Strictly Summer Romance (ON HOLD)

Chapter Twenty Six, Observations

"I still can't believe you're here," I say, my cheeks close to cracking from the grin that's been plastered against them since Aaron's arrival.

"Neither can I. When Shaina called, I thought it was a joke at first," he admits.

I scoot closer to him on my bed until my arms wrap around his waist. "Of course Shaina would be the one to bring you here." I roll my eyes but in full appreciation of her actions.

"What does that mean?" He asks in mock defense. "Are you not happy to see me?"

"No!" I immediately defend myself, pulling away just enough to look into his motherfucking beautiful eyes. "You have no idea how happy I am you're here. Shaina just...she just knows me." I sigh, and fall back into his embrace. "So how long do I have until I have to hide myself in your carry-on?"

His chest rumbles with his laugh against my cheek. "Two weeks."

I lift my head again. "How did you get out of football?"

His eyes follow his hand running absentmindedly through my hair. "I didn't. Coach gave us two weeks off before July hits. That's when hell's really going to raise on us."

Aaron has told me before how tough football's been so far. Not that he doesn't love every second of it, but I can tell the toll it's taken on him. More than once he's fallen asleep while we were talking on the phone. He does seem stronger though. Aaron's always been well built, and it's only been a month, but I can see the difference. He's broader, his veins more prominent against his skin, and the dips contouring his muscles are deeper than ever.

"I'm just happy I get to spend your birthday with you," he continues, a grin spreading across his face.

My birthday. I completely forgot about it.

"Little Hale finally turning nineteen," he coos.

"I'm not that little, you're barely a year older than me," I scoff. He'd been held back in Junior High.

"A year filled with experience you've seemed to thoroughly enjoy in time's past." He smirks, and flips me onto my back.

Warmth fills my cheeks, but I narrow my eyes up at him. "That's interesting considering I'm the one who taught you everything you know."

Those caramel eyes gleam down at me as his lips pull up into a smirk. "Well, then I guess you have two weeks to refresh me on those courses."

I laugh and push hard against his chest, sending him back to his original spot with a bounce.

"Tutor's come at a cost, college boy. Especially when they're as good as I am."

"Oh, trust me. I have ways of making the payments." His wink sends a surge of excitement through me.

Two whole weeks of Aaron? This is going to be fun.

~~~

I nearly fall off my board in laughter at the sight of Aaron falling once again into the water. Sure, he'd grown up near the Ocean just like I had, but he'd had more pressing matters to worry about than learning how to surf. So, now, seeing the athletic being I've always known fail at something so miserably is quite satisfying. Especially since in the last month, I've been the worst surfer on the water.

I paddle, once more, out to him, just in time to see him pulling himself up onto his board.

"How the hell do you do this?" He asks in a splutter.

"You've got to quit thinking. You act like it's one of your football plays. It's not. You've just got to go with the flow," I instruct before paddling towards the shore as a wave cresses behind me, I ride it smoothly in, feeling much cockier than I should.