"Okay, okay here's another one. Pancakes or waffles?" The male in front of me asked and I smiled sitting back.
"Easy. Why not both? I mean blueberry, chocolate. Why would I pass that?"
"Dude, do you see this? They are freaking soulmates," he whined and Ryder and I shared a look.
Ryder has brought me to the beach, only this time we weren't alone and at the mercy of our own desires. Instead he'd introduced me to his other friends, Trevor and Zayn who I learnt were stepbrothers and best friends and that they'd met at the gym. And as of the moment Zayn had resigned himself to know more about me when he made the absurd comment.
"Is he always like this?"
"You get used to it eventually," he said and I watched Zayn as wiped imaginary tears from his cheeks.
"I just don't get it. You only met a few days ago," he said and I could feel Ryder's breath against my neck as he leant against me and I shivered in response.
"Though if it gets too weird, we could always ditch them," he said and I turned to him surprised not anticipating how close he was and my breath hitched at my throat. An inch closer and we'd be kissing right in front of these people.
"Really? Wait, where would we go?" I asked trying not let my eyes be drawn to those pink lips but then again he was doing the same thing I doubted we could skip around this for much longer, finding my tongue unconsciously darting onto my bottom lip and his eyes darkened immediately.
"Would you two just kiss already!? My poor heart can't take this anymore," Zayn interrupted and I immediately made distance between us, clearing my throat as I lay back on the blanket.
"Maybe later. Getting out of here, I mean. I just want to stay in the shade a while longer before I risk a sunstroke," I said my throat feeling a little scratchy as I ducked away embarrassed just as Zayn started stripping.
"Aww, she's so shy," I heard him say as I tried not to show my discomfort from what had just transpired.
"Shut up idiot," I heard Ryder beside me and I thanked him inwardly even though he was the cause of this predicament in the first place and it was quiet for a while.
"He's gone," he said after a while and I peeked at him before sitting up. "I'm sorry they can be a little.."
"Overbearing, nosy, annoying, goofy too, wait that's a plus," I mused out loud and he chuckled.
"Something like that."
"Don't worry. If I can handle you, they are nothing," I said and he smiled before playfully glaring at me.
"That's not nice."
"I'm not nice," I said and he gave me a pointed look. "Okay, maybe I am but one thing I'm sure of, you and your friends are like a little bunch of goofy morons."
I deadpanned and he laughed pulling by the waist and I giggled trying to push him away with no avail.
"Ryder!?"
"Are you calling me a moron?"
"No? Yes, maybe," I said and he chuckled as his warm hand cradled the back of my head and I held my breath, as his minty one caressed my lips as he leant close to me. "Ryder?"
"What?" He asked almost breathlessly as I was and I let out a sigh closing my eyes.
"We can't do this, Ryder," I said and I could feel my heart break as I saw hurt flash in his eyes. "Umm, they are watching."
I said burying my face into his shoulder and I could feel him shake in laughter. I don't know why I saved the statement like that but I didn't want to ruin whatever this is before it started as much as everything in me was screaming at me to do so.
"Okay, let's get out of here," he said pulling me to my feet.
"Where are we headed to now?"
"Just a walk, nothing special."
"What are you talking about? I love walks...oh Alice talked to you," I said in realisation as I slipped on my sandals. I was surprised when I came to the realization he was a spender. So maybe past experiences should have been a clue but buying me three hundred dollar sandals just because the boots I'd worn were too warm for the beach was just excessive. Then again he did have a pretty good reason otherwise I wouldn't have let him.
"Honestly, she tried to but I make to study those I'm with," he said and I raised an eyebrow at him. "The files at the office make it easy. This pretty face can get in anywhere. And besides, walking for minutes just go sit at the beach, which by the way is not a good habit, it's like you wanted me to know."
"Are you ever going to let that up?"
"No," he said blankly and I rolled my eyes.
"You cross me as mean."
"You cross me as defiant," he said catching my gaze and we held each other at a stare off, which by the way he won and I let out a huff moving forward. "Are you mad at me?"
"No. I'm annoyed."
"Why?"
"Because you're annoying, duh?" I said glaring at him when he smiled.
"Are you ever going to be nice to me?" He said in a teasing tone.
"I am nice to you."
"Really? I've never noticed," he said with a gasp and I slapped his arm. "See? You're not nice. You know what they say whenever a girl gives a hand at trying to bully you, they are trying to hide that they are head over heels for you."
"That's weird because the last time I checked when a guy likes you they show it in the best way by picking on the unsuspecting girl. A classic boy manoevuer" I said and he choked on a breath and I mentally clapped my back.
This was a clear win for me, despite the fact we'd actually pointed it out what we thought about each other, or at least about our feelings for each other or something like that, I thought as a text came through my phone.
"What's wrong?"
"Alice. She thinks the nose-in-the-air entitled hothouses are upto no good. That I should watch my back. In other news, my cousin thinks I'm slaving myself to boredom over here," I thought with a pout, trying to distract him from the thought when I saw how his face scrunched up.
"Entitled hothouses? That's pretty funny," he let out a snicker and I could feel my lips curving up, finding it funny but it didn't seem like it was the end of it. "You remember not to let her get to you don't you?"
"Better said than done," I said with a shrug, before narrowing my eyes at him. "Why do you care? Was your history that bad?"
I asked and he clenched his jaw for a moment before he let out a quiet sigh and grinned at me.
"Because princess, I don't like sharing. You're mine to pick and make miserable," he said and I rolled my eyes before fanning my hand over my face.
"Oh God, I feel so lucky. Never would I have thought I'd be so blessed."
"Babe, I'm the blessed one and it's always an honour," he said making me roll my eyes once more and he flicked my forehead. "Another bad habit."
"Should I get started on your bad habits too?" I asked sweetly and he chuckled pulling me with him. "Where are you taking me now?"
"Where else? We are going to show your cousin you're not dying of boredom. I think she'd be happy to know you finally found someone cool to spice up your life."
"I'll assume you didn't just say that," I said horrified making him laugh.
I think I drew in a weird one instead, I thought realizing half the time I had no idea what was going on through his head, and I doubted it was any good. I mean I was doing stuff I never thought I'd be doing, ever. And fortunately or unfortunately, I didn't find myself dreading it as I thought I would be. Then again, I had the idea I had my Dora the explorer kit with with me. It was going to be a long, adventurous maybe dangerous day or the rest of my time here. God help.