The Summer We Lied

Chapter Ten

"Okay, let's try this again," Matt says.

His hands are black and grimy, his face is flushed and his skin glistens with sweat.

He turns the key and the lawnmower starts up easily. Matt looks up at me and grins. He's in a much better mood now after the talk about his parents.

"It started!" He comes over to me and lifts me up and I squeal.

"Oh my God! Matt, you better leave me down right now. You're sweaty!" I press my hands against his shoulders to put me down, but he won't budge.

"You're going to cut the grass with me," he says simply, and puts me down onto the seat of the lawnmower before getting in front of me.

"You're so disturbing," I hiss. "I don't want to go on this thing."

"Don't be a bore. It'll be fun," he whispers promising against my earlobe.

Matt drives the lawnmower across the bumpy field, with the sun blazing above in the cloudless, baby blue sky.

When he drives over a few really bumpy hills, I immediately reach around to hold him. I stay like this for the rest of the ride and enjoy the feeling of his firm body against the fabric of his black tee-shirt.

And I'm pretty sure, I fall asleep, against his back with the sound of his heartbeat rhythmically thumping so loud that I can hear it clearly.

It's a while later when the sounds of splashes wake me up from my dreamless slumber.

I shield my eye's from the light and sit up. I'm on the grass with a pair of jeans folded as a makeshift pillow for me.

I lift my head to see Matt emerging from beneath the surface of the sparkling cerulean water.

I can't help but stare as he comes out of the water. He's completely naked, except for the black strip of jockeys that hang dangerously low on his waist.

This is the quarterback of South Valley High. He's like the hero of a historical romance novel, with his broad shoulders, washboard abs and narrow waist as he saunters over towards me.

I wish I could take a picture and send it to Kylie. She'd truly appreciate this moment with me.

Matt is watching me, I suddenly realise and look away. My cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"See something you like, Kelsey?" Matt calls me out.

"Nice abs. Now, please the subject," I say, covering my face with both my hands.

I feel his cool hands pulling my hands away from my face. "You're so shy. Are you always like this around guys?"

"Are you kidding? I'm never around a guy long enough for me to start blushing," I admit.

Matt smiles a wicked smile. "So, you're an innocent then?"

I blush again. "What do you mean by innocent?"

His voice is husky as he says, "I'm asking if you're a virgin."

A deep, tingling feeling enters my belly and it makes me feel a little feverish.

I smack him on his arm and groan. "Oh my God. You're not supposed to ask a girl that."

"But if you ask a guy that, it will be fine?" he counters.

I look at him and smile. "Yeah. You're a guy. You don't really care."

Matt rolls his eyes. "That's sexist."

I hold my hands up towards him and he pulls me up with ease.

"So are you going to come in?" Matt asks, motioning towards the water.

"Or do you want to go back home, Grandma," he teases.

"I will come in," I tell Matt defiantly.

Who does he think he's calling Grandma?

He stands back and folds his arms across his chest. "Go on."

I take a deep breath and begin to undress. I unbutton the straps of the denim dungarees, before letting it fall to the ground.

"Keep your eyes here, " I warn Matt and point at my face.

He laughs. "I wouldn't dream of looking anywhere else."

I narrow my eyes at him and then pull off my rainbow-striped top.

When I look back up at Matt, his eyes are grazing my body before he looks back up immediately. The mischievous smile on his face is there.

I feel completely uncomfortable, anyone else in just their underwear would, except for Matt.

I run down the little hill and kick off my sneakers, before getting into the cool water. Matt joins me, just as the sun settles low in the sky.

The water soothes my skin from the days blistering heat as I move my arms around the water. We swim until we're far out into the water. I can barely feel anything beneath me, other than the few strings of grass, swaying against my toes.

Matt goes under and before I can take my next breath, two hands wrap around my ankles and grab me from underneath.

I'm squirming and taking in the some of the water through my nose until I'm set free. I swim up to the surface, choking and coughing.

Matt emerges seconds later. I kick him underneath the water, but he grabs me by the waist and pulls me against him.

"You're such a jerk, Matt! Let me go!" I snap at him and push away, but Matt holds on tightly and smiles like an i***t.

"Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" His face softens and I splash water into his face.

"Do that again and we will be at war," he warns.

I splash water in his face again. "Now we're even," I say.

And then it happens again, except this time, there's no warning. Matt is already pressing his warm wet lips to mines.

And I'm enjoying it too until I  recollect the mysterious text on his phone. I pull away abruptly and Matt looks at me confused.

"What's wrong?" he asks and we pull apart.

"Nothing. It's just that you and Daniel are close and I really don't want to start something that I'll end up regretting," I say will full honesty.

"So what? You don't ask Daniel what he's doing and who he's kissing. That's bullshit."

"You're his best friend. That's the difference," I say.

Matt pushes an errant strand of his dark hair out of his face. "Do you want me to talk to him? Because I'm telling you to f**k these rules that he has you minded by."

"That doesn't make a difference and are you crazy? What will you even tell him?" I ask.

Matt thinks about this for a few seconds, before saying, "I'll tell him that I like spending time with you and that he needs to end the bullshit with those rules. You're not a five-year-old girl."

I shake my head. "That's not the only reason, I don't want to do anything with you."

Matt frowns. "Wait, what are you talking about? What other reason is there?"

I avoid his eyes as I say," I saw that text. I didn't mean to look, but I did. I saw it on your phone."

His entire expression falls and I push away from him.