Reclaiming the Sand(82)

“Let’s go get Murphy, we can walk him at the same time,” I said, sounding like a little kid.

We took the stairs instead of the elevator and hurried to our room to get the dog. I grabbed my coat and reminded Flynn to get a sweater knowing it would be cold and then we were heading back downstairs.

I could barely contain my excitement as we crossed the street to the stairs that led down onto the beach. I sat down on the bench and quickly removed my shoes and socks.

“Are you going to take your shoes off?” I asked Flynn.

He hesitated and I reached out to take his hand. “It’ll be okay,” I coaxed and he bent down and untied his shoes and slipped them off his feet. His toes curled and he made a face as his bare feet made contact with the sand covered pavement.

But he didn’t say anything, and I figured so far so good.

“Are you ready?” I asked, holding my hand out for him. Murphy had already taken off down the steps and was running circles in the sand. Flynn watched his dog for a few minutes before putting his hand in mine.

We walked down the steps and the second my feet hit the sand I giggled. Ellie McCallum actually freaking giggled!

I set my shoes down by the steps and walked forward a few feet, digging my toes in the still warm sand.

“Oh my god! This is unbelievable!” I gasped, bending down and burrowing my hands in the sand by my toes.

I realized quickly that Flynn was being extremely quiet behind me. I turned around and found him only a foot from the bottom stair. His feet were in the sand but he was definitely agitated.

“Flynn?”

“Just, leave me alone. Please,” he said, shaking his head furiously. I opened my mouth to say something else but decided to give him his space. I didn’t move any closer but I didn’t move away either. I sank down and sat down on the beach, watching Murphy burrow his nose in the sand and kick it up behind him as he raced to the shoreline.

I don’t know how long I sat there, waiting for Flynn to compose himself. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. The light was slowly bleeding from the sky and the air was getting chillier, making me glad I remembered to bring my jacket.

I felt Flynn beside me before I saw him. I looked up to find him gazing down at me, frowning.

“You want to walk down to the water?” I asked, praying that he’d say yes. I wanted to experience this with him so badly. I didn’t want to pressure him but god; I wanted to have this one perfect moment with him.

Flynn wiggled his toes. “I hate it. It’s getting stuck between my toes. It’s rough and itchy and I want to wash it off,” Flynn said, stringing his words together in a rush of panic.

“Well, let’s go down to the ocean and wash them off,” I suggested. Maybe I was being selfish for pushing this, but I couldn’t help it. I needed him to do this with me.

“Okay,” he said, giving me exactly what I wanted.

I jumped to my feet and thought about taking his hand but figured that wouldn’t go over too well right now. We walked in slow, measured steps to the lapping water. The closer we got, the louder it became. Flynn covered his ears with his hands.

“It’s too loud,” he yelled, though he didn’t need to. I could hear him just fine.

We kept walking until we reached where the water met the sand. Flynn hadn’t dropped his hands and Murphy was running circles around us in his excitement. I wanted to get closer but I knew this was as far as Flynn would be willing to go.

A wave broke on the shore and water surged toward us, washing our feet. Flynn made a face but didn’t retreat.

“It’s cold,” he said.

I nodded. He was right. The ocean was really cold. But it was awesome.

“I’m going to walk closer. You can stay here. You’ll still be able to see me,” I promised.

Flynn clung to my hand. “Don’t go far. Promise,” he demanded.

“I promise,” lifting his hand and kissing the back softly.

I jogged to the water. I rolled up my jeans and waded in up to my shins. Murphy was barking at me from beside Flynn who looked ready to run away.

I knew I should go back to him. But I couldn’t make myself. Not yet. A large wave crashed and I squealed as the water rushed forward, soaking the bottom of my pants.

I was laughing hysterically by the time I pulled myself away from the ocean and returned to Flynn’s side.

“You’re laughing,” he observed, watching my face.

“I am. That was fun,” I said, unrolling my pants.

“You’re happy,” he replied, his own smile reaching up to touch his eyes.

“Yep. And so are you,” I said, pointing to his grinning face.

He laughed, an awkward sound.

“I am. You make me happy,” he said. He reached out and cupped his hand behind my neck, shocking the hell out of me.

He yanked me forward with enough force to make me stumble. I laughed again.

“What are you doing, Flynn?” I asked him; my heart thudded almost painfully in my chest. I had never seen this side of Flynn. He had never tried to take control of our physical interactions. That had always been left up to me.

But he was taking control now.

And it was hot.

He didn’t give me a chance to say anything else. He smashed his mouth to mine with a bruising clash of teeth. I pulled back slightly. “A little softer, Flynn. I don’t want either of us breaking a tooth.”