Westside || Jonah Marais

• SEVEN •

❝ T A L K ❞

Amity sprints down the sandy path, the afternoon sun beating down on her as she pushes through tourists and islanders alike. The girl was on a mission, and needed to complete it before she lost her nerve.

Upon waking from her nap, Jonah was no longer sitting on the other side of the loveseat. Instead, Bey had taken his place and he was nowhere to be seen.

Daniel had still been in the armchair, a thoughtful look on his face as he devised a plan after noticing how quickly Amity's expression had fallen. Divulging the information on what happened while she was asleep - and dropping subtle hints that he believed Amity felt the same way - the girl had made a decision.

After finding out that Jonah had left to tend to his boat, she threw on a pair of sandals and took off.

Reaching the docks where Jonah keeps his small yacht, Amity pauses, nearly doubling over as she puts her hands on her knees and catches her breath. The only time she ever ran was on the days she was late to class - which occurred more often than she cared to admit.

Walking to the edge of the docks, Amity felt her anxiety grow and her heart began to best rapidly once more, although this time it wasn't because she's out of shape.

Doubts filled her head and she began to contemplate turning around and going back to the hut, pretending this had never happened. In all of her very few experiences with guys, she had never done something like this.

"Amity!"

Amity startles, nearly tripping over her own feet as Jonah calls out to her. All hopes of leaving are thrown away as he climbs off of the deck and onto the docks.

"Are you here for another lovely group tour?" He glances around, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion when he doesn't spot any of the others as he walks towards her. "Or a private tour?"

"Actually, I- um-" she stammers over her sentence, her nervousness apparent. "I actually wanted to talk to you about- um - about something."

"What is it?"

Maybe it's because she's always slightly reckless on vacations, or maybe it's the way Jonah is looking at her with such concern in his eyes, or maybe it's because she's fallen for him more deeply than she's ever fallen for anyone without realizing. Whatever the reason, it gave her just enough courage to go through with her plan.

Grabbing Jonah's tank top, Amity pulls him closer and presses her lips firmly against his.

Jonah's eyes widen, not expecting such a statement from the girl - at least not while she's sober.

"That's what I wanted to talk about," she breathes out, not looking up at him as she pulls away.

Jonah doesn't say anything, instead tilting Amity's chin up and tugging her closer as he kisses her again.

Jonah keeps his hands locked on her waist, wanting her as close as possible, as Amity winds her hands through his hair, leaving their bodies flush against each other's.

The sun attacking them and birds calling to each other disappeared as Amity could focus on nothing but Jonah. His lips tasted like the salty water only a few feet away, and she didn't think she had ever smelled anything better than his musky cologne.

The ocean lapped against the docks as they finally pulled away, as though it was applauding the couple that now stood smiling at each other.

"I wouldn't mind having more talks like this."

<<>>

"Jonah," Amity giggles, struggling to escape his grasp as he peppers kisses along her neck. "Jonah, come on. We should really talk about . . . . this."

The sun rests on the ocean's horizon, basking Jonah's yacht in an orange glow. The two sit on the upper deck, where the railing can't block their view, with Amity in Jonah's lap and his head resting on her shoulder.

After Amity made the first move, they spent the rest of the day together, both against being apart.

"I thought this was talking," he chuckles, nevertheless doing as she asked. "What exactly do you want to talk about?"

"About what's going to happen," she sighs, leaning against his chest. She wanted nothing more than to avoid any thoughts about their time ending, but she knew they need to. "I've been hurt after my vacations before, Jonah. I can't go through that again."

Jonah frowns. He wanted to ask about it, but didn't want to push her.

"I don't want to miss out on anything while I'm here," Amity continues, tracing his knuckles as she speaks. "I want to be with you and not regret anything that happens between us. I want to always be able to look back at this vacation and remember how happy you made me. But, I don't want either of us making any promises we can't keep when my time here is over."

"You want us to end when your vacation does," Jonah murmurs.

"Your entire life is here - your family, your job, your home. I can't ask you to leave this beautiful place behind and come with me. I can't drop everything to stay here either. I have family in the U.S and four more years of medical school in England. And long distance never works. What other choice do we have?"

Conversation lulls between the two, both lost in their own worries.

Amity hated that she ruined the light-hearted mood between them, but it needed to be said before their relationship went any further. She didn't think her heart could survive something as bad as Greece again.

Logically, Jonah knew she was right, although it hurt him to admit it. He wanted to do what Daniel had suggested and take advantage of every moment she was with him, before it all came to an end.

"The last thing I ever want to do is hurt you," Jonah finally says, breaking the deafening silence that surrounded them. "Are you sure you want to go through with this - with us?"

Jonah's heart ached as soon as he asked, fearing her answer. Nonetheless, if it's what Amity wants, he would drive her back to her hut and forget today had happened, putting aside his own feelings for the remainder of her trip.

"Of course I'm sure," Amity states, placing a decisive kiss on his cheek. "I want to be with you."

"Then that's what we'll do," he agrees, kissing her forehead in return. "Whatever my girl wants."