It’s Logan who objects and Joel gives him a really annoyed glare.
‘I have been playing football since I was 8, I have seen stuff like that a lot. Nevertheless, let’s get her in bed with some ice and I’ll get Mrs Taffar to take a look, she’s our first aider. We’ll see if she thinks we need the doctor.’
Logan picks me back up and starts walking away from the beach and Joel decides:
‘I am going to go and speak to Angie, just to keep her informed and can someone go with them and make sure she gets that ankle iced and elevated?’
Xander says he was going to follow us anyway and he will make sure I am sorted out while Jemma stands there looking a bit unhappy and then decides to follow Joel.
Logan carries me to the cabin and goes through the lounge area straight into my bedroom and he’s about to put me on my bed when Xander stops him:
‘I think she needs to wash off the sand, she’s covered in it, if you put her on the bed, she’ll get it all over it. Why don’t you go get Mrs Taffar and an ice pack and I will help Clary clean up?’
Logan tightens his hold on me.
‘I can help her and you can go...’
Xander approaches Logan and almost tears me away from his arms and into his own arms:
‘Seriously, Logan, trust me, I will have her settled down by the time you are back. Now, please go and if you can, ask Mrs Taffar if she can make sure Clary gets her lunch and dinner here today.’
His tone isn’t rude but doesn’t leave any room for discussion and Logan looks a tad annoyed but leaves without any further argument.
‘Let’s get you in that shower, baby...’
Xander whispers softly in my ear while he starts towards the bathroom.
He enters the shower cubicle with me and puts me down on the shower bench.
I look at him, redness starting to spread on my face and neck:
‘Are... Are you going to stay here, while I shower?’
He smiles while extracting the shower head from its holder and then kneeling next to me on the floor, palms on my knees, his turquoise eyes fixed into mine.
‘Don’t worry, baby, we’ll keep your bikini on, I just want to make sure that we get all the sand rinsed off and then I will go find you some clothes while you get dried off. I can’t leave you alone in here, just in case you slip. For as much as I would love to take advantage of the situation, I promise you I won’t...’
He turns the water on, makes sure to get a good temperature, warm but not too much and then he directs the water stream towards me, my neck, shoulders and boobs.
He’s still kneeling on the floor, really close to me and his eyes won’t leave mine.
I swallow, feeling my heart beating faster and scoot a little bit closer to him, so that my knees touch his sides.
I put my face closer to his and whisper:
‘I’m grateful that you are a gentleman and aren’t trying to take advantage of the situation, but do you think a kiss would constitute taking advantage, if I am the one to ask?’
He smiles wide, eyes twinkling, one of his hands coming up to cup my jaw.
‘Not if you are asking. And trust me, being a gentleman is so very hard when I find myself in here with you in a bikini. But I promise I’ll behave and maybe this won’t be our only shower together...’
I smile at him and I wonder if he knows how excited and safe he makes me feel at the same time: I haven’t known him for a long time but I completely trust that he would never do anything I didn’t want to do.
I close the distance between us and our lips touch softly.
‘Hold on a second...’
He puts the shower head back in its holder and then helps me to stand, giving me support so I don’t put any weight on the injured ankle.
He takes me in his arms and kisses me with the same fire there was yesterday, when we were alone in my bedroom.
The feeling is heightened by the water streaming on both of us, by the fact that I’m wearing a bikini and he’s in his swimming shorts, so our skin touches in completely new places.
His tongue is exploring my mouth slowly and thoroughly, as if he wanted to taste every inch of it and his hands are on my back, holding me close.
I take one step back without breaking the kiss but putting a bit of distance between us, so I can touch his beautiful chest and abs: he’s lean but very defined, his muscles hard under his skin, water trickling down his pecs and his six pack.
I trace his abs with my hand and he breaks the kiss while one of his hands grabs one of my buttocks and presses our bodies together for a just a second before he lets go and takes a step back, still supporting me with an arm at my waist.
‘Shit, I am sorry!’
He says breathing hard and squeezing his eyes shut.
‘I... My hand didn’t quite remember my plan of being a gentleman... Sorry, baby. But you touched me that way and it was too much. Being near you feels like being drunk right now: I so want more but I know I shouldn’t...’
‘I’m sorry...’
I whisper. He comes closer again and he touches the tip of my nose with his:
‘Don’t be. Going slow isn’t easy but I need to be sure that anything that happens between us, you want. I won’t lie, right now I feel like I’m burning for you, I need to touch you and kiss you like I need to breath... But I can’t and won’t take anything you aren’t 100% ready and willing to give. So... My beautiful mermaid, it looks like you are clear of sand. Let me find you something to wear and a towel to get you dried off.’
