(More Than) Just Friends.

Chapter Twenty One

21

::Tyler's POV::

"How long until we get there now??" Kylie asked for the fifteenth time.
I looked at her with a straight face. "You'd just asked me that 3 minutes ago."
"I know but we've been driving for HOURS Tyler. THREE HOURS," she whined. "Where are you taking me? Technically this is kidnapping. I'm being abducted!"
I rolled my eyes at her impatience. We could have been there ten minutes ago, but since she was acting so childish, I took the initiative to go the long way... Just to mess with her.
In a few short minutes--for me at least-- we were pulling into an empty parking space. The road was surrounded by tall buildings on both sides.
"We're here?" She asked kind of confused and unsure.
I chuckled and unfastened my seatbelt. "Yup."
She looked around suspiciously before getting out of the car and I followed.
"Ew... What's that smell. It smells..." She stated and stopped as she thought of what to say next.
"Salty?" I asked her and smiled.
She looked at me and squinted, almost as if she was trying to figure out what I was hinting at. I held out my hand and she took it by instinct now. How long I'd worked to accomplish that... She used to always shy away from me, well before that trip to Florida at least. Ever since then, she'd been so willing with me, which made me wonder. What really happened during our short stay?
I nodded my head towards one of the many buildings.
'What? Are we going to a job interview?' I imagined her thinking.
She looked at me confused as I walked towards the building, and then cut behind it.
When I did, that's when she saw it.
The endless row of yachts that sat on the deep blue water.
I heard her gasp at the beautiful view. For it to be a few weeks into summer, no one was out here, but I guess that made the occasion that much more special. It was just the two of us.
"You drove us to the coast?!" She screamed with a smile.
I shrugged. "Is.. this the coast?"
I walked towards a particular forty meter yacht that had become so familiar from my childhood. Before stepping on, I untied the ropes holding it to the side of the boardwalk.
After stepping onto the deck, I looked at Kylie expectantly.
"No way," she mumbled unbelievably.
"You coming beautiful?" I asked and snapped her out of her daze.
She squealed before stepping onto the deck herself.
I walked over to the cockpit and started up the flawless engine. Even after all these years, it was still in tip top shape. I guess I could 'thank' my dad for that?
As I drove off, I smiled, imagining the face he would make if he saw me driving his prized possession. That alone could make my day.
After about 15 minutes into the ocean, I turned off the boat. I looked back at Kylie who seemed to be loving the view right about now.
I walked over to her slowly and wrapped my arms around her waist. My head rested on her shoulder and her warm, tan skin was seemingly glistening.
"I've never seen something so.. Perfect before," she spoke as she admired the scenery. "And I wouldn't even be here now if it wasn't for you." She turned to face me and encircled my neck with her arms.
"I'm glad I'm here with you," she said to me softly. Though it was already steamy outside, I noticed her cheeks turn a soft pink. It was extremely difficult for her to tell me how she felt and I'm glad she'd made a step, even if it was only a baby step.
"I hope to live on the water some day," she said.
"Oh?" I asked.
"Yeah.. A big house on Chesapeake Bay, with a room for me to paint right in the front of the house, facing the waters," she continued and I just listened as she talked about her wants for the future.
I made a mental note of the house on Chesapeake Bay... I would get her that, without a doubt.
Though I was loving to get a glance into her innermost thoughts, Kylie eventually stopped. She walked past me and stared at the water longingly. "I wish I could go swimming right now."
"And why can't you?" I asked.
"Because I didn't bring a bathing suit," she said and looked at me like I was crazy.
"Neither did I," I said before taking off my plain white t-shirt and throwing it carelessly onto the deck. Next were my shoes and pants and before I knew it, I was completely naked and jumping into the cool, tranquilizing waters.
"What are you doing?!" Kylie yelled off of the boat.
"Well, Swimming. Aren't you coming?" I yelled back and she smiled.
My eyes nearly burst out of their sockets as she ripped off everything she was wearing, exposing her perfect shape. Then, without a second of hesitation, she jumped into the salty Atlantic.
"Wooooo!" She yelled and I laughed at her.
Her head snapped towards me. "And what are you laughing at mister?" She swam next to me, trying her best to come off intimidating.
I just went along with it. Surely she knew she couldn't overpower me. I was almost a complete foot taller than her, standing at 6'3 while she stood at about 5'5. But then again, anything to make her happy.
My smile fell. "Nothing at all."
"Mhmm," she said and wrapped her arms around my neck.
It felt as if time sat still for a moment. My eyes couldn't tear away from her unblemished face. Her innocent brown eyes, her long dark hair that clung to her back because it was drenched in water, her rosy pink lips that I could kiss forever.. It all made her so perfect. It all made her so lovable.
I loved her so much, so much that it hurt. I know we hadn't been together for long and officially, we still weren't together, but I didn't care because we'd been under the same roof for months. I didn't care that she was with my brother before me. I didn't care if she still loved him because I knew she loved me too. We'd taken it too far and been sneaking around for too long for her not to love me. She loved me and the thrill she felt being with me. Somewhere deep down, I knew she loved me. And though I knew she wouldn't be the first one to say it, I secretly hoped she would.
"Are we even supposed to be out here? Because I know for a fact you're supposed to have a license for this, a license that you do not possess," Kylie told me.
"Okay what would be the fun of it all if we always followed the rules?" I asked and she thought for a moment.
"I guess you're right," she replied back with a smile. Her smile was all I needed.
"Aren't I always?" I asked with a cocky smirk.
She gave me a straight face. "No."
"Oh really?" I asked before bombarding her with a hundred splashes of the salty water.
She laughed and laughed and until she let out a ear-deafening scream.
I stopped immediately and swam closer to her to see what the problem was.
"Oh my god. Kylie are you okay? What's wrong?" I asked her. If anything happened to her, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I was quickly starting to panic.
"This," she said evilly before shoving my head under the water and laughing.
After I made it back to the surface, I held her in my arms.
"You scared me," I admitted truthfully and she just smiled.
I saw the look in her eyes, a look that I hadn't seen between her and Levi since I'd first gotten home. Adoration.
She placed her forehead on mine as our lips were only centimeters apart. The mere contact drove me wild--especially since her naked body was pressed so deeply into mine--but I didn't want to ruin the moment with lust.
"I," she whispered and stopped.
Had she lost her train of thought? What was she going to say?
"I," she said again and cleared her throat. It seemed as if she was choking on the word. I just waited patiently.
Wait, was she going to say IT? The three special words that would ensure I was hers forever? I prayed in these seconds of silence that she would. I prayed to the heavens that if Kylie Santiago actually said it, that I would never mistreat a girl again, her being that girl of course. I would never mistreat, hurt or abandon her. I would spoil her and love her and do anything I had to in order to make her happy. Start a family with her..
Still, there was silence as she sat in a gaze. Her eyes glared aimlessly at my chest while she seemed to be miles deep in thought.
"You what?" I asked in more of a plead. Please Kylie. Please please please. It was so simple. Just say it and I would be yours.. I would give you the world, I promise... Just say it.
And in a split second, she'd snapped out of it. "Bet I'll beat you back to the yacht!" She said before swimming off in Olympian speed.
I sighed before swimming back to the boat myself.