The Model Couple

🌻 Chapter 32

🌻

Ryland calls, "I need to tell you something." 

He has ahold of my hand and we are running down the beach. I presume we are running from cameramen because of the way he discarded our mics. We jog around a rocky outcropping. I can recognize volcanic rock now that I've been to Hawaii. There is a secluded area here and he drops down onto the warm, dry sand.

There isn't a whole lot of light on this dark beach, except for the moon. I sit cross-legged next to him. He looks at me then looks away to the beach. I can see the muscles in his neck working. He says he wants to tell me something but I'm not sure he does. 

I hope he doesn't feel pressured, "Listen Ry, we don't have to do this now, if you don't want. We can..."

His hand comes out and grabs mine, "No! I want..." He realizes he's interrupted me. "Sorry." I wait, he clearly has more to say. "It's just..." He's facing me now and he pulls his lips into his mouth momentarily. When he releases them he says in one breath, "I just don't want to scare you, or make you think I'm a freak."

I can't help but smile at that. "I'm way weirder than you, Ry. We both know that."

He gives a small smile at my attempt to lighten the mood, "You are cute-weird though. Hayden wants to wrap you up and put you in his pocket." I giggle at that image. "This is more... I don't know. Psycho weird, I guess." He has both of my hands now, "Promise me you won't get freaked out. I have to tell you something and if it's going to frighten you away, I really should stop now." Images from a documentary on a serial killer flash through my head. There is no way Ryland is a murderer.

I tip my head to the side and shake it a bit, "I'm sure it will be fine, Ry." After another pause I encourage him again, "Go on."

He nods slowly like he is trying to convince himself, "Okay, here goes." His tongue comes out to wet his lips. "You remember when I told you how I hate to touch people?" I nod in the moonlight. "I also told you there were exceptions."

My eyes narrow a bit. I wonder where he's going with this. "I remember. Danny and the sweet old lady who lived next door."

He nods, "Yeah." He still has my hands and he's rubbing the backs of them with his thumbs, I think to comfort himself more than me. "Well, all of that was true... but I left one part out."

"Okay." He's looking me right in the eyes now and I can see he's worried about my response. I sigh, "Ry, it's going to be fine, just say it."

He nods again, "It's you. You are the other exception." 

Oh, well that's not so bad. "Me? I'm like Danny and your neighbor?" I give small smile. At one point I'd hoped for this. "My touch doesn't make you feel yucky?"

A little regret enters his expression, "Not exactly." He stretches out the last word then takes a big breath. "You are the first person... I've ever met... that actually feels good to touch." He gives me a worried look, gauging my reaction.

I frown in confusion but when his words register I can't help my smile again, "I do?" I get a little shiver down my arms and back at the nice thought.

"Oh shit, you're cold, sorry." He quickly pulls his sweatshirt off. "Up." 

My arms go up and he pulls it down over my head. We've done this so many times at this point, it's second nature. But this time he pulls the hood up, tucking in my hair and tying the string under my neck. I can't help but giggle at his thoroughness. I turn my nose and breathe in his smell, my favorite.

I think Ry's feeling more comfortable now because his shoulders have relaxed. "That very first night, when you shook my hand, I put up my shield, ready for the gross feeling of it. But it didn't come. Instead, it was the best sensation I've ever had in my life. I don't know how to describe it, except that your touch felt... fresh, you know? Clean. Sweet. The most wonderful feeling moved over my skin. If it was a cartoon they would have animated it with flowers and vines growing up my arm." He smiles at the memory, "It was..." he sighs, "...amazing."