Close to you

Chapter 3

During the drive to the beach, I can hear Rose mumbling but I can't seem to focus on the words she is saying. The only thing I can focus on is Cody. I'm sure he has made his way into a lot of beds with those piercing blue eyes and that irresistible smile. I can’t seem to stop imagining what it would feel like to have his thick arms wrapped around my waist pulling me against his tight chest. Or what his plump lips would feel like as they kissed me. Even the way his voice would sound whispering in my ear. 

"Earth to Callie..." Rose says as she waves her hand in my face trying to get my attention.

"Hey! I thought I lost you for a second. We are here. Ready to find a place to lay out before getting in?"

"I must have been daydreaming," I laugh. "That sounds great, let's go."

We found a perfect spot with a few loungers and an umbrella for shade. The water looks beautiful as the small waves meet the shore. Rose decides she wants to work on her tan and enjoy a drink before getting in the water. The immensity of the ocean has always been too much for her, she rarely ventures out past her knees. I am desperate for a dip in the water to cool myself down.

After I’ve finally cooled off, I walk to the bank and sit at the edge letting the waves cover me. I remember all the great memories I spent here before I left to live with my sister. Looking back, I wish I had never left but I know at the time it was what I needed. 

I was always told I lived in a bubble until the summer before sophomore year when I started dating one of the football players. He was my first love. He was my first of many things. One night, just a couple weeks into us dating I snuck out to go to a bonfire with him and his friends. Everyone was drinking and enjoying their wild night when Luke and I snuck off to his truck. I didn’t realize how sweet he was until I saw the truck bed filled with blankets and lights. We laid there for hours just being playful and falling in love under the stars. Luke grabbed my purse from the front of the truck and sat it between us. He reached inside of my purse and pulled out two small clear rubber bands. I always kept some in my purse because I liked to braid my hair. He looked at me and kissed me before he placed one on my ring finger and one on his. At the moment, that small gesture answered all the questions I was too afraid to ask. I knew I loved him and the way he looked in my eyes told me he felt the same. That night was the night I lost my virginity, it was the night that everything in my life changed. We spent every moment of the summer together after that and every time I saw him he was still wearing the rubber band. I snuck out of the house, started lying about where I was going. Anything to spend just a couple hours or even minutes with him. Until football practice started a few weeks before school was back in session. I remember trying to call him, even stopping by practice or his house. I mean we were dating right? Wasn’t that what we were doing? Then I realized when school started he never felt the way I did about him. He passed me in the hall without a word, he barely even acknowledged me at all. I was just the girl that he used to keep him entertained during summer break. When the realization finally hit, it was too late. Too late to fix the damage I caused.

When I make my way back to the chair, Rose decides to go grab us a couple of drinks from the restaurant behind where we are sitting on the beach. I slip on my sunglasses and lean over to grab my headphones and suntan lotion. 

“Do you need any help with that?” I hear from behind me. 

When I turn around I see Cody’s piercing blue eyes looking down at me. 

“Oh yeah, sure. If you don’t mind.” I say, handing over the lotion to him.

He motions for me to forward so he can sit down behind me. I feel his cool hands pressed against my skin as he rubs the lotion over my back. My skin tingles as he skillfully moves his hands over my shoulders and up my arms, moving closer to my neck. We are only inches away from each other. I can feel the heat off his body and the coolness of his breath along my neck causing goosebumps to rise in his wake. I press my thighs together, trying to conceal the heat rising between them from his hands touching my body. 

“Hey Cody, can you do me next?” Rose says as she hands me a drink.

“Yeah. I’m finished anyways.” He says, climbing off the lounge chair.

“Thank you.” I tell him as I watch him squeeze more lotion onto his hands. 

“No problem. Wouldn’t want anyone to get burnt.” He says as a smile forms on his face.

“Hey, get your hands off my woman.” Jordan teases, as he walks up to the loungers. 

“Hey, your woman asked for my hands on her body.” Cody holds his hands in the air. 

“Rose. It hurts.” Jordan says, placing his hand over his heart. “How could you? With my best friend?” 

“Oh Jordan. You are crazy! He was already putting lotion on Callie’s back when I came back with drinks.” Rose laughs and points at me.

“I offered to do Callie. She didn’t ask.” Cody interjects, not realizing the words that came out of his mouth.

“You offered to do Callie huh?” Jordan questions, looking at Rose then back to Cody.

The tension is so thick. Jordan and Rose seem to be having a whole conversation by just looking at each other. Cody seems flustered and slightly embarrassed by his choice of words. So I do the only thing I can think of to ease the tension.

“I said yes, of course.” Jordan and Rose look at me with wide eyes. “I just needed some foreplay first.” I joke, shaking the suntan lotion bottle in my hand then winking at Cody. 

Jordan starts laughing and pats Cody’s back as if to cheer him on. Rose smiles but has a worried look spread across her face. Cody though, his eyes are heated as they stay focused on me. 

“Hey, let’s go finish this football game and then we can grab something to eat.” Jordan tells Cody.

“Or.” I hear Rose start to say. “You guys could come back to Callie’s hotel. We can get drinks and food at the restaurant then watch a movie. Wouldn’t that be fun Callie?” 

“Of course, you guys should come over if you aren’t busy.”  I inform the group.

“Yeah, I’ll be there.” Cody is quick to respond. 

“Well, you guys aren’t going to leave me out of a good time so I’m there too.” Jordan laughs. 

“Ok, we will head back to the hotel and you guys can head there when your game is over.” Rose informs everyone. 

Jordan and Cody walk off to join the group of guys playing football. 

“Jordan looks so hot!” Rose spills out. 

“He seems very attached to you. I see the way he watches you. You two would be great together.” I explain to Rose as we walk to the car.

“I’m not sure the timing is right. But I do enjoy being around him. I’m just not sure if I’m ready to settle down and commit to someone. We have fun together being flirty and nonexclusive. I don’t want things to change.” Rose admits.

“Well, he isn’t going to put up with that forever.” I remind her. “But, I agree with you. You are young, enjoy life. No reason to settle down unless you are sure you’ve found the one.” 

Rose nods her head in agreement. “Yeah.” She says, quietly.

“Just no s*x in my hotel room.” I tease her.

We both laugh hysterically as we gather our belongings and head back to the car.