Drawn To You (GirlxGirl)

Part 18

Allie's P.O.V

The sun was already warm on my skin as Jessie and I made our way to the water, the paddle board feeling slightly unsteady beneath my feet.

I tried to focus on the clear blue sky ahead and the gentle ripples on the lake's surface, but it was impossible to ignore the presence of Jessie right behind me. The thin, black material of her bikini clung to her perfectly, her subtle tan lines and muscly legs were hard to look away from. Every now and then, I could feel her gaze on me, and it made my heart beat a little faster.

We both stood up on the board, the water lapping gently against the sides, and for a moment, everything felt balanced, like maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all. But then the board wobbled, and before I could steady myself, I lost my balance and plunged into the cool water.

Jessie's laughter filled the air as I resurfaced, my hair dripping and my pride a little bruised.

"Need a hand?" she asked, still chuckling as she extended her arm toward me. Her smile was contagious, and despite embarrassing myself, I found I couldn't be annoyed.

"Thanks," I muttered, grasping her hand as she helped me back onto the board. The warmth of her touch lingered even after I let go.

"Here," Jessie said, her voice more serious now as she moved closer, "The trick is to keep your knees slightly bent and your weight centered. Like this." She demonstrated, her movements smooth and effortless.

I tried to follow her lead, and this time, I managed to stay upright, though I wobbled a bit. Jessie's hands hovered near my waist, ready to catch me if I fell again. The thought of her holding me steady made my breath catch in my throat.

"See? You've got it," she said with a grin.

We paddled out for a while, the others gradually drifting off in different directions.

The lake was vast, surrounded by lush green trees, their reflections rippling gently on the surface. The horizon stretched endlessly before us, the sky a brilliant blue, and a few wispy clouds.

It was peaceful out here, just the two of us and the sound of water splashing lightly against the board. The more time I spent alone with Jessie, the easier it became. The nerves had slightly eased up, but every time I saw her looking at me, or found myself staring at the small water droplets travelling down her smooth skin, I felt a heat I wasn't used to making its way through my entire body.

After a while, Jessie suggested we take a break, and we both sat down on the paddleboard, letting our feet dangle in the water. The coolness of the lake felt refreshing against my skin, a perfect contrast to the warmth of the sun. For a moment, neither of us spoke, just soaking in the serenity of the scene.

"So, umm.. I'm sorry we got interrupted last night" I broke the silence.

Jessie looked down at the water, watching the way the sunlight danced on its surface.

"You still haven't answered my question" she smirked.

I giggled at her refusing to let last night's conversation go unfinished.

"I'm feeling.. nervous" I spoke truthfully about my final year of university. "It's just... everything feels so uncertain, and I'm not sure what's next."

Jessie was quiet for a moment, and I could feel her studying me. "You're going to be fine, Allie," she said finally. "You're stronger than you think."

There was something in her voice, a quiet confidence that made me believe her, even if just for a second.

We continued to talk, the conversation slowly growing more personal, more intimate. Jessie told me about her art, how sometimes it felt like the only thing that made sense in her life, and I found myself opening up in ways I hadn't expected.

It was easy to talk to her, like she understood things I couldn't even fully explain to myself.

I wanted to thank her for the words of reassurance, but just as I was about to speak, our thighs brushed against each other gently. The skin-on-skin contact sending a shiver up my spine. I could feel the warmth of Jessie's body so close to mine, and it made my heart race.

There was an electricity in the air, something I couldn't ignore, something I didn't want to ignore.

I could sense Jessie looking at me, her eyes tracing the contours of my face, and when I finally gathered the courage to meet her gaze, there was a longing there that mirrored my own.

For a moment, everything else faded away—the world, our surroundings. It felt like we were the only two people on the planet.

Jessie's eyes left mine, just for a second, as they slowly moved down to my lips. It didn't last long, but it gave me an indication that what was going through my own head was maybe going through hers too.

It felt strange, looking at a woman like this and feeling like everything made sense for the first time in a long time. A small gush of guilt travelled through me when I realised that I was in fact attracted to this beautiful woman sat in front of me. I didn't know what that meant or what it made me, all I knew was that I was feeling things I had never felt before.

The silence between us spoke volumes, both of us lost in each other's presence. Both of us engulfed by this new and exciting tension.

Everything felt still, until I made of the smallest of movements towards Jessie, leaning in so the gap between us lessened.

Jessie stayed still and I heard her breath catch, as if she was fighting against the parts of her that were telling her this was wrong. But then she slowly leaned in too, her eyes back on my lips.

The tension in the air was thick and palpable, and I wanted nothing more than to close the gap, to feel her lips against mine.

But then a shout from the shore startled me "come on guys, we're having a BBQ" Mark shouted, his voice barely reaching us because of the distance.

I jerked back, breaking the spell. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked away, suddenly aware of how dangerously close we had come to kissing.

Jessie lingered for a moment, before she sighed softly and turned her gaze back to the shore.

"We should probably head back," she said, her voice tinged with something I couldn't quite place—regret, maybe, or something else entirely.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, and together we paddled back in silence. But the air between us felt different now, charged with unspoken words and emotions we both knew we shouldn't feel, yet couldn't deny.