What Took So Long--completed

First Stop

   They had finally made it down to the Tortuga Festival, and while K.C thought everyone on the bus was completely awesome, she was gonna kill them all if she didn't get out of this bus soon. The redhead was definitely not used to being cooped up. Granted the ride from Gainesville to Ft. Lauderdale was only 7 hours, it was 7 hours she damn sure wasn't used to.

   The bus came to a stop, the doors opening and she was the first one off, letting out a huge breath she didn't even know she was holding when she felt Brantley's arms wrap around her waist from behind, picking her up and twirling her around. "Don't worry, the longer rides we stop and do fun shit for awhile so we don't kill each other." She grinned, "Stop reading my mind." She giggled when he squeezed her and kissed her cheek. "We got the rest of the day, you wanna go do somethin?" "I'm all yours babe." It was his turn to grin at what she said, capturing her lips in a sweet kiss. Luckily, they weren't too far from the beach where the concert was going to be. Seeing him looking at the water, she shifted uncomfortably. "What's wrong?" "Just not too comfortable in a swim suit anymore." He looked at her surprised, "Baby, you have a rockin ass body, whoever doesn't like your scars or tattoos, fuck them." The redhead couldn't help but smile, "I guess we do get to go shopping then." The singer stopped walking, his smile fading, "Shit, I walked right into that." K.C laughed, grabbing his hand again and leading him towards the boardwalk mall. "Please B, you act like I'm a girly girl. I need necessities, that's it." He rolled his eyes, letting go of her hand and laying his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close and kissing her head while she wrapped her arm around his back. "I'm tellin ya right now darlin, whatever you want. Consider yourself absolutely spoiled." She leaned her head on his shoulder while they walked, no one could wipe the smile off her face.

    They finished shopping, having to make a trip back to the bus to drop her bags off and change. The redhead had managed to find a pink trimmed mossy oak bikini, and though she could afford it herself easily, just not liking that it was $45 a piece, Brantley made her let him buy it, along with lunch, and 4 other outfits, along with a pair of flip flops. Walking back out of his room, her bathing suit covered by her dark blue jean cutoffs and a white tank top, her hair in a messy bun, covered by his old hat with her sunglasses on, Brantley smiled, getting up and wrapping his arms around her before pulling her into a kiss. "This is so awesome." He rested his forehead on hers, smirking at her confused look. "I get to kiss my best friend, who's also insanely hot, and she looks damn good in my old hat." She placed a protective hand on the bill of the hat, her smirk matching his. "This hats been to hell and back with me. I'm like Jack Sparrow when it comes to this thing." He laughed, "Why did you keep it?" She shrugged, "It was a fun night, we were ridin around, headin home after the game drunk as hell, singin to the radio. You put it on me and said somethin about how adorable I looked in it. I've just kept it with me ever since. Kinda like a picture in my pocket, but it's a hat." She chuckled. The singer smiled, "You should've been mine a long time ago." She moved passed him, letting him follow her off the bus as he grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers with hers. "That would be your fault sir." He rolled his eyes and chuckled, kissing her hand while they headed towards the beach.

   They'd gotten lucky and the place wasn't too crowded as Brantley laid out two big beach towels for them, sitting her new beach bag she'd probably never use again that he insisted she get near them while she looked around before slipping off her tank top. Her perfectly tanned skin shown in the sunlight, she looked just a little darker with the color of the camo and the bright pink. Hearing snapping joined with a small giggle, Brantley shook his head before looking her in the eyes, "Like I said, whoever don't like that view, is fuckin stupid." Pulling her down next to him, his hand resting on her waist, he kept his eyes locked on hers, which was clearly showing she wasn't cool with being so exposed, regardless of what he thought. The pad of his thumb ran over one of the rose tattoos as he looked back up at her, moving her sunglasses off her face. "You have scars baby, so what? You got them defending not only your own life, but everyone you look at everyday. The more comfortable you are with them, the less everyone will notice. You're breathtakingly beautiful and an amazing woman. Anyone who sees those before that, is an idiot. I don't know if you talked yourself into it, or someone else made you feel this way, but scars ain't nothin but tattoos with cooler stories baby, and your stories are bad ass, just like you." Smiling, she kissed him, feeling a bit better knowing the one person she wanted to think she was beautiful, very obviously just expressed that. "You had me lost for a second, then you brought me back. You still suck at speeches though." He mean mugged her, making her laugh as they both leaned back, falling into a comfortable silence as they baked in the Florida sun.