Thundering Luv (6 page)

“I can respect that.”

“How do you like living with him? Are you close?” Jewel hoped not. She liked Colin, who seemed so different from Tank. Where Tank had light eyes and fair skin, Colin was tan, with dark hair.

“Not really that close. But we give each other space. I’ve always been into art and jujitsu, which never really jelled with him. So we just shared a room. My aunt favors him and just leaves me alone as long as she gets the money she needs from the trust fund left for me after my parents’ deaths.”

“I knew you were different than him.” Jewel stared at him a minute. “I do remember you. I saw you once painting the mural at the school, the one on the main hall with some girl.”

“That was me and Summer, my girl, my ex-girlfriend. We both liked most of the same things. She was an artist too, it’s how we met in class.”

Jewel couldn’t believe it, but she was a little jealous of what he had with his old girlfriend. “You dated her for two whole years? You must’ve loved her.”

Colin smiled, with a faraway look. “Yeah, I did, more than anyone. I needed her to love me. I felt alone at a new school, sharing a room with my cousin. Summer was a free spirit and spontaneous, I needed her probably more than she needed me then.”

Jewel sighed. It felt like cotton was stuck in her throat. “Do you still love her like that?”

He smirked. “I guess so, but she’s not here. I can’t say I’m in love with her like that anymore. I’ll always love her, be friends with her, but…”

“Well, at least you had that. With all the boyfriends I had, I didn’t love any of them,” she tried to act nonchalant about it. But the truth was, she wondered if she ever would love someone like Colin had. The way her parents had ripped her heart in pieces by disappointing her time and time again, the heart she’d give to some guy would be totally twisted. If they didn’t see how much she loved them, nor did they care, who else would?

Colin belted out a laugh. “You can’t be serious? You didn’t fall in love with any of them?”

Jewel frowned, what did Colin think of her, that she fell for anyone just because she had a boyfriend, “No. That was my mistake. I made up my mind I won’t be anyone’s girlfriend unless I’m in love with them first. Otherwise it’s a waste of time.”

“Good luck with that.” Colin stood up. “So are we friends now?” He put out his hand to help her stand.

“Truce?” Jewel smiled when Colin nodded back at her. “Then yes, we’re friends.”

Colin wrapped and arm around her shoulder, and Jewel fought the sensation to snuggle against him. Jewel trembled when she felt his warm breath against her ear, and he whispered, “Race you!”

It was official. Colin felt like crud. He and Jewel were friends, and it didn’t help that every single time she came around him, he wanted to grab her, kiss her, hold her, smell her, breathe her in and make her notice him.

But she didn’t. She always came around him and joked, hardly ever looking him in the eye like she felt uncomfortable around him. He’d pushed, just a bit here and there to see if she was interested and she always politely or jokingly skirted away from his touches. Earlier in the week, he and the guys took the girls out to the boardwalk. He’d won her a teddy bear. Then she’d hugged him before she could stop herself. For an awkward moment he held her there and wanted to kiss her, but didn’t.

He had to get past this, and being at this party thrown by one of Jake’s friends further down the beach would be a good way to keep Jewel in the ‘friend-zone’ where he was safer. Even though she’d been manipulated by the jocks at his school, made an object of some stupid bet to de-virginize her, she wasn’t completely innocent. Each time she broke up with one of the guys who bet on the right to be the one to initiate her, she did it with flair on the cruel side. From twitter post, to notes left on their lockers, to dedicating break up songs used during cheers that she led, and more. If he wasn’t a guy, he’d probably be laughing at her dumping techniques.

He walked to Jake who was joking around with one of the guys at the pool—surrounded by a bunch of girls, as usual.

“What’s up? How long you staying?” Colin asked.

“Till I find someone to walk home with?” Jake laughed.

“What’s up with Megs? I thought you and her were hitting it off.” Colin’s eyes scanned the party to see Jewel was there with Megs. He spotted Jewel flirting with some guy. At least it appeared like she was by the way she was laughing with him. But Megs was sitting beside her, glaring at Jake.

“She’s mad at me because I told her I just wanted to have fun this summer. She wants more and I don’t do ‘relationships’ so she’s been giving me the death glare ever since.” Jake glanced over at Megs, appearing a bit uncomfortable before turning away from her.

Colin chuckled. “Dude, she’s going to hurt you.” Colin slapped Jake on the back as Megs scowled harder to the point where her eyes were almost slits.

Jake shrugged. “I’ve moved on. She should.”

Colin’s eyebrow lifted, and he noticed Jake’s sized up Megs once more. It didn’t appear to Colin that Jake had actually moved on, but whatever.

Colin started to go in the opposite direction of Jewel, not wanting to get angry watching the guy she was with get closer to her as the music picked up. Taylor was walking in his direction, and he turned hoping to avoid her. He swung around, barely missing, the girl in front of him.

“Hi, you look like you’re running from someone.” The girl smiled at him, then stuck out her hand. “I’m April.”

“Colin.” He shook her hand. Colin eyed the guy getting closer to Jewel and noticed the uncomfortable stance Jewel took as she tried to step away.  Screw it, he was getting Jewel out of here. “Excuse me.”

