“I was young and in love with a fairytale—”
“You’ll get your fairytale.”
“I’m still young, Bryce, I have some growing to do.”
“And you’ll do it with me.”
“How can you be so certain? You have a lot ahead of you. Officer Candidate School, training, who knows what else… You don’t need to make empty promises.”
“Devon Marie Harris, my promises to you will never be empty. How about you? Are you ready to give up the ever growing loser list?”
“Yes, but swear to God, you better not screw around on me. If you ever think we’re not working, tell me.”
“Is that what you’re scared of? Me screwing around?”
“Well, yeah.”
“You have absolutely no reason in the world to ever worry. Thought I told you that leaving Aspen. I may be an asshole, but I’m not a cheater. And for the first time in my life, everything I need is right here. Seriously, I’m crazy about you.”
“Ummhmm, sweet talker. We’ll see.” I cuddle my head into his shoulder and close my eyes ready to fall back asleep.
The shrill sound of Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off” fills the room and I jump, almost falling off the bed. Bryce catches me with a smirk on his face. Thoughts of strangling Quinn come to mind for putting that as her ring tone.
“What?” I shout.
“No need to shout. Are you and loverboy up?”
“Yes, I was actually about to fall back asleep. What’s up?” I yawn.
“No sleep. We’re going to the beach. Meet me in the room in twenty minutes.”
“Quinn…I’m so tired,” I whine.
“Bitch, suck it up. Bring your mancandy along. Dean is meeting us down there.”
“Okay, we’ll see you there. But promise me you’ll never refer to Bryce as mancandy again. It freaks me out.”
“Wear the blue bikini and I’ll think about not embarrassing you.” She hangs up
Bryce walks up and opens the drapes, exposing the view of the ocean and shoreline.
“We going to the beach?” he questions.
“Yeah, looks like it.”
“Any chance you packed a one piece or full body suit?”
“No, it’s a nude beach.” I watch his face turn from tan to red to almost purple before I hunch over laughing. “Just kidding! “
“You’ll pay for that.”
“I look forward to it.”
~~~~~
The beach is already crowded when we walk down, but we’re able to get the last cabana. Bryce’s eyes grow wide when I remove my cover up, but he doesn’t say anything, just shakes his head. Dean and he decide to join in a game of beach volleyball, but before he leaves, he lifts me up and gives me a long, deep, kiss. I lose myself in him and forget we are on a public beach.
“That should do until I get back.” He pecks my forehead and leaves me in a daze.