Committed to You (18 page)

We walked along South Beach in the middle of the night. I moved between the two most important men in my life. Pipe and Jay. They held my hands as Cyn stumbled ahead of us, drunk from too many mojitos. Although she pretended not to, I noticed her constantly checking her phone.

“One more club?” Pipe rubbed my thumb with his.

“No way.” I leaned my head on his arm. “I can’t believe I can still walk.”

“You want me to carry you?” Jay asked on the other side.

“Oh God. Have we returned to this?” Pipe whined. “Jay being the big sappy Evie accommodator.”

“Be quiet, Pipe,” I laughed.

“Yeah, shut up.” Jay drew me closer to him.

Darkness surrounded us. Besides the distant lights from Ocean Drive’s lounges, clubs, and high-end restaurants, our sandy path was shadows dancing under a full moon. Waves crashed with the melodies of nature. Breezes harmoniously whipped through the tall patches of grass bordering the entrance. Unlike Coventon’s one beach, South Beach provided the softest and coolest sand. It had a powder-like texture and clung to my feet as I tip-toed through it.

Hungry lovers scattered throughout the beach. Every now and then, when the moonlight hit just right, I could spot two bodies writhing and twisting under blankets. One or two bonfires spread out further in front of us. There were at least four or five people hanging by each flaming centerpiece, drinking from bottles in brown paper bags.

“I thought it was illegal to make bonfires on the beach,” Cynthia glanced over her shoulder at Pipe.

Pipe took his hat off and placed it on my head. “It’s so late right now, even the cops are sleeping in their cars in some hidden alley, or even worst, they’re handling something scarier than we could think of. No one cares about a few fires this late.”

In darker corners where many high lifeguard chairs posted, other shadier people lounged. Their chemical smoke drifted down our way and made me scrunch up my nose. None of us said anything as we passed them, everyone probably sensing the same creepiness as I did.

We’d been partying all night. Club after club. Electronica to hip hop to Latin soul. We laughed and joked, screamed over music and drunkenly mumbled in hoarse voices. And boy did we dance. Sweat drenched our bodies. My hair was a mess. My clothes, wrinkled thin fabric that had been stroked and teased by Jay’s groping fingers when he could find breaks in my barrier and sneak into my personal space. Cynthia had lost a shoe and simply hiked the other one into the sea. Pipe only wore pants. His cane of poor fish as well as the rest of his tuxedo was a distant memory on somebody’s dance floor. Even Jay no longer wore his black dress shirt and had his sports cap turned to the back with his jeans hanging low under those chiseled abs.

I sighed. “We look like a gang of ruffians.”

“We are a gang of ruffians.” Jay grinned. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

“Of course.”

Pipe had shown us his whole playground. We caught taxi rides up to Collins Avenue where one alcohol drink cost over fifty dollars and then down to Washington Avenue where bouncers not only checked for guns before letting you enter, but perused your clothing choice. We ate the greasiest slab of pizza at a twenty-four hour pizza joint on Lincoln Avenue and all four of us shared a slice of chocolate fried cheesecake in an all night bakery on Ocean Drive.

I had no idea what time it was, but then I never did when I partied with Pipe. He didn’t have a clear idea of schedules or appointments, just that he liked to be where he wanted to be at the time and moment he decided to show up.

“I don’t think I can take another step.” Cynthia almost tripped, but was somehow able to keep up a reasonably dignified pace.

“Don’t worry. Our beds are waiting for us.” Pipe yawned. “I still think we should have taken a cab ride back.”

“Your hotel is just a few blocks down and with all the stuff we consumed, a walk isn’t a bad idea,” Jay let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist.

“My feet hurt,” Cynthia whined.

“I think our damsel is need of a hero,” Pipe whispered in my ear. “Do you see any heroes on the beach?”

“Of course.” Still walking, I got on my toes and landed a quick kiss to his cheek. “I believe you’re the only hero out here.”

Jay snorted.

“So then it is all up to me?” Pipe touched his chest in mock shock.

I nodded. “Yes, my love. It is all up to you.”

“I think I’m going to throw up,” Jay muttered.

“Will you miss me when I’m gone, sweet Evie?” Pipe released my hand and skipped up to Cynthia like a bouncing little diva.

