Fireworks 1 and 2

Chapter Eighty-Four

    The last time Drake was in a swimming pool with Mia, she made him chase her. She swam laps around him and stayed just out of his reach. This time was different. This time, for the full first half an hour they were in the pool, she kept her arms around him. It was hard to believe she'd only been apart from him for a few days; it felt like much longer than that. All she knew was, she never wanted to feel that distant from him again.

    They stood in the water with their arms around each other. Quiet, communicating only with touch and the emotion glimmering in their eyes. Mia stared up at the man that was fast-becoming her entire world. The previous night when Trevor was pummeling her, all of the thoughts running through her mind could have potentially been her last thought. She could have thought about her aunt, who'd gone above and beyond in trying to make sure Mia was taken care of after Mia's parents passed away. She could have thought about Bri, who'd been an amazing friend to her over the years. She could have thought about the fact that she'd never get the chance to see her songwriting career flourish. But, no. Those were not the topics that had dominated her thoughts in that dark, cold parking garage. All she could think is that she wanted to survive, make it through that night so she could get back to this man. This man, standing in front of her, looking especially gorgeous. This man, whose songwriting, rapping, and singing talents were limitless. This man, who had lain with her in the hospital bed all night with his arms wrapped around her, soaking the top of her hospital gown with tears. He cared about her that much.

    He pulled her closer to him so that their bodies were pressed against each other. "What are you thinking right now?" he asked her.

    "I was thinking about how amazing you've been," she said honestly. "Staying with me in the hospital room. And Bri said that you hired a nurse to come in and check on me every few days."

    "I want to make sure you're okay," he said, pushing her hair back from her face and inspecting the minor cuts and bruises marring her skin. "I'm surprised the hospital didn't have you stay longer. You suffered through quite a bit."

    She shrugged. "I feel fine, just...sore."

    "I'd rather be safe than sorry."

    She stared up at him. How can one man be so perfectly irresistible? she wondered, reaching up and tracing the line of his jaw with her index finger. He was passionate, sensitive and caring when the situation called for it, and fought for what he wanted - literally and figuratively. She broke eye contact and turned her head, angling her gaze towards the waterfall. Then she turned her head the other way and looked towards Bri and Shawn, who were play wrestling on the patio. Smiling, Mia pulled away from Drake for the first time since they'd been in the water. Without explaining her intentions, she started to swim away from him.

    "Why are you always leaving me?" he called out to her when she resurfaced near the grotto that was built into the man-made rock formations surrounding the waterfall.

    She arched a glance over her shoulder at him and gave him a steamy look that could have melted butter. Then, she slowly moved forward with her arms outstretched, fingers fanned out beneath the surface of the water. The sound of rushing water was nearly deafening. If he'd shouted out to her, she wouldn't have heard him. The water was that loud, pouring down from the top of the rock formation in steady streams. She tilted her head back, watching the water fall. Fascinated, she held out a hand and moved it beneath the falling water. Invigorated, she walked forward. Water poured down over her head for the briefest moment. When she took another step forward, she was on the other side of waterfall, in the beautiful hideaway tucked in the rock formation.

    She waded in the water and came to rest at the pool's rocky edge. Elaborate sconces lined the walls and were the main source of light. The floor and walls inside of the grotto were all made of rocks. The grotto was very cave-like. Both the pool areas and the hot tub were illuminated with bright lights. Televisions were mounted into the walls and there was a small bar area in the corner. Lounge chairs and wicker chairs were scattered throughout the area and bar stools were installed in the water throughout the swimming area in the grotto.

    She turned around and wrapped her arms around herself. She stared towards the falling water until she saw a dark silhouette standing on the other side. She knew who was standing on the other side and still her heart skipped several beats.

    He didn't walk through the water right away. He stood on the other side. She couldn't tell what he was doing. Maybe he was peering in at her, the same way she was peering out at him. He stepped under the falling water and let it pour down over him.

    Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of water pouring down his muscular arms and rippling down his chest and abdomen.

    He stared at her through the water that poured down over his head. His eyes were hooded. Intense. Then he stepped forward and lifted his arms up. He closed his eyes and used his hands to brush most of the water out of his short curls.

    There was something ridiculously sexy about a man with water beading on his skin and rolling down his body. Her eyes combed over the chest and arm muscles that were flexing while he wiped the water from his face and smoothed both hands back over his hair. Her eyes stayed glued on him as he moved towards her with his eyes downcast. He stopped a few feet away from her and lowered into the water until only his head and shoulders were above the water. "You're always walking away from me," he said, lifting his eyes and looking at her.

    "I knew you would follow me." she told him. "And you know why I walked away the last time. You deserved it."

    "I'm not arguing that," he said somberly.

    "If you fuck up that majorly again, I'd walk away from you again," she warned him.

    He held her gaze while wading in the water. "I know," he said. "I wouldn't blame you."

    She moved closer to him, but stopped approximately a foot away from him.

    He rose out of the water to his full height and moved towards her, until he was close enough for her to feel the body heat radiating from him. "You don't have to worry. I won't fuck up that majorly ever again."

    "Promise?" she asked him.

    He stared down at her for several beats. His eyes lowered to her lips. He circled his arms around her, ducked his head down, and kissed her. He kissed her long and deep, as if everything he cared about depended on it. When he finally lifted his head, he finally responded to her question. "I promise."