Easy Silence (10 page)

“I’ve got time for the first chapter.” I set my gaze upon him, and he raised his eyebrow at me. I was feeling a little silly doing this, but when he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer, all of the uneasiness I was feeling faded. I stared up at him one more time before opening the book.

Inching even closer to him, I rested my head on his shoulder and began to read, “When he was nearly thirteen…”

* * *

I grabbed some blankets and headed out to the beach with a flashlight and my book in hand. The moon was shining so brightly that I could almost see the words perfectly without the flashlight. Closing my eyes, I sucked in the warm salty air and took a deep breath, feeling so relaxed that I didn’t even hear Jaxson sneak up behind me. “Hey.” I smiled as he took a seat next to me on the blanket.

“Hey,” he replied back, looking exhausted.

“It’s a beautiful night.”

He looked up at the sky. “It’s supposed to rain.”

“Are you kidding me? The sky is as clear as anything.”

He shrugged. “I’m just telling you what I heard on the radio.”

“So, how was work?” I asked, picking up a handful of sand and sifting it through my fingers.

“Fine.” I looked over at him, wanting so badly to kiss him. To hug him. Anything, just to be close to him. “Did you start chapter two without me?” he asked, looking down at the book lying on the blanket.

“Just the first page, but I can re-read it if you want.” He nodded. “Well, then get comfortable.” We both lay down on our stomachs, resting on our elbows. I held the book up while he shined the flashlight on the pages. By the time I was done with the second chapter, I noticed his eyelids were getting heavy. “Tired?” I asked.

“A little. My elbows are killing me.”

I let out a giggle as he rolled onto his back, before turning on his side and pulling me toward him, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. I couldn’t hold back any longer; I hugged him as tightly as my arms would allow, while resting my head on his chest. “Your heart’s beating so fast,” I said. I stretched my neck and placed a kiss on his lips, nuzzling further into him as the warm ocean breeze blew over us. He pulled me on top of him and released my hair from the ponytail holder, allowing it to cascade over him. He bit his bottom lip and stared up at me.

“I—I.” I could tell he was nervous, and I was completely willing to take the lead.

“Shhh,” I whispered, kissing him deeply, letting his hands move freely about my body. I raised my arms, and he removed my shirt with ease. My tongue glided down his neck while my fingers unfastened the button on his jeans, finding their way underneath his boxers. He let out a hushed moan when I began to caress the fullness of his erection. I tugged on his jeans a little harder, and he helped me to remove them completely after kicking off his sneakers. I wrapped my hand around him and began a quick and steady movement as my tongue slowly found its way downward, taking him a little off guard when I removed my hand and wrapped my lips around him instead. After letting out a few pleasurable gasps he pulled me up to him. “I don’t want it to be like that,” he whispered, his voice low and hoarse. “If we’re really gonna do this, I want it to be together. I want to be inside of you.”

“Okay.” I was nervous, excited, and ready. More than ready. He unclasped my bra and removed my shorts, throwing them both in the sand. “You are so perfect,” he muttered, tracing the outline of my face with his finger as I lay beneath him in just my panties. Every move he made was slow and gentle, immediately putting my body at total ease. I let out a breath of pleasure when his fingers slowly glided into me.

“Are you sure you want—”

“Yes. I want you more than anything,” I responded. He grabbed his jeans and reached for his wallet in the pocket, removing the condom that was inside. My body was reveling in anticipation as I watched him tear it open and put it on. I grabbed the extra blanket and threw it over us when he removed my panties and hovered over me, easing himself into me. At that moment, I felt it: the strong connection that I shared with him. The same feeling I had gotten that day I saw him for the very first time, standing in this very same spot. It seemed so inexplicable yet so natural at the same time, as if some unforeseen force had pulled us together and created this perfect moment we were in. When I looked up at his moonlit silhouette, I could tell that he was feeling it too. I let out a deep breath when he began to move.

“Are you okay?” he asked, skimming my earlobe with his teeth.

I nodded, arching my back to meet his slow methodical movements. It was as if he knew exactly what my body desired at each precise moment, and he was willing to give me all of it. He rolled over on his back, slowly sitting up and pulling me on top of him as our bodies connected once again. I wrapped my legs around his waist, throwing my head back upon feeling him deeper inside of me. I grabbed his face and kissed him hard as our bodies continued to move in sync. His heart felt like it was beating out of his chest, and his breathing was becoming heavier, as was mine. I pressed my forehead into his, and he slowed down, opening his eyes at the same time as me. I gave him a quick smile, and he began to move once again, causing my body to tighten up around him and temporarily lose control of all my senses. Never experiencing anything like this before, I grabbed onto the back of his shirt and let out a cry of pleasure, just as he buried his face into my shoulder while his whole body quivered. We held onto each other tightly as our bodies came down from the high that we had each put the other in. His eyes were beaming with emotion, causing mine to swell with tears. Those tears began to stream down my face over the beautiful memory that we had just created, here on this desolate beach, a memory that only he and I would have together forever with the ocean as our only witness. It seemed so fitting that the same thing that brought us together was part of this special moment that we just shared. I grabbed the blanket and covered us up as we lay back down, his body still trembling.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He nodded and kissed me over and over again on the top of my head. His heartbeat and the waves crashing on the shore were the perfect combination, creating the most beautiful lullaby, lulling my tired body into a much needed slumber.

