A Step Back (Jennifer. A + David. S)

Chapter 24: This Charming Man

{this charming man - the smiths}
JENNIFER'S POV
David and I sat alone together for a good half an hour, just silently reading. When Courteney and Lisa came back, they sat next to us on the fold out chairs.
"So what have you guys been up to?" Lisa asked, David and I closing our books.
I placed my magazine on the towel beside me, while David had his bound to his chest by his arms.
"Nothing much, just reading. What did you guys do?" I asked.
Lisa shrugged, and Courtney described the sand and the waves crashing. The sounds of the ocean echoed all around the beach, no matter how far you are from the water.
"Here, why don't you guys come into the water with us? We haven't actually gone in yet." Courteney offered.
I stood up, and turned towards David. His eyes told me how he felt. I could tell he didn't want to get wet, but I grabbed his hand and pulled, but he didn't move.
"We've had this conversation before; I'm a lot heavier than you, Jen." He chuckled, but gave in and stood up anyway.
David towered over all three of us, which he usually does not as much because we wear high heels; but when we are around him without shoes, he's a giant. The two girls led us all down to the water, where they stopped just before the tide line.
"Should we go in?" Lisa asked, directed towards me.
I nodded mischievously, and David noticed.
"Oh nooo, what's gonna happen?!" He asked, smirking.
I smiled and flipped my hair.
"Nothing!" I yell, as I run off into the water.
LISA'S POV
As Jen ran off, the rest of us followed excitedly. She leapt into the water, disappearing. We expected her to come up, but she didn't. Courtney and I locked gazes. Where'd she go?! She's probably just playing a joke on us. After a few more seconds, my awareness grows.
"Jennifer?!" I yelled, running closer to the water.
"JENNIFER?!" David shouted, running into the sea. He swam out, trying to find her.
DAVID'S POV
I searched through the thrashing waves, trying to find my girl. Where is she?! Salt finds its way into my mouth, as well as the sea water. I look around, but nothing can be seen. I shout her name once more, but I hear nothing in return.
Suddenly, someone jumps onto my back, knocking me over. Giggles fill my ears, as hands find my shoulders. I turn around, and almost have a heart attack when seeing Jennifer.
"You had me scared out of my mind!" I shouted angrily, "I thought I'd lost you!" I announce, grabbing her body and pulling her close.
We floated in the deep water, her body attached to mine. I have her cheek a little kiss, and tasted the salt.
"Gross, you're all salty!" I laughed, sticking out my tongue at her.
She pointed her tongue at me, and playfully slapped my cheek. She clung to my shoulders, shivering in my arms. We were quite far out, where it's much colder.
"Let's swim back, okay?" I ask, letting her go.
She nods, and we make our way back to the shore. We are greeted by the two girls, who practically suffocate Jen with hugs.
"I was so scared! I'd thought you died or something!" Lisa exclaimed, her voice much higher. We walked back to the towel and chairs, and I handed Jennifer a towel to dry off. After she patted herself down, she threw the towel over my head, laughing. My voice muffled by the cloth, I mutter a few curse words, obviously joking. I remove it and I yawn, surprised at how tired I was.
"Well, I think I'll take a nap. Do you guys mind?" I asked, sitting down on the towel.
The girls shrugged, so I laid down, crossing my hands over my stomach...
JENNIFER'S POV
I watched David fall asleep peacefully. His chest rose and fell as he breathed in, rhythmically. I decided to take a nap too, but Lisa stopped me. She grabbed my arm and looked deeply into my eyes, as if to warn me of something.
"You know, I've been meaning to tell you something, and now is a good time." She whispered, glancing down at David.
I furrowed my eyebrows together in confusion. She scooted her chair closer to me, and leaned in.
"It's important, and I don't really want to be the one to tell you, but I think I'll have to." She admitted, seriously.
What on earth?! What is she talking about?!
"Okay, here I go: David is sort of...in love with you. He told Court and I, a while back. I just think you should know." She looked down at her lap.
Haha now that's interesting. I already knew that, it's funny seeing how serious she was about it. I guess she was confiding in personal details of my best friend. But what if David hadn't told me, and this is how I found out? Wouldn't that be strange? I have no clue how to respond to what Lisa said.
"Umm, wow, that's odd. I didn't really expect that." I tried being dramatic and looking down at him, "I guess we'll have to talk later."
Lisa nodded, and Court hid her smile behind her book. I went back to reading my book, as did the other two. After half an hour or so, Lisa hopped up unexpectedly.
"I'm hungry, I'm going to get some food from the snack bar. Do you guys want anything?" She asked, but we shook our heads.
As she walked off, Court and I began hilariously laughing, doubling over, holding our stomachs.
"That-was-" we were laughing so hard we could barely speak, "so funny!" Court giggled.
I nodded my head.
"Yeah, she was all serious and stuff! It's gonna blow her mind when I tell her David and I are actually together!" I say, us both calming down. David rubs his eyes and sits up.