“Oh, my love,” I waved goodbye. “I’ll be thinking of you every second, every moment. I’ll sit by the window with pretty little letters, dried flowers, and lit candles, just writing romantic poems about your heroic adventures.”

Pipe bowed. “And I to will be thinking of you, but I won’t be writing poetry. It will be songs, sweet serenades and harmonious sonnets—”

“Would you just pick Cynthia up?” Jay interrupted. “Fucking ridiculous! The both of you.”

I nudged him with my hip. “Someone’s jealous?”

He grumbled.

Pipe laughed as he lifted Cynthia up and then made a crazy dash ahead of us. She shrieked with glee. Of course he couldn’t just carry her like a normal person. Pipe had to sling her over his shoulder and run off like a lust-driven monster in the wild of night. He even cackled as he raced away with Cynthia giggling the whole time.

“So Pipe is the only hero on the beach?” Jay asked once Pipe and Cynthia’s images shifted to tiny dots within moonlit darkness.

“Maybe.” I got out of his hold, but continued to walk beside him.

“Every time I touch you, you move away.”

“I told you I need my space.”

He stopped my walking and turned me his way. The cool breeze picked up, which was welcome within the warm air. Still, my sweated-out curls moved under Pipe’s hat as Jay drank in my view. “I told you I wouldn’t give you space.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m my own woman.”

Darkness hid part of his face. “You danced with a lot of men tonight.”

“It’s a free country.”

“I didn’t punch anybody in the face, not even that big guy covered up in all of those stupid heart tattoos on the side of his face.”

“He was a good dancer.”

“He liked to grab your ass.”

“Most do.”

Jay stepped closer. “I don’t like seeing you with other men.”

“Too bad.” I walked off.

“I don’t think you understand what I’m saying.” He trailed behind me.

“It doesn’t matter, Jay. We broke up.”

“When we go back up to Coventon, guys are going to be in your face, even more due to this news scandal.”

“Thanks for that by the way. I’m surprised no one recognized me tonight and started screaming out Heisman Whore.” I twirled my fingers over my head for added drama. “And I don’t care if you don’t like seeing me with other men. Don’t forget. I watched you kiss and hug with Cynthia so many times I’ll be having nightmares about it.”

He seized my waist from behind and picked me up. “Let’s talk.”

“Wait. What? We
are
talking.”

He carried me toward the ocean instead of in the direction of our hotel. “Just give me a few minutes.”

“No. I’m tired. And why are we going out to the water?”

“Let’s go for a swim.”

“A swim at what, five or six in the morning? Really?”

“Really. Like we used to do when we were kids.”

“You mean skinny dipping.”

“No, but clothing is definitely optional, especially in your case.”

“I’m not getting naked with you.”

“Fine. Then swim in your bra and panties.”

“I’m tired.”

“The water will wake you up.”

I laughed. “Did you smoke one of Pipe’s joints?”

“No, I’m just high off of you right now and don’t want to end this night.”

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes, but didn’t fight the idea of swimming anymore. He’d been right about one thing, I didn’t want to end this night either. It was the one time when all four of us got together and everything was laid out for us to enjoy. There were no dark feelings lingering in the background, no jealousy or envious thoughts, no creeping behind anyone’s back or resentment for being there in the first place. We all just had fun for once in our lives.

“You spent most of your time with Pipe tonight.” Jay placed me on my feet when we got next to the shoreline. Salty bubbles rolled forward and then lazily floated back. “I’m just asking for twenty or so minutes of just you and me.”

There was something odd in the way he said those words so I asked, “Are you jealous of Pipe and my time?”

“Always.”

“Stop playing.”

“I’m serious.”

“Pipe isn’t interested in me.”

“Not sexually, but he wants your companionship. He loves the fuck out of you, and if you had a penis, he would be serious competition for me, so crazy I would just forfeit the game.”

“We’re just friends.”

“His hands and lips were all over you tonight.”

“That’s how it always is.”

“Which should tell you how bad he has it for you.”

“Okay, whatever. You’ve clearly been drinking too much.” I blew out a long breath, not really sure if Jay had much of a point or not. I had given all of my time to Pipe tonight, but I didn’t see him much and part of me was still pissed with Jay. But in the end, Jay was my friend as well as Pipe, and I didn’t want to ruin that part of what we had. “Let’s do this swim.”

