Page 65 of Meet You in the Waves
I was pretty sure the walk was nice, filled with ferns and leafy green trees. It took over half an hour to reach the caves. The Arch itself was also probably amazing, the sight no doubt breathtaking as the trail suddenly ventured through an open cave system and then out to the Arch where the view of the infinite blue of the Pacific Ocean suddenly exploded out of nowhere. Like a shock to the senses.
I was sure it was fabulous and if the thirty or so other tourists were any indication, it was worth taking photos of.
I could only stare at the scene, feeling nothing, wishing I’d come a different day when I could look at it and appreciate theincredible beauty. So I just turned back around and made my way back down the trail, in no better state than I had been on the way up.
It was only when I made my way back to the road that I saw him, the impossibly gorgeous man leaning back on his motorbike looking like God’s gift to humanity in his board shorts and leather rider jacket. His eyes lifted to me, as blue as the Pacific I had just witnessed from the Arches and just as breathtaking. Something hit me deep in the guts.
I slowed my steps, wishing I could go back up the trail and not have to have this conversation. But he’d seen me already, his face impassive if not slightly annoyed if I was guessing correctly. Was he annoyed I hadn’t answered his calls? I’d missed a few by now.
“Get on the bike, Ajay,” Nick said, knocking his head in the direction of his bike. Yeah, he was pissed at me. But why he thought he had any right to be annoyed was beyond me.Iwas the one who was rightly pissed.
“No thanks. I’m happy walking,” I said, keeping my chin up. He wouldnotsee me breaking for him.
“I’d love to make a scene with you right now, baby,” Nick replied, calm as hell. “But there are children around and I don’t think this conversation is for little eyes. Now, get on the bike.”
I loved it when Nick took control of me in the bedroom, loved it when he got bossy and told me what to do. Right here, when I was feeling too many emotions that I didn’t know how to process, out on the walking trail with people everywhere around us, not so much.
I let out a longsuffering sigh, grabbed onto the spare helmet Nick held out for me and jammed it onto my head. I was not going to let him help me this time and maybe he could read my body language because he said nothing and didn’t try to help like he usually did.
He climbed onto the bike and waited for me to slide on behind him. I had no choice but to clasp my hands around his waist, our bodies pressed up together. It was a lot less enjoyable today than it had been the other times I’d ridden on the back of this bike, knowing he’d just spent the night with Mateo.
I expected Nick to drive us back home but he headed south, taking us further from the house as he wound the bike down the coastal road. He didn’t drive far, turning the bike onto a dirt track that headed up the other side of the mountain I had just climbed.
I held on a little tighter as the bike bumped over the dirt road and Nick adjusted the pace. He eventually pulled over just as the track opened up to a similar view to what I had just scaled the heights of the mountain to see, just without the cave arches and the tourists.
“Is the locals only scenic spot?” I couldn’t help asking as I climbed off the bike. Nick held out his hand for my helmet and left it to dangle on the handlebar alongside his. He watched me as I stepped towards the ledge, noting the fairly steep drop. The blue Pacific spread out before me, melting into the light blue sky until it was all I could see.
“Sure, let’s call it that,” Nick returned. He stepped towards me, all his movements measured and controlled when I felt nothing but turmoil inside. “Why did you decide to go for a walk this morning?”
I shrugged, eyes not leaving the view while avoiding Nick’s who had not looked away from me. “I heard Caves Arches were unmissable.”
“So you decided today of all days was the day to go see the Arches?” Nick returned.
“Yep.” My hands had fisted into balls so I hid them in my pockets, not wanting him to see more than he already had.
“And why didn’t you answer my calls?” he pressed, taking one small step closer.
I sighed. I still couldn’t bring myself to look at him as he cautiously closed the gap between us, like he knew I was standing on a precipice and didn’t want to spook me. Both figuratively and literally.
“Maybe I just wanted to get out and feel the fresh air,” I said.
“Ajay,” Nick sighed. His hand clasped around my arm as I warred with that fight or flight instinct that was telling me to go. To get out of this before it was too late. Even though it really was already too late. Far too late. “Be real with me. You say you want real, so let’s be real now. You were upset this morning.”
I didn’t say anything, focusing on the little bright yellow dandelion that was somehow growing out of a rock crevice. Amazing little thing.
“Tell me why,” Nick pressed, hand tightening on my arm. “Tell me what made you upset.”
“Are you really going to make me say it?” I returned, stepping out of his grip.
“Yes. I want to hear why you’re upset, Ajay.”
“Fine. Maybe it was the fact that I woke up alone this morning. Or maybe it was the fact I couldn’t find you in your room when I went to look. Or maybe … maybe it was the fact that you spent the night wrapped up in your ex-boyfriend’s arms.” My voice had gotten a little louder as I spoke as I stepped further away from Nick, needing a little space from him.
“And you were jealous?” Nick asked, probing.
“Of course I was bloody jealous,” I returned. “Even though I know I have no right to feel that way.”
“Why don’t you have a right to feel that way?” Nick asked, taking another step to close the gap I had tried to create. “Emotions are there for a reason. You shouldn’t be afraid of what you feel.”