"What's so funny?" He asks, blinking a lot and yawning too
He was so cute all sleepy and loopy. I got out of my chair and sat down next to him on the towel.
"Lisa 'announced' that you were in love with me, as like a warning or something. She was all serious and dramatic, and I had to keep a straight face the whole time!" I exclaimed, looking up at him.
He chuckled, his voice resonating.
"Well you are an actress Jennifer, it can't be that hard to keep a straight face." He poked my stomach, teasing me.
I ruffled his damp hair, and rested the back of my head against his shoulder. He put his arm around me and gave the top of my head a little kiss.
We heard the sound of the sand, and turned to see Lisa standing above us.
"Hey David, I guess you woke up!" She smiled, sitting down in her chair.
She had a sandwich and a bottle of water in her hands. The sun was close to starting to set, and the wind picked up. It was much colder than earlier on when we got here. I shivered against David, so he brought me into his lap, wrapping his strong arms around me. I loved the feeling of his bare torso against me, keeping me warm. Lisa gave Court a look, but she shrugged it off casually.
"Do you want a shirt or anything? I also brought my hoodie." He offered, leaning to get his bag.
I nodded, and reached for his navy blue hoodie, which went midway down my thighs when I stand. It was cozy and warm, and smelled just like him. He pulled on a shirt, and passed Lisa and Court their bags. They both put on another layer.
"Should we get going soon?" Court asked, shivering and chattering her teeth as the sky got darker.
I nodded, and we all gathered our things and brought them to the car. I wanted to sit in David's lap, but realized that would be inappropriate in front of Lisa, and obviously would look odd to her. As we clambered into the car, Lisa and Courteney sat up in the front. I took David's warm hand, and held it tightly. They couldn't see, so we were safe. When Lisa approached my house, David got out as well. Lisa looked surprised, which makes sense.
"I just-umm" he stuttered, "I left some stuff here. Thanks for the ride." He softly spoke, waving as they drove off.
He carried our bags into my house. I unlocked the door, and led him inside. He set down the bags by the couch, and wandered into the kitchen.
"Do you want any food?" He asked, turning towards the fridge.
I shook my head, and took his hand in mine.
"I want to talk." I demand quietly.
He looks a little intrigued, and then scared.
"Anything in mind?' He asked, his voice cracking.
The house was still dark, we hadn't turned on any lights. Its peaceful this way, very relaxing.
"No, but I really enjoy having conversations with you, and I also want to get to know you better." I pull him into my bedroom.
Neither of us undress except for our shoes. We sit against the headboard, side by side. I turned on the little bedside lamp, which emitted a warm soft glow into the room.
"Today was nice, want it?" He asked, closing his eyes.
He was probably imagining the waves crashing down onto the sand.
"It was, it was great to get out and be with friends. But I wish we could have spent more time together." I admitted, reaching out for his wrist. He smiled at me, his grin so sweet. This charming man drives me insane sometimes.
"We have the entire summer to spend time together, darling." His voice was soft and low, like honey slowly dripping.
I brought myself closer to him and ran my hand up and down his forearm.
"How's your family Jennifer? You've never mentioned them to me." He stated plainly.
Pausing, I thought.
"Well my dad is an actor, and my mom didn't have a job really. They are...normal. Not that interesting, nothing special. I'm an only child which is great, because I never have to share my parents." I answered, him listening closely.
"Where'd you grow up, here?" He asked, as I nodded.
He laid his head onto my shoulder, and I kissed the very top gently.
"You're from New York City?" I affirmed.
He smiled and kissed my neck once. He kissed again, softer, very lightly. I pulled him away, and his eyes looked slightly hurt. I dismissed the glimmer and moved on.
"David, I have a question for you." I began, making him nervous, it's also not related to what we were talking about, "I was thinking about Matt, and what he did to you. But why didn't you fight back when Matt hit you?" I wondered, making his eyes clamp shut. His expression was hurt, as if I'd just punched him in the gut. When he opened his eyes again, he looked afraid.
"I promised myself never to hit anybody. Ever." He monotonously spoke.
I knew there was more.
"David what's the real reason, I promise you I won't judge you or tell anybody." I ask in a soothing voice.
He winces.
"I don't want to follow in my father's footsteps." He breathed out heavily.
It clicked.
"So you-your dad used to-" I swallowed, as we met eyes. He nodded bravely, making me gasp.
He began to tear up slightly while resting on my shoulder. That's where it all started then.
"He's the reason I'm so messed up today. He gave me all of my insecurities, and he'd beat me for who I was, and for who he wasn't." His voice wavered, as he held me closer. I brought him into my arms, consoling him by running my arm up and down his back. I kissed his wet cheeks, and squeezed him as tight as I could without hurting him.
This is the reason he's the way he is. Gentle mannered, quiet, but very insecure about himself. I feel terrible for him, because he's really just this charming man whose fear comes from his past. I tilted his chin up, bringing him almost at eye level, but he was a little lower than me. We stared into each other's eyes for a long time, soaking in as much of each other as we could. Then I slowly leaned in close, our lips just a mere centimeter apart. I connect our lips, his warm and soft. Slowly and softly, we kissed each other with care. His lips were salty from the seawater. He was relaxed in my arms, his eyes closed and his lips slightly apart. I gazed down at his lips, as he glanced up at me longingly. I ran my fingers through his hair tenderly, which had sand falling out onto his back.
