closer. "That's...that's..."

He puts his finger over my lips. "A kiss for each time you do something right." He tilts his head. "It's your reward, your prize." He moves his finger and takes my lips gently into his as he whispers, "It's incentive."

My heart is pounding in my chest. I glance down and see the movement of my shirt. There is no better sign of living than the movement of a chest, the evidence of blood being pumped through the body. I'm alive when I'm with him, and I don't feel like I'm dying.

"Okay."

"Okay." He grins. He drops the stone into the pocket of his swim trunks. Then he puts his hands on my hips like he did the last time and turns me. I hear the rustling of the fabric of his trunks. He picks up my arm, prying open my clenched fist, and positions it just right.

I feel his head in the crook of my neck. "You want your pointer finger on the edge of the rock. Your thumb on the flat part on one side. The rest of your fingers like this."

Inhaling a deep breath, I try to focus, try to commit this to memory. I want another kiss, so this has to work. "Okay."

"You want to throw it so the flat side is parallel to the water at about a twenty degree angle."

I'm amazed. "There's a science to this? Down to the angle, huh?"

"Yup."

"Guess it's a good thing I was excellent at Geometry, huh?" I turn and meet his eyes.