Love and Skate (15 page)

             
“I’m hungry.” He cracked up and told me to sit tight but I wanted to get up and sit at the table like a normal person.

             
He kissed me on the lips quickly and said “Come on tough girl, let’s get to the table.”

             
With
Owen’s
help I recovered completely over the next two weeks.  He stayed with me when I wanted him to and during the last week he started going home at night.  My bed didn’t feel the same anymore.

             
The next Friday night we were finally going to go somewhere together.  Owen told me in class to pack for the whole weekend and I had never been so nervous and excited at the same time.  He also told me to pack swim suits.  As in swim suit plural.  I didn’t know what he had planned but the thought of Owen in swim trunks with a view of those piercings, whatever they were, almost had me running out of class to pack. 

             
I got home after class and I realized that the only swim suits I owned were old and funky.  So I texted Amber and she and I went to the mall to shop.  Thank goodn
ess they still had some swim
suits and lucky me, since it was fall, they were on clearance.  I picked up four since they were so cheap.  I also got some more flip flops.  Because a girl could never ever have enough flip flops. 

             
I rushed back home and furiously packe
d.  I heard my phone.

             
O: Are you ready? I’m on my way.  If not, I can wait.
             

             
N: I will be ready by the time you get here.

             
I wore my jean skirt with a white fitted shirt and some of my new flip flops.  He mentioned that we would be travelling, so I wanted to be comfortable. 
I sprayed myself one last time with my coconut and ginger body spray and threw it in my bag.  I heard a knock and went to answer the door. 

             
When I opened it his mouth dropped open and I know this boy knew what I looked like.  I took a quick peek in the mirror that hung to the side of the door and didn’t see any zits or boogers. 

             
“What’s the matter with you?” I asked while I giggled.

             
“Damn, you just look so good.”  He came into the doorway and kissed me quickly.

             
“Ok,” he rubbed his hands together “Are you ready?”

             
“Yeah, let me grab my bag.” I turned around but his hands stopped me by tugging on my waist.

             
“Oh no, my girl doesn’t carry her own bag.”

             
He went into my bedroom and grabbed my duffel and my
purse and handed my purse to me. 

             
“Anything else?”  He looked so excited.  He was like a kid going to
Legoland
.

             
“Nope, that’s it.”

             
We went down and he approached a big black SUV. 

             
“What is that thing?” I asked.

             
“This is my Dad’s car.  He said he didn’t want you travelling in my Bronco.  It’s
kinda
old and so he lent me his Navigator to use for the weekend.”

             
“Me? What about you?” I laughed as I gawked at the metal beast.

             
“Well, apparently my Dad really likes you so this is all about you.”  He laughed.

             
He put my things in the back and opened my door for me.  He fit easily into this vehicle, not like when he was in his Bronco and his head swiped the roof. 
He pulled the monster out of the parking lot and we took off going South.  We attended Tulane University in New Orleans, so we we
re close to all sorts of things:
  Gulf Shores, Grand Isle, Lake Pontchartrain. 

             
“So, where are we going,” I asked.

             
“I’m taking you out to Lake Pontchartrain and we’re going to spend the weekend on my parents’ house boat.  We can swim and just relax.  No phones, no school, no parents, no cares.”

             
I wanted to crawl over to the
driver’s side and sit in his lap for the rest of the ride.  He knew exactly what I needed without even asking.  I needed a vacation from everything but him. 

             
We drove about an hour and then we stopped to eat at a little Cajun place that Owen claimed had the best fried fish and he was right.  We continued on and finally reached a lone boating dock with only three or four boats, one of which was a very nice houseboat.  He smiled over at me and we both exited the car at the same time. 

             
He wouldn’t let me get anything.  I stood there like a bump on a log watching him pick up some bags and walk into the boat.  Then he would grab an ice chest and get on the boat.  Once he looked like he was going to drop a bag and I moved to help and he just shook his head at me.  He went back to the car one last time and locked it up.  Then he got back on and finally extended his hand to me. 

             
“Let the vacation begin.”
He said as I stepped onto
our vacation vessel.

             
I sat next to him
as he started it up and started towards our unknown destination. 

             
After a few hours he stopped and looked around from all angles.  I didn’t know what he was looking for.  All I could see was water everywhere I looked.

             
“This is the place.”  He said as he smiled and pecked me on the lips before he went to put the anchor in place and secure us. 

             
He came back with a grin a mile wide. 

             
“So where are we?” I asked as he walked towards me and pulled me against him.

             
“Right in the middle of nowhere.” He answered. “Ever since I was little I wanted to be a marine biologist.  So, my dad used to take me out here and we would fish and snorkel and scuba dive all the time.  Then sometimes he would take me to the Gulf.  So I thought you might like it here too.

             
“I love it.  Thank you.  It’s just what I needed.”