"We need to wash up. We're all sandy!" I whispered to him, he responded by kissing my cheek.
He looked down at my body, without speaking a word. He hadn't since we'd talked, he'd remained quiet. I could tell what he was thinking or feeling, based on his eyes. Suddenly, he sat up, more energetically. We had been cuddling lazily together for half an hour, just enjoying the other's company. I looked up at him confused, as he walked off into my bathroom and turned on the bath water tap. He came back in, and sat down next to me.
"A bath?" I asked, wrapping my arm across his shoulders.
He nodded. He brought me into his lap, and began kissing my face innocently. He ran kisses from my cheek down to my collar bone, and then went back up. I couldn't tell if he was being adorable or trying to tease me. I ran my hand up and down his chest as he kissed me, encouraging him. After a few minutes, he picked me up bridal style, and hauled me into the bathroom. He turned off the lights, making the entire house now dark. The sun had set two hours ago, and the sky was black. He lit a dozen or so candles and laid them around the bathtub and the counter. It was so romantic and lovely. We helped each other undress, and he got in first. He sat down, his bare back against the edge of the tub. He held his hand up and helped me get in, and I sat myself between his legs, with my back against his stomach and chest. He poured steaming water over my shoulders slowly, making me shudder, and rinsed my hair in the water. He began massaging my scalp with his soft hands, gently pulling my wet hair. I could feel his warm breath trickle down my spine as he did this. He kissed the back of my vulnerable neck, and then moved his hands to massage my shoulders. All of my tension and knots slipped away, as the steam rose up, and his hands kneaded me softly. Slipping down my back, his fingers traced my spine all the way to the bottom. His hands reached their way to my sides, skimming my skin, going up my body. I shivered at his soft touch, as his hands grazed over my stomach. I rested the back of my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes. Its tender moments like these that make being with David better than being with any other guy.
After a few minutes of relaxing against him, I turned around to sit in his lap, wrapping my legs around his waist. The water went up to his belly button, and was all bubbly from the soap. I cupped my hands and filled them with water, and proceeded to rinse him with the soapy water. I took the bottle of body wash, poured some into my hands, and then warmed it up by rubbing them together. I washed his broad shoulders, and then moved down to his chest. I cleaned the little chest hair he had, and rinsed him off. I explored him, running my hands down his stomach softly, as well as his sides. He leaned over the edge of the tub, grabbing the shampoo. He squirted some into his hands, and ran his fingers gently through my hair. I took some from the bottle as well, and massaged his skull. He paused to take in the pleasure, closing his eyes. His lips parted slightly, letting out a deep breath from his lungs. He has very sensitive hair, and his head is as well. I began to giggle, because I was giving him strange hairstyles. I made all of his hair stick up in wild directions, looking like some punk rock musician. His eyes flickered open, and he looked confused.
"What?!" He asked, as I continued to laugh.
He felt left out, although there was nobody else there.
"I made your hair stick out!" He immediately flattened it, but it looked just as silly that way.
I keeled back, laughing so hard I had to hold his shoulder. He grumpily dipped his head into the water between us, and attempted to get it out. When he came up, he shook his head, spraying me. He then pushed me back, so I fell into the water behind me. My legs were on his shoulders, while my upper body was under water. He was now on his knees, laughing as hard as I was before. At least my hair was getting rinsed out! I sat up, pretending to be mad. I crossed my arms over my chest tightly, hiding my breasts from him. He pouted at me and did his puppy dog eyes, making me come closer and give him a little kiss. Once we were finished with our lovely bath, David stood up and wrapped a towel around his waist. He held the bigger and fluffier one out for me, which I stepped into. He wrapped it around me, and brought me to his chest. I gave him a little kiss on the center, before resting my head against his beating heart. He dried every inch of my body, and I used his towel to do the same to him. He left his hair wet, knowing it would dry quite quickly. I stayed in the bathroom to dry my hair. He snatched up our discarded clothes from the ground and brought them into the room, setting them down into my dirty clothes basket. I watched him from the corner of my eye remove the towel and find his boxers, before slipping them on. He closed the curtains and untucked the covers, laying himself down under the blankets. I soon joined him, finding my way to his warm body, then into his arms. We drifted off together, bound tightly...

A/N: Hey guys! I realized that I have no chapters left, oops! So I might take a couple week hiatus to write more chapters. By the time I post this, it'll either be over or starting. My parents have been restricting my time on the computer everyday, so I have even less time to write. Anyway, I think I'm going to stick with song chapter titles. Also, this story just hit 6k reads!! Holy crap! Thank you all, I really love reading your supportive comments!
Chapter theme song: This Charming Man by The Smiths.
I just read that the average book length is 64,000 words, and so far mine is 61,988!