Accepted Fate (21 page)

I've always been scared to go all the way or even think about it. Mom gave me the birds and the bees speech at the age of twelve. It was really awkward and scary. She had it drilled in my head that my dad would go to jail for murder if a boy ever tried to take that from me before walking me down the aisle like a lady. She said I had too much class to be loved and left or to whore around.

She also said the only purpose for sex was reproducing or making memories with my husband and I had no business making her a grandmother until I was married. To mom, reputation is everything. She came from a very traditional, catholic family. She always took pride in telling me she waited until her wedding night to be intimate with a man. That man being my father. Birth control was an absolute no.

I have always followed my mother's advice and done as she instructed. Maybe it's time to make my own decision for once. Who knows, I may regret it and I may not, but at least it will be at my own risk. Besides, I have no intentions on conceiving a child, ever or getting married. My parents will just have to rely on Konnor for grandkids.

I place my face in the palm of my hands, trying to calm down. I need to get it together before Presley starts calling my phone. Standing up, I pick up my bag from the floor and place it on the counter top. Ryland's mom really has great taste. This place is decorated beautifully. I pull out the swimsuit I brought from home. Discarding my underwear into my bag, I step in my swimsuit and pull it up my body.

This is one of my favorite swim suits. Mom doesn't really care for it because it's slightly revealing for her taste, but she tries to let me make my own judgment within reason. It's a black mono-kini. The bottom is pretty much a standard black bikini bottom but the top is connected by two gold hoops on my hips and it forms an infinity symbol from my neck to where it connects at the bottoms, covering only my breasts. I bought it to fit snugly because all it takes to reveal my chest is a pull too hard on the banded top.

I look in the mirror to make sure all my secret spots are covered. This should be perfect. I pull out my sheer, black cover-up wrap and tie it around my waist. My hair is still perfectly in place, from when mom fixed it earlier. I slip on my black flip flops with a matching gold metal piece that lies on top of my foot. Last but not least, I pull out my clear gloss and apply it to my lips.

I exhale, hoping I get the reaction from Breyson I'm looking for. Shoving my things back into my bag, I realize I need to pick up my dress and bra on the way out. I definitely don't want that left laying around. I open the door to him lying on his back across the bed, with his feet planted on the floor.

As I walk out, he sits up and takes me in. His eyes widen as they sweep down my body. "Is that what you're wearing?"

Okay, so that wasn't exactly the reaction I was looking for. Maybe I don't look as good as I thought I did. Now unsure, I look down at the floor. "Yes, what's wrong with it? This is a designer swimsuit."

He places his hands together against each side of his nose, forming a line down the center of his face, as if he's frustrated. "Kinzleigh, will you please change? Don't take this the wrong way because your body is sexy as hell, but if we're going to hang out while I'm here, I don't want to have to break someone's jaw because they are ogling your body right in front of me. I guess it's a guy thing."

I begin to smile. Ah so he doesn't want someone else looking at me. Well too bad. A little jealousy never hurt anyone. If he can rattle my thoughts all hours of the day, then he can deal with someone looking at my body. I'm not his property. I'll show him who the boss is. "This swimsuit is fine. Besides, it's the only one I brought. I only bought underwear in the mall today. Are you ready?"

"You're killing me. Maybe we should just stay here and I'll keep your body to myself." He raises his brows at me and I feel my face flush. Why does he bring embarrassment out of me so easily?

I will not be weak. I strut over to the door, my bag in tow, passing him in the direction to the couch, when I hear a growl behind me. I smile bigger, knowing he can't see my face. It doesn't take long, when I hear him walking behind me. I reach over the back of the couch to grab my dress and bra, quickly tossing it in my bag.

His hands take hold of my waist and he presses himself against my backside; snaking his hands up my sides, under my arms and beside my breasts, he cups my shoulders, standing me upright in alignment with the front of his body. "Do you like torturing me Kinzleigh?" His voice sounds husky and deep. My breathing picks up. At this rate we're never going to make it to the party.

I shake my head. "We need to get going. We're going to be late." The way my voice is coming out, I'm not very convincing. Darn him. He runs his fingers lightly down my sternum, between my breasts, giving me chills.