* * *

I rubbed my sleepy eyes and lifted my head from Jaxson’s chest, as the gentle raindrops grazed my cheek. I immediately grabbed my phone to check the time to find that it was after two a.m. I jumped up and threw my shirt over my head. As I looked down at Jaxson, he looked so peaceful. The last thing I wanted to do was wake him, but when I thought of the alternative, getting caught sleeping out on this beach, half naked, I knew I had to. I finished getting dressed and gently nudged him. His eyes slowly opened, and a rare smile stretched across his face when he looked at me. “We can’t sleep out here.” The wind was picking up, and thunder rumbled in the distance as the rain began to fall harder. He sat up, still half asleep, and I handed him his boxers and jeans after shaking the sand out of them. He dressed while I gathered the blankets, and he caught me off guard when he pulled me into a hug.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” I asked, once we reached my grandmother’s house. He nodded, and we quietly slipped inside, careful not to wake anyone as we entered my bedroom. I closed the door behind us, undressed in the darkness, and lay down on the bed. The lightning lit up the night, and the heavy rain pelted against my window, but nothing seemed to matter, nothing but my naked body pressing up against Jaxson’s, preparing to create another beautiful memory.

* * *

The birds were singing outside my bedroom window as I stretched, trying to wake myself up. My stomach tingled when I rolled over to find Jaxson lying next to me still fast asleep. I wanted to stay like this forever. He seemed so happy last night, so at peace with himself. I snuggled closer into his back, gently placing my lips on his shoulder blade, letting out a quiet gasp when I saw what looked like old scars. I swallowed hard, remembering that day on the beach when we went swimming, and he refused to take off his shirt. Then, both times when we were getting into it, and I tried to remove his shirt and how he pushed me away. I covered my mouth with my hand as I lifted the sheet to find his back was covered with scarring that looked like he had been burned at one time. My poor sweet Jaxson. What had happened to him? I turned on my back and stared up at the ceiling. When I felt him stir, I closed my eyes, pretending I was still asleep. I didn’t want him to know that I saw. Not just yet. Not until he was ready to tell me how they had gotten there. My eyes remained closed as I felt his weight getting out of bed. Finally I opened them when I was fairly certain he was dressed or at least had his shirt on. “Good morning,” I whispered, reaching for his hand as he sat on the edge of the bed, putting on his shoes.

“Morning,” he leaned down and kissed me on the cheek.

“You have to go?” I sat up, covering myself with the sheet.

“Yeah, I gotta be at work in a half hour.” He looked down at his watch while he tied his shoe.

I let out a disappointed sigh and sat up, throwing on my panties and a tee shirt. I stood in front of him, taking his face in my hands as he remained seated on the bed. “Thank you for last night. It was perfect.”

He placed his hand on my hips, moving them under my shirt, skimming my bare breasts. “I gotta get to work on time, Samantha, and if I stay here with you for a second longer that ain’t gonna be happening.” He stood up and kissed me on the forehead.

I stuck out my lip and pretended to pout. “So what if you’re a little late?” I teased.

He let out a slight laugh and skimmed the side of my face with his hand. “I really need to get.”

“Fine,” I relented.

He cracked the bedroom door and quickly closed it upon hearing Hadley’s and Doreen’s voices from down the hallway. “Umm…how am I gonna get out of here?”

I giggled over his uneasiness, walking over to the window and opening it up. “This works as an entrance as well, you know…just for future reference.” I smiled as I popped out the screen.

“Good to know,” he smiled back, ducking down and climbing out. I bent down and kissed him on the other side of the window. “Hey are you up for some adventure later on today?”

“Sure.” I was up for anything as long as he was there.

“Okay, meet me at Pete’s at three and wear jeans.”

“K.”

“See ya, Samantha.”

“See ya, Jaxson.”

I sat with my head pressed against the glass on the window and my arms resting on the sill for quite some time after he left. I breathed in the salty air deeply as the seagulls screeched overhead. Everything was the same this morning. Same sounds, same sights, same smells. Yes, everything was the same, but as I closed my eyes and replayed last night over in my head…everything was different.

“Well, it’s about time!” Hadley said, after I showered, dressed, and finally made my way out to the kitchen.

“Oh, yeah. I slept in a bit today; I was really tired.” She raised her eyebrow at me, and my paranoia immediately set in. There was no way she knew that Jaxson had spent the night.

“Well, you didn’t go out until eleven. What time did you end up coming home?”

“Oh…umm. I don’t know, maybe two.” I looked away, dipping my tea bag in and out of the hot water.

“Two!?” she exclaimed.

“Now what were you doing out until that hour in the morning?”

“Kissing.” I giggled. “Lots of it.” I blew kisses in the air, and as hard as she tried, she couldn’t hold back her laughter.

“And who where you kissing?” She pulled it together and returned back to her stern demeanor. “Or, do I not even want to know.”

“Jaxson.” I smiled.

She threw her head back and let out an annoyed breath. “What am I going to do with you, Sam?”

“Be happy for me. Because I am, Hadley. For the first time in a very long time, I’m happy.” She took a seat next to me and grabbed my hand. “I know a lot of people in this town rush to judgment about him, but he’s the complete opposite of what everyone
thinks.
He’s smart and caring and kind.” I let out a slight laugh. “He just blurts things out that most people are thinking but are too afraid to say. I just—I just feel this weird connection with him, Hadley. I can’t describe it, and I know you’re probably sitting here, thinking I’m crazy, but I just do.”

“No, I don’t think you’re crazy. You are just a good person. I’ll be the first to admit that I let everyone else’s opinion sway me, and shame on me for that, but that family he comes from… Sam, you just don’t know…” She shook her head in disgust.

“He can’t help that, Hadley. That has nothing to do with the person he is.” I looked down at the table, seeing the scars on his back so clearly in my mind. “I think something really bad happened to him in his childhood.” Hadley’s eyes instantly filled with tears. She quickly got back up and began to vigorously wipe down the stove.

“Hadley what do you know?” I asked, standing up and walking over toward her, forcing her to look at me.

“I don’t know nothing except his daddy is evil, and his mamma is trash.”