Two Masked Hearts - ✓ #WattysShorts

Thirteen

Miles promised he'd come help me pack up my car Thursday afternoon. And so I kept busy that day, equally spending time packing and going to the beach, but always thinking about last night.

Thinking about kissing under the stars and lying together until nearly after midnight and the feel of his touch and the warmth of his body pressed against mine. The heat of our lust burning flames in our hearts. I had felt him underneath me, but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to embarrass him, and I thought it was kinda sweet.

He came over around three. I had offered to drive him, but he insisted he'd bike to the beach house. He couldn't remember which house it was, so I had to give him directions over the phone. Eventually, he got here.

"Hi," he said as I opened the door. He was breathing heavily, his cheeks flushed and beads of sweat forming at the top of his forehead. It still felt an awful lot like summer, especially in the aggressive mid-afternoon sun.

"Hey! Come on in." I stepped aside to let him into the foyer and closed the door behind him.

We stood about six feet apart, an awkward silence filling the space between us, until he broke it to kiss me. We both needed each other. His hands pulled at my waist. I ran my hands up his back and put my fingers in his hair. He was a bit taller than me, so he leaned down, and I stood on my tippy-toes. Our bodies left no space between us. I had an urge to sit down and pull him on top of me. The heat of desire was getting the best of me, so I forced us to pull away.

"You okay?" Miles asked, his eyes studying my face intently.

"Yeah," I said breathlessly, my lungs eagerly grabbing oxygen after having been deprived. "It's just if we keep going, we won't get anything done."

Miles leaned down and whispered in my ear, "I'd be okay with that." The sensuality of it and the fresh memory of his and my body pressed together sent a shiver coursing through my body. He pulled away, a big smile plastered on his face. "So what're we doing?"

"I packed up six or seven boxes of things, and we need to put them in my car. We still need room for my suitcase and other bags, too." He nodded. "I'll go unlock my car, then I'll start bringing the boxes to the door for you to take. Most of them shouldn't be too heavy, there are just a lot of stairs."

"Got it," he responded. As I turned away to go outside, he snaked his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder. "Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?" I asked. I was the one who should have been thanking him.

"For being here. This has been the best week of my life."

I smiled. "Me too."

Despite all the bad that I had encountered with my parents recently, he made this trip memorable. He made me happy.

"Okay. Where's the first box that I should take?"

I pointed to the master bedroom. "In there."

He went to get the box, and I went down to open my car. I left the front door open so that he could easily carry it out. He brought the box down the stairs, and I was worried he might drop it or fall, but he seemed to do it effortlessly. He slid it into the truck, and we went back for more boxes.

Soon, the back of the car was nearly full, with just enough room so that I could see out the rear-view mirror. "Thank you so much." I sighed, tired from lugging boxes and traveling up and down the numerous stairs too many times.

"Of course," Miles said, leaning over to kiss my cheek. Each time he did something like this, I was surprised by his gestures. And, yet, it all felt perfectly natural, as if we'd done this so many times before.

"I don't know about you, but I'm about starving," I said.

Miles laughed. "I could eat."

"I have a box of mac 'n' cheese left. Do you want to make that?"

He nodded eagerly with a wide smile. "Absolutely, yes."

I closed my jeep, and we went up to the kitchen. He started a pot of water while I got the box.

"I used to have this as a kid, and it was my favorite thing." Miles held the box and inspected it. He was smiling, obviously remembering fond memories from his childhood.

"Me too." I leaned against his shoulder. "It's weird that we're not kids anymore."

"It is," he agreed, shaking his head. "I thought by nineteen I'd know what I want to do, but honestly I just don't."

The water started boiling, so I took the box from him and added the pasta, making sure to hold onto the cheese packet. "What are you studying?"

"Marine biology."

"That's so cool," I said.

"Yeah, I guess. I like it, and it involves the ocean, so it works for me."

"I think I want to be an editor. Maybe for a publishing company, maybe for a magazine."

We talked about our dreams, we talked about our past, and we embraced our childhood as we got one last chance to act like kids again.

* * *

I had to quickly change into a swim suit before we could go down to the beach. I put on the one bikini I owned, mostly because Miles had convinced me to, but I felt really self-conscious in it. I was nervous for him to see me—to see my body—so I wore a cover-up while we went down.

We walked hand-in-hand to the water. I looked at him nervously as he took off his t-shirt, revealing a perfectly smooth stomach with a deep golden tan. His skin glistened with the slight presence of sweat from the heat. He smiled at me, really more of a half smile, then glanced at my dress. I could tell he wanted me to take it off, so I did, slowly and reluctantly, then dropped it on top of his shirt.

Miles hugged me, pressing his bare body against my chest. "You look beautiful," he told me, staring me straight in the eyes. My bikini was bright blue with white polka dots, and it showed off my stomach. I wasn't a fan of that. I was really self-conscious about not having a flat stomach like a lot of other girls.

"Thank you," I mumbled, heat rushing to my cheeks.

Miles gently kissed me. It was delicate and sent butterflies aflutter in my stomach. "Ready?" He pulled away from my lips.

"For what?" I asked, and he got an adventurous look. "Miles..." I formed a smile in anticipation as to what he had in mind.

Miles grabbed my hand and dragged me out into the water. I shrieked as he sent a huge splash of seawater toward me, soaking my hair. I made sure salt hadn't gotten in my eye before I splashed him back.

We giggled and played for forever, until it got dark and cold, and we went inside to dry off. We both changed into the clothes we had been wearing, and I took him into my bedroom.