He flattens his hand over my belly and pulls me against him, poking me from behind. "Now do you see what you're doing to me? A guy can only take so much Kinzleigh. Lesson one, if you want to make it to that party, stop teasing me. Two can play that game," he says and nips at my ear lobe. "Now get your cute little butt in that truck. I'm giving you a five second head start. If you aren't out that door, we're skipping the party and I keep my word."

He releases me and steps back, giving me room. One little tidbit of information about me, I don't have to be told twice. I turn and take off for the door. As I round the corner and cut through the gate, I can hear his laughter. I have got to become immune to him and his flirtatious behavior. I need tips from Presley. I will not succumb to his seduction tactics.

Sitting in the passenger seat of Ryland's Jeep, Breyson comes through the gate in yellow swim trunks that the same color as the Jeep, and a t-shirt. He gets in and gives me that full on, breath consuming grin. "You ready?" I just nod and bite my tongue, trying not to smile.
He will not win. He will not win.
I recite to myself mentally.

The drive to Presley's is just casual small talk, thank goodness. I don't know why he gets under my skin so badly. It's driving me crazy and I feel like a weakling. Nothing ever affects me this way.

As we pull into the driveway, it's already packed full of cars. He has to park close to the road in the grass. As I look from side to side, people are consecutively piling in through the entryway gate. Opening the door, I grab my towel and step outside to walk to the front of the vehicle where I wait on Breyson.

He reaches for my hand. I'm not really sure what to do. Holding hands is a little too intimate for what we are and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. Instead of taking his hand, I grasp my arm around his and cup his large bicep in my hand. As our skin touches, he flexes beneath my hand. He must spend a lot of time in the gym with a body like this. Is it weird that I just want to rub my hands down his torso, along the ridges of his stomach?

As we come into the backyard, it looks exactly as I expected. There are tents everywhere and tables full of food. The pool is packed with kids from school and the outer edge is lined with girls tanning. The first person I notice is Lexi with a scowl on her face. "Hey Lex."

She narrows her eyes at Breyson before looking back at me. "Hey girl, what did you drag in?" Her voice feigns sarcasm. What's up with her? Lexi is usually so bubbly and hyper. I don't think I've ever heard her sound this way, come to think of it.

Okay..."Lexi this is Breyson. He's Ryland's cousin."

She looks at him with a smirk on her face like she has something up her sleeve. "From the party right? At Logan's?"

Logan's? When did he go to Logan's? I look over at him confused. He looks slightly nervous. "Yeah," he says and looks at me. "You ready to go find Presley?" What is up with these two? They almost act like there is something they aren't telling me; like everyone is in on some joke but I missed the punchline.

"I guess. I'll find you later Lex." We begin walking through the tents filled with people. I grab a bottle of water from one of the ice filled tubs. As I'm walking, I notice all the guys I'm passing are staring at me. Some of them have their mouths hanging open and some look downright angry. What in the world is up with everyone at this party? I'm starting to get paranoid I have a boob showing or something and begin looking myself over.

I finally realize I am still holding on to Breyson's bicep and his arm is wrapped around my waist, with his hand resting on my hip. Of course everyone is staring; I've never been seen with a guy because I've never been with one. Now that I look around, everyone that looks angry is someone I've declined to go out with. I drop my arm and Breyson tightens his hold.

How did I not even notice I was wrapped in his arm? I'm really weird about public displays of affection, which is why I'm always so awkward around Presley with her boy toys. Now feeling uncomfortable, I shimmy out of his arm and speed up my pace.

As I come to the end of the tent, I see Presley laying in a leaf shaped lounger inside the edge of the pool. Ryland is in the pool, in front of her, playing water volleyball. Madison and Amber, two of the cheerleaders from my squad, are on a lounger to each side of Presley.

As I close in behind them, Madison is at Presley's ear whispering. I can't hear what she is saying, but the way Presley turns around, I know it had to do with me. Great, now I'm going to have the entire high school population of Laguna talking. This is so not what I need. "Hey sweetie, it's about time you got here. Everyone has been asking about you." She scans my body and then Breyson's. She starts to smile, but begins biting her lip trying to refrain. "Amber, sweetie, why don't you scoot over to the next lounger, I need some Kinzleigh time."