“Really?” Jay formed his lips into a huge smile.

“Yeah. Really.”

I gazed around.

No one was near us. Although many scatted people hung out on the beach, they were far enough away that if they looked at us, they’d just see black images of our frames in dim lighting. The closer we got to the sea, the less they could make us out.

“Are you scared to take off your clothes?” There was a hint of dare in Jay’s voice.

“No. Are you?”

“Never, Evie. Not when it comes to taking my clothes off with you.”

“When did you get so corny?”

“After the third mojito, I think.”

“Well thank goodness you’re done drinking.” I stopped staring into the darkness. “Alright, I’ll take mine off after you.”

“God, this reminds me of the old days.”

“Yeah, when times were much more simple,” I muttered.

Jay and I always lived next to a beach when we were kids. It was like we were birthed from the sand. We were true beach babies. A swim in the middle of the night was nothing. What had me on edge was the results that could come from our diving in the water. I didn’t need to go back to Jay, not now. My heart required time to heal. My mind needed a lot of space to just think about all the things that had happened.

But my body disagreed.

I was starting to believe that my hungry little frame was made up of different things that others didn’t have. Clearly I had a higher level of hormones that interacted with my system more than others, because there I stood under the bright moon, shedding my clothes and drooling as Jay took off his shoes and pants. Of course he was gorgeous. That one fact had never been disputed by anyone, from national TV to our hometown. He was curves and muscle, sleek confidence and everything else that made women’s panties wet just from sight alone. My body craved him—my nipples stiffened, skin shivered with thirst, and my gaze danced all over that able body of his.

This is not a good idea.

“Just a swim,” I said.

“Okay.” He licked his lips.

“No touching.”

“I have to touch you.” He shrugged. “It’s dark and I like to know that you’re there.”

“Bullshit.” I placed my clothes on top of his jeans. Worst case scenario his stuff would be sandier than mine.

He watched me with a smirk. “Are you swimming in that pretty silk?”

I trailed my fingers along my strapless bra. I’d themed everything in silver tonight from my outer clothes to the intimates I wore underneath. “Yes, I’m swimming in this.”

“What about those pretty panties?” He bit his lip and glanced at the silver fabric. “I think the sea water would ruin them?”

“Very funny.”

“How far do you want to go?” Jay’s gaze caressed my flesh and landed on the curve of my ass.

“I don’t think you’re talking about swimming anymore.”

“I’m not.”

My heart raced in my chest. “We’ve already gone far enough for today.”

“No, we didn’t.”

“Did you already forget our moment in the shower.”

“Officially that was yesterday. Today is a new day.”

I looked away. “No, Jay.”

“No?”

I couldn’t answer again. In my head a battleplayed out between my hormones and common sense. Hormones believed that closure would come with Jay’s dick. Common sense screamed run to Pipe and the hotel.

“Okay.” I cleared my throat. “One late night swim of stupidity with my best friend, but no sex or quickie with my ex-boyfriend.”

Before I ran into the water, Jay caught my arm and pulled me into him. No words escaped his lips, but then he didn’t have to say anything. Everything running through his mind played out on his eyes. He craved me bad.
Had he always looked at me that way?
Lust and pain crept along the few visible spots on his face. The rest of his face lay hidden in shadows. Regardless, there was no denying that he desired my body.

But that’s not enough.

“What are you thinking about?” He molded my body against his. We were cool skin again warm flesh.

“What are
you
thinking? You’re the one that stopped me from diving in.”

He gave me a wicked laugh and then in seconds he dragged me into the water without any notice.

“Jay!”

“Oh you’re not afraid of sharks, are you?”

The ocean chilled my toes. “No! Just cold water!”

“You never ease into cold water, baby. You always run in and jump. Don’t you always say that?”

“Oh shut up!” I ran in deeper with him. Black water pooled around us. We kept running deeper and deeper into the ocean, until I could no longer see Ocean Drive’s bright florescent landscape or even the few darkened groups of people on the sand. The sound of the sea throbbed around us. The waves were loud. Water rose well above our hips, and still we rushed on, splashing sudsy salt liquid at each other and laughing the whole time. My body’s temperature adjusted to the chill. I sank lower and let the ocean swallow me up.