             
“Are you tired or are you up for a night swim?”
He looked expectant.

             
“Have you heard of these things called alligators?”

             
“Yeah, and they won’t bother us.  Trust me, I’ve been swimming in here since I was a kid.”

             
“Ok, I guess I trust you.  But you’re totally getting in first.” I put my hands on my hips to push my point.

             
“Deal.  The bathroom is right there so you can change. And you better hurry before I swim out too far away.”
  He went straight for the water. 
Boys have it so easy.

             
I scrambled and grabbed the first suit I saw which was a black bikini with one little red heart on the left triangle part of the top. 
I threw my hair up in a sloppy bun and walked out scared out of my mind, for many reasons.

             
He was
already in the murky lake treading water with a smile on his face.  My brain con
jured up all kinds of scenarios.  I psyched myself up and
cannonballed
into the water.  When I came up Owen was laughing and clapping at my performance. 

             
“Ugh…it tastes funny.” I laughed and stuck out my tongue.

             
“Well that’s easy, quit drinking the lake.” He gave me a ‘duh’ expression.

             
“I guess that puts an end to my fantasy. Damn.
You’re probably not going to kiss me at all with swamp rot mouth.
” He swam close to me and pulled me next to him.  Instead of
attemping
to tread water next to my giant
,
I coiled my legs around his waist and
held on for dear life.  His green eyes reflected the almost full moon above us.  His lips were wet from emerging out of the water and one lone drop lingered on the edge of his
stubbled
chin. 

             
“Woman, did you just use the word fantasy?  Now I’m not letting you out of this water until you tell me every single detail.” As usual
,
every word
out of his mouth
was said methodically just to get me going
.
           

             
Did my timid girl just use the word fantasy?

             
I thought I prepared
myself to see her in a swim
suit.  And the images I had made in my head had swirled through my brain all day.  But when she stepped out onto the stern of the boat wearing that black scrap of fabric, I nearly came undone.  And my brain needed some vitamins or something because the images it had given me were not even in the vicinity of how stunning she was.  And all I could do was kick my legs and smile like an idiot.

             
She jumped into the water and I applauded her cannonball even though it was pitiful. 
My brothers and I would have to show her how it was done one day. 
Then out of that sweet little pink lipped mouth comes a sentence that contains the word ‘fantasy’.  I had no idea what the rest of the phrase was but I know my mind was stuck on that word.  So I called her on it.  And before I knew it, she was wrapped
tighter
around me, her wet body slid
aga
inst mine and she whispered
in my ear about me and her and the water and 
I swear when she said the word ‘mouth’
the rest of my
body took it as a cue to stand at attention.   But she never lost her cool.  After telling me things that would make a playboy blush she looked me dead in the eye as she searched for confirmation that she hadn’t said too much.

             
“You’re gonna be the death of me.  I’m trying to be a gentleman here and you’re whispering naughty things in my ear.”  She giggled a bit and then it turned into an all out gut pained laugh and I couldn’t help but laugh with her.

             
She finally quieted down and moved in close to my face and said, “I didn’t think I was capable of naughty things until you came along.  Now I’m free to say all the dirty things I want.”

             
“Oh wow, I’ve corrupted you.  Don’t tell my mom!”

             
“Ha! Now I’ve got blackmail material.”  She began a giggle fest again.

             
“Ok, how about a race?  I need to see if you’re as good of a swimmer as you are a skater.”

             
“Oh I can swim circles around y
ou buddy.”  I could see her expression
transform into her game face.

             
“OK, we race over there to that log sticking out of the water and then back to the boat.”

             
“
Eeeeewww
, I am not touching that thing.” She said and her eyes got big and she clapped her hands over her mouth. I lifted one eyebrow but refused to say a word.

             
She splashed me. “You know what I mean.”

             
“OK, on the count of three.  One, two, go!”  I yelled and we took off at the same time.

             
She was an excellent
swimmer, I’ll give her that but
I totally let her beat me.  It was getting late and we got back on the boat.  I let her go up the ladder first and it had nothing to do with manners.

             
She went inside wrapped in a towel and I told her that she could take a shower if she wanted.

             
“Um, is it lake water?” She asked as she pointed to the shower and I could almost hear her brain screaming “icky!”

             
“No, it’s clean water in a drum.  Don’t be silly.”  I pecked her on the lips after I said it.

             
“Ugh…” she groaned loudly, “I’ll never get used to this boating stuff.”

             
Before
I
knew it the words just came out of my mouth. “Well, I’m going to be on and off of a boat and the water f
or the rest of my life so you might want to get the hang of it.
” 

             
I knew she was gawking at me.  And I commanded my body to keep walking through the living area, up the stairs and to the top deck where I planned to set up our sleep
ing arrangements.  If I was honest with myself it was the truth.  There was no future I could imagine without her in it.  But I was too chicken shit to turn around and see what her reaction was.