The Life of Veronica Moore (A Billionaire's Secret)

Chapter 12

Chad and I have been laying on the blanket laughing and talking about life now and when we were younger.

"You want to go swimming?"

He had told me to wear my bikini under my dress before we had left so I couldn't use that as an excuse to get out of it. I am too embarrassed to admit that I don't really want to take off my blue Chloe summer dress. It is our first date and I'd be standing half-naked cursing my choice of Bikini.

Wait, did I just think the word date.

Was this a date?

My thoughts were interrupted by Chad standing in front of me holding out his shirt to me.

"You can wear this over your bikini if you'd like," as if he knew what I was thinking.

Taking the shirt, I turn my back away from him and proceed to take off my dress. I pull his shirt over my simple black bikini. I turned around and see Chad already running down the little hill and jumping into the water below. I, with much less confidence in the idea, begin to walk towards the part of the river he had just jumped in. He is now sitting on a round black tub that was tied to the other side of the river to a nearby tree trunk. Despite the water moving beneath him, he managed to sit on the tub going up and down the river with ease.

"You coming Ronnie?" he shouts out.

"Just a minute."

I walk down to the water and stare at it questioning how cold it may be or how slimy the bottom is.

Standing here a full minute, I sense Chad understanding my hesitation to get into the water. Hoping off the black tube he swims toward me.

"Come on Ronnie, I'll help you."

He grabs me by the waist and slowly brings me into the water. He gives me a reasurring smile as his hands remain on my waist.

"You're hands Chad," I say pointing down to his hands around my waist under the water.

"Sorry, I just can't keep away from you Tate."

Our eyes meet as he does not move his hands. I do not object as he moves closer to me. His face is inches away from mine. I see a bead of water fall from his brown locks down his face. My eyes follow it until they stop at his lips.

"Follow me," Chad says as he lets go of my waist, leaving me wishing he haven't.

He starts swimming towards the black tub and I follow. He hops on first and then proceeds to help me onto the tub too. We are sitting facing each other with me slightly having to sit on his lap to keep myself from falling off the tub.

"Are you always this gentlemanly?" I tease.

"Only for you Ronnie," he seriously replies leaving me speechless.

We sit in silence soaking up the sun and the sound of nature around us.

"Can I ask you something Chad?"

He nods indicating for me to ask the question.

"Why me?"

He brushes off my comment and instead starts to shake the tub from side to side causing me to laugh hysterically. He pushes one side then the other, and before we know it he pushes too hard one side. We both fly off into the water.

Coming up for breath laughing I smile over at Chad as he is doing the same. His face turns serious as he stares intently at me.

In this moment the world has stopped.

I sense that Chad is deeply thinking of something but he doesn't say a word. I frown, but before I could ask what's wrong, he regains his smirk and starts to splash me with water.

Smiling I do the same.