Thalassophile // JJ Maybank

Chapter 43

JJ pulls the HMS Pogue up to the dock outside my house after we had dropped off Kiara at her house. I hear him sigh loudly. I begin to stand up from where I was seated.

"Franklin." JJ stops me.

I look over at him. My expression stays completely blank as I looked at him. I wasn't going to show any of the heartbreak I felt.

"How many?" I ask.

"What?"

"How many girls were there before me?"

"Franklin..." A look of sadness and regret crosses his face.

"Answer me." I demand.

"I don't know." He admits. "A lot." I shake my head. "Franklin, I swear to you they meant nothing."

"Did I?"

"Franklin, you're the only one that I truly cared about."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? What about when you get bored, huh?" I felt anger bubble up in my chest. "Am I just gonna become another girl you slept with?"

"People change, Franklin." JJ reaches out to grab my hand, but I pull away, taking a step back. "God, listen to me." My hands were clenched into fists, trying to keep them from shaking. "Everything I said that night was true. You saved me and I have never needed anyone the way I need you. I've never craved the fucking presence of someone like you. When you're around, it feels like the world gets just a little better. God, I feel sick when you're not with me."

I didn't know what to say. I just stand there, looking at the boy. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched him fight for me.

"I need you to listen to me. Kiara is trying to get into your head. I have never felt the way I do about you for anyone. Everyday I struggled to get up before I met you. Then one day this little Kook from Australia, comes waltzing into my life and everything became clear. And every fucking day since, I've grown more and more attached. I can't lose you. Franklin, I need you."

I felt my heart sink in my chest. I had made him out to be the bad guy when I knew he wasn't.

"Fuck.. I'm so sorry." My hands come up to my face. "I shouldn't have believed her. God, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." JJ murmurs. He steps toward me, enveloping me against him. He cradles my head as I cry into his chest. I grip at his shirt, pulling him against me. "Franklin... You understand you're not just another girl?" I look up at him. His eyes filled with adoration as he peers down at me. "You are the girl."

Butterflies instantly filled my stomach. I reach up to his face cupping his cheeks before pulling him down to me. I press my lips against his softly. His hands flatten against my back, pressing me flush against him. His tongue glides along my bottom lip as he kisses me passionately. My breath hitches in my throat as one of his hands travel to my hip.

"I'm so sorry." I mumble against his lips.

"You didn't know, princess. It's okay." He pulls away, slightly out of breath. "Let's go inside?"

I nod at him, taking his hand. He leads me inside and pulls me into my bedroom.  Neither of my parents were home. My dad was at work and Roni probably got lost in work and was still at the office.

As soon as my bedroom door is closed he presses me against it, bringing one of my hands above my head. The other clamps onto his bicep as he presses wet kisses against my collarbone.

A light moan escapes my lips as I feel JJ's other hand glide down the inside of my thigh. I feel him smirk against my collarbone. I pull his head back up to mine. His eyes meet mine. "Are you sure you want this?"

I nod, pulling him close, my fingers tangled in his hair. His lips meet mine in a desperate kiss. My tongue, brushes against his, causing him to let out a light moan. I melt under his touch as he presses heated kisses against my lips. I pull away a moment as my lungs begin to burn. JJ takes the opportunity to press his fingertips to the growing wet spot in my underwear. My knees buckle under his touch as I let out a moan.

JJ scoops me into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist, bringing me over to the bed. His sky blue eyes peered into my own blue green ones. Any control I had before was instantly dissipated. All the negative thoughts I had before had disappeared a long time ago.

"God, you're so fucking gorgeous, princess."

JJ hovers above me, his legs on either side of my thighs. His hands run over the skin on my arms, leaving goosebumps everywhere his finger tips touch. He presses a soft kiss to my lips before lifting my body to pull my dress up and over my head. His mouth parts as he looks over my nearly bare body.

"I will never get used to how beautiful you are." JJ murmurs over my chest. He presses kisses down my stomach.

I flip us over so I was now straddling him. He sits up, gripping onto my hips as he kisses my lips. I grab onto the hem of his muscle tee, tugging it up his abdomen. I pull the shirt up and over his head before looking at his body. I could never get used to how physically perfect this boy was.

I glance up at his baby blue's. His expression was filled with adoration as he watched my every move. A small smile creeps onto my lips.

"What?" I ask.

"Words can't even describe how I feel right now." He admits.

A light giggle escapes my lips as I lean against him, my forehead resting against his. I press a light kiss to his lips. He catches mine quickly after I pull away, pulling me in for a deep kiss. He pulls away after a moment, looking at me again.

"Come on."

JJ pulls us both back further on the bed, so he was up against the pillows. I lay with my head resting on his chest, my finger tips grazing over his bare skin. JJ held me tight against him, almost as if he was afraid to let go.

"Franklin?" JJ asks softly.

I hum in response looking up at him.

"Do you ever regret coming to OBX? You've gone through so much here."

"I'd be going through this much either way, J. I never would've met you if I hadn't come here."

"What about when you leave?" Sadness fills JJ's voice.

"I don't want anybody else, J. I promise I'll come back." I reassure him.

"What? Next summer?" He sighs.

I pick my head up so I can look at him. He reaches out to cup my cheek. I could see unshed tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Look, we'll figure it out. We still have time to just live in the moment, all right."

JJ nods with a small smile. I lean down pressing a light kiss to his lips. A look of lust comes back over his face as he rolls us so he hovers above me.

"J.." I groan.

"Hm?"

"Take your pants off."