He wraps me in a towel and sits me down on my bed and then he returns with a white cotton and lace sun dress.
He takes the towel off me and goes to put it away in the bathroom while I change.
He then helps me to get comfortable on the bed, arranging all my pillows so that I am nestled and he gets one of the colourful cushions that decorate the couch and puts it under my injured ankle.
‘Ok, if we keep it elevated, this should help and now we only need some ice so we keep the swelling down...’
‘Here’s the ice!’
Thunders Logan basically blasting inside the room, followed by Mrs Taffar.
‘So, child, did you take a bit of tumble? Let’s see this ankle...’
She’s a tall woman with brown hair, fair coloured eyes and a welcoming smile. She radiates heat and sympathy even though she tries to look scary when we hang around her busy kitchen.
She checks my ankle and decides that since it hurts mostly when I put my weight on it but I am relatively ok when I move it, it shouldn’t need the immediate attention of a doctor.
‘But if tomorrow morning there’s no improvement, we’ll get you seen. Now rest and I brought over a pasta salad and a few finger sandwiches. If you want, I can send some cake later on...’
‘Cake sounds heavenly...’
I beam.
Xander sees her to the door and then tries to usher Logan off too but he doesn’t seem willing to go.
‘I want to stay here with Clary. Why don’t you go?’
Xander rolls his eyes, frustrated.
‘Look, Logan, I have a tennis lesson to give in one hour. How about you let me have lunch with Clary and then come back later? I don’t want to leave her alone anyway and you can be here with her all afternoon. ‘
He considers it for a few moments and then turns to me:
‘Are you ok with him keeping you company? I can get Hazel or Brie, if you want... I just remembered that I had promised Brooklyn to go kayaking with him. But I will be back when Xander has to leave...’
I reassure him that Xander will be good company.
‘He won’t bite, I am pretty sure of it...’
That makes Xander burst into laughter, probably thinking about his first attempt to kiss me and I blush a little at that memory.
‘Ok, then. You take care of her and don’t piss her off, you seem to enjoy that...’
He scowls at Xander who ushers him out without saying anything.
Xander cl
oses my bedroom door and sits at the foot of my bed, taking my ankle in his hand, very delicately and starting to massage the swollen area as gently as possible.
‘Logan seems like a good friend, very fond of you...’
I swallow, unsure about what to say: between the uncomfortable topic and his hands on my skin again... I can’t explain how any time Xander touches me, since the very first time we met, even when I used to dislike him, I have a very strong reaction: there’s blood rushing in all sorts of places, goosebumps, my heart galloping in my chest and I can hardly catch my breath.
I really like Logan and Austin, to be honest but as much as I am equally attracted to them, Xander makes my body feel as if I was constantly on a rollercoaster.
‘You are very quiet all of a sudden... So out of character for you...’
His hands have been massaging their way up my calf and are now stroking softly behind my knee.
My eyes meet his turquoise gaze and I was about to say something but I totally lose my thread of thought, suddenly very aware of his touch, the tender skin at the back of my knee tingling pleasantly.
He gives me a small smile, still massaging, my leg now on his lap.
‘I... You make it very hard to think when you touch me, Xander...’
I admit.
He lets my leg go and scoots closer taking my hand and placing it on his heart: he’s now wearing a light blue shirt but it’s totally open, so I am still touching his bare skin.
‘Well, I think we have a similar problem, my sweet Clary. Since I saw you for the first time, all I have been able to think is this...’
He keeps my hand on his chest and hugs my shoulders with his other arm, placing his lips on mine in a sweet, slow kiss, taking his time to savour the feelings of our lips touching.
I smile against his lips:
‘And yet, you were locked in a small changing room with me for 7 minutes and wouldn’t kiss me...’
He takes a nibble of my bottom lip and I feel his heart beating faster under my hand.
‘Baby, I love how spirited you are but I admit that I wasn’t sure that my fun banter was getting the desired effect on you... And I didn’t want to mess up if I kissed you when you didn’t want me to. Now I wouldn’t be here, with you in my arms...’
‘Were you worried that I would hit you? Because trust me, the first two days, it was all I wanted...’
‘All...?’
He whispers with his bad boy smile.
‘Well, you infuriated me, that completely erased your hotness...’
His smile broadens.
‘Hm... My hotness? So I wasn’t the only one burning to kiss you then...’
He scoots closer and I am now sitting on his lap, my back against the pillows one of his hands is cradling the back of my head and the other one is feather touching up and down my shoulder and arm.
My voice comes out in a very quiet whisper:
‘Yes...’