If I ever thought I could hide anything from Presley, I was wrong. I swear the girl has some kind of weird psychic ability. "Amber you don't have to move, you were there first. I can sit in the next one." Maybe I can dodge the conversation I know is coming. She won't say anything if I'm not beside her. She knows I'm a private person.

"Kinzleigh Berlyn Baker! Get your skinny little butt over her and sit down! Amber, scoot." She starts waving her hand at her as if she's shooing a fly and then turns and points at Breyson. "Breyson. Pool. Now. I need girl time." When Presley gets like this she is scary and everyone knows she can be dangerous with her tantrums. I hate, with a special emphasis on the word hate, when she uses my middle name.

My parents have a strange sense of humor. Not only did they combine their first names to name me, but they chose to assign my middle name after the city in which I was conceived. Mom just spelled it different because she thought my spelling was more feminine than the spelling of the place. Really mom, who is going to even get to the way it's spelled when they find out you're named after a city in Germany? The one in which you have to hear about your parents getting busy. That's just gross. If I didn't know my parents have never tried a drug in their lives, I would think they were high the entire time my mom was pregnant.

Breyson just shakes his head in laughter and turns to me, in which he begins removing his shirt, slowly, might I add; each abdominal being revealed one at a time. The guy has the best body I've ever seen, hands down. I'll admit, I have seen my fair share being around Presley and nothing has topped this. His shorts sit low on his waist revealing the V of muscle. This view is better than the one at the beach. Why, you ask? Well, possibly because he is standing before me doing his version of a male striptease. As his arms move up his body, each muscle flexes in front of me.

"Share the view with the rest of us!" I'm broken from the frozen state I didn't even know I was in by Amber's outburst. I turn to look at them and realize they are all staring, along with one angry Preston. The girls are just looking between us as if something big is about to happen. I turn to Breyson smiling like a champion. Of course he knew Preston was standing there and I'm gawking like an idiot. Kill me now. Could this get any worse? Why oh why do I feel like I'm unwillingly being tugged into a lo...lust triangle?

Breyson walks towards me, closing the space between us and hands me his shirt. "Will you hold this for me?" His naked torso brushes against mine, goosebumps forming along my arms. I grab his shirt in my hand, but before he releases it, he whispers in my ear. "I told you things would happen if you wore that swimsuit and I caught another guy undressing you with his eyes. Don't say I didn't warn you. I am not to be held accountable for my actions." With that, he turns and heads toward the pool where Ryland is watching as if he's got front row seats to a big fight.

I turn and Presley has a rather large smile on her face behind Preston. He is blocking my lounger with his exposed body. Preston can hold his own in the
man of muscle contest;
he just does nothing for me. No fireworks are shooting off and my girly bits are in check. Whereas Breyson has more bulk of muscle and definition, Preston has more of a lean muscularity and tone. Well, what am I supposed to do with him now? I am really outside of my element here. It's just not a good idea to go from no intimate contact with the male species to two in the matter of a day. Sighing, I begin walking towards my seat next to Presley in hopes that he will just move aside.

He watches me the entire time I walk towards him, not moving one. Single. Inch. I stop, leaving a distance between us. Everyone finally went back to what they were doing. I guess Preston having a thing for me is just as obvious as Presley always makes it seem. How was I the only one blind to this? Was I really that sucked into my own life? "Preston. Do you mind if I sit down in my seat?" He's really being annoying. I've never given him the impression there was something between us.

He just stands there, with the vein in his neck still bulging. I can see the muscle in his jaw moving back in forth. "Preston! Did you not hear the girl? Are we going to have to have another heart to heart?" Presley is now standing to my right facing the sides of us as we stare at each other.

He releases a deep breath and his face smoothes out. I wonder what it was they talked about last night. "Hey Kinz, you look gorgeous." Preston has always called me that. Hearing it calms me down. I need to figure out a way to deal with all this without getting angry with him. At one time, I was closer to him than Presley. Some nights when I stayed over at night, he would sit up with me until daylight watching funny movies, when I was scared from Presley making me watch a horror film.