Colin stormed over to the boy that was cornering Jewel. “Hey, she’s with me, okay?”

The guy pushed him. “No, she wasn’t.”

Jewel stepped between them. “Yeah, I am.” She grasped Colin’s hand. Relief flooded her features when she dragged him away through the crowd of kids dancing and talking.

Colin’s breath caught when she finally slowed down. They made their way out of the back yard of the house. She tugged him a bit further until they stepped onto the beach. Jewel’s see-through white blouse flapped around her black tank top. She twisted around to smile at him and released his hand.

“Thanks,” Jewel said breathlessly.

“Anytime.” He wanted to grab her hand again, but instead he stuffed his in his jeans pockets.

“That sleaze wouldn’t get the hint. I told him I was waiting for somebody.” She slid off the thin blouse and tied it around her waist. Her black t-shirt clung tightly to her darkly tanned skin.

Colin snatched his t-shirt off and tossed it over his shoulder. “Want to go in the water?”

She smiled at him and his heart swelled—literally, he felt like it grew.

“Beat ya!” She pushed his chest and ran into the waves, splashing him as he hit the water.

“Come here!” Colin splashed her back. Her sandy brown hair was blown to and fro by the wind as he chased her. He grabbed her around the waist, holding her while the waves crashed in. His hands actually shook when he pulled her close. He had it bad. Real bad. And if he didn’t get a grip, he’d be her next humiliated dumpee.

Jewel stopped laughing. A wry smile bloomed on her face as she touched his cheek. “What did you think about me when you…before you saw me here this summer?”

Why did girls always ask these questions, the ones they really didn’t want to hear the truth to, but asked guys anyway? Colin didn’t want to answer, didn’t want to tell her what he thought about her.  “I don’t think I should…”

“Please, I want to know what people at school really think about me. Most of all, what you think of me.” Jewel’s eyes pleaded for answers.

“I…uh…” Colin stepped away and tilted his chin towards the sky at the sprinkling of drizzling rain. “I thought you were shallow, easy, and stuck-up.” He swallowed, and searched her eyes, hoping she didn’t think worse of him for misjudging her. Water teased the corners of her eyes; he didn’t know if they were tears or raindrops from the slight drizzle of drops from the gathering clouds above.

Jewel staggered back. “It’s not true! Why? I didn’t do anything wrong. Ask your cousin what he did!”

“I didn’t have to. It’s what everyone thought, but…” Colin reached for her.

Jewel slapped his hand away. “You were stuck-up and judgmental. You never even tried to get to know me. To see for yourself, but you believed what everyone else thought. I-I’m sorry I asked. I didn’t think it was that bad.”

“I’m sorry too.” Colin wanted to tell her everything, but telling her what the guys at school were doing to her didn’t seem like a good idea. Especially now that she was mad at him.

“Tell me, what changed? What do you think about me now? Will you…want to be my friend when we get back?” Her hands nervously rubbed her arms.

“I don’t know what I want.” That wasn’t quite true; he wanted to tell her how he felt. That he wanted more, but he didn’t deserve it after the things he thought about her. After what his cousin tried to do to her. If he told her, he wouldn’t have a chance with her, not even as a friend.

Thunder lit up the sky and Jewel started to run. Colin couldn’t let Jewel go back alone. Colin ran after her, catching up in no time. Another clap of thunder lit the sky, and when he grabbed Jewel’s hand, he yanked Jewel into his arms.

“I want this.” His lips touched Jewel’s. Colin couldn’t help himself, couldn’t stop. The rain fell harder, but it didn’t cool his heated skin. Jewel’s lips froze, stunned. Colin pressed his lips deeper into hers, and Jewel whimpered then wrapped her arms around his neck. Colin deepened the kiss as if starving, thunder, and rain only fueled his desire to get closer. Colin dipped inside the warmth of her lips and was lost.

Jewel pushed him away, her shaking fingers touching her lips. “I. Uh. No!” And she ran. This time, he didn’t chase her.

Colin kept his distance, but followed until he made sure she was inside her beach house. Exhaling the breath he’d been holding, he sat on his deck, berating himself for pushing things too far. The pounding rain soothed the fire kissing Jewel had left on every inch of his skin.

Jewel stayed in her room the next day. And the next. Colin didn’t call or even try to talk to her. Jewel supposed she asked for it. He must be starting to think that all the things he heard about her was true. That kiss. It rocked her. She felt it to her toes, in her heart, her stomach. Everywhere. She wanted more.

Colin just caught her by surprise. Pushing him away and running seemed the best thing to do at the time. It was emotional overload, all because Colin—the one guy that her heart leaned towards, actually believed all those awful things the kids at school gossiped about. Being with her, couldn’t be what Colin wanted. Finding out Colin was one of the haters from school broke her heart. Still…Jewel was amazed at how good he could kiss. Passion as if he was starving for her made Jewel wonder if Colin had ever kissed anyone else like that. What made him want to kiss
her,
of all people as if he’d been holding in the desire to do so for his entire life? Did he want revenge for the break up with his cousin? Jewel shuddered, just thinking about the last time she was alone with her bully ex-boyfriend. It was the same scary feeling that paralyzed her when alone with her mom’s fiancé.