He gives me a searing hot kiss and I kiss him back just as eagerly.
He’s never kissed me this way before: his mouth completely covering mine, his tongue stroking mine more decisively, as if he wanted me to know that he feels this same burning need for me that I feel for him: it’s something that I don’t completely understand yet but I give myself to his kiss, as if everything depended on it.
When his lips leave mine and begin trailing down my neck, one of his hands starts skimming over my boob and through the gauzy, thin fabric of my dress, the feeling is so intense that my nipple hardens under his touch...
That sends that overwhelming wave of pleasure through my body that reverberates down, between my thighs.
I hitch my breath when his finger gently touches my hardened nipple through the dress and I grab his bottom lip between my teeth and cover his hand on my boob with mine to slow things down: my body tells me that this is good and we want more but my head says that it’s a lot, too fast.
He gets the message because his kisses slow down and soften and his hand is now tickling the skin by my waist where a lace panel, exposes some naked skin.
‘Ehm... Hello?’
We stop kissing and separate quickly when we spot Joel and Jemma on the threshold of my bedroom: Joel’s eyes are dark and intense, with a certain hardness in them that I have never seen before and Jemma looks pissed and her cheeks are red.
‘Well, now I am not too sorry that I will be late to my tennis lesson to check on my roommate, since you will also be late, Xander...’
He slowly climbs off the bed but keeps one of my hands in his and his eyes fixed in mine when he kisses my knuckles and says:
‘If you need anything, I will be at the tennis court for one hour and at the beach for two after that, I will come back to see you after dinner... But I don’t want to leave you until you have someone here...’
Joel asks Jemma to wait with me and promises her that he will cover for Xander at the beach, until they are done with their lesson.
‘Logan should be here soon...’
Xander reassures him but that makes Joel flinch and his gaze harden:
‘Can’t we get Brie or Hazel? I don’t trust that kid...’
Xander pats him on the back and reassures him that Logan cares about me:
‘He’s a very good friend to Clary and he’s bringing cake from Mrs Taffar. ‘
‘Well, then... If Jemma stays here, I would like to talk to you Xan...’
Xander shrugs and follows Joel outside but not before winking at me and promising:
‘Later, Ariel...’
I smile at his little mermaid reference and then turn to look at Jemma, who’s still standing at the door and still looking quite unhappy.
She steps towards the bed and for a moment I think she’s about to sit down by my side but then she drags one of the plush chairs and sits on that instead.
‘So, now a lot of things make more sense...’
She says, folding her arms against her ample chest and making the tight fabric of her top stretch out.
‘What makes sense?’
I ask a bit confused.
‘Why Xander would resist my every attempt to get closer to him and he seemed actually annoyed by them. He even left my panties behind the other night, when we played truth or dare. It’s because he likes you!’
She says “you” in an accusatory tone and pouts, her bottom lip jutting out.
‘I thought you were going out with Logan?’
I look at my hands, not sure about what I should say.
‘Logan is a very good friend and...’
She smiles.
‘I get it. Look, I seriously don’t blame you for choosing Xander, he’s just so sexy! Those eyes... If he looked at me the way he looks at you, I would totally melt in a puddle. Is he a good kisser?’
I sigh, unsure of how much I should disclose: yes, Xander is an excellent kisser. I love kissing Logan and Austin, who are both great kissers but when I kiss Xander... He just makes me feel alive and my senses are heightened.
I don’t know if it’s because he was my first kiss but with him it’s addictive, I don’t want to stop kissing him, like... Ever.
I don’t say any of that to her, I just stay quiet and smile at her.
‘Well, since Xander is off the market, I’m sure you don’t mind if I go to the bonfire with Joel... He’s asked me but I hadn’t given him an answer because I was hoping to go with Xander but now...’
I nod at her: she’s trying to be friendly I guess, but there’s something in her tone that irks me, some cattiness to it, I guess.
Damn, Brie! Her story about Jemma’s sister must have affected me more than I thought.
‘Who wants cake?’
Logan enters the room with two paper plates in his hand and a big smile.
Jemma looks visibly relieved to be off the hook and stands up.
‘I wish I could stay for cake but I have a tennis lesson with Xander...’
The cattiness is back in the way she says Xander, as if she’
s trying to make me jealous and I admit she succeeds a bit even though I don’t think Xander would have kissed me in front of her if he was attracted to Jemma.
She walks out and Logan sits on the chair she just vacated and sets up the cake: it’s whipped cream and fresh strawberries, my favourite.
We start eating in silence and then, after a few bites, Logan puts his plate on my night stand and takes mine away from me too.
‘You got some cream on your lip...’
He comes close to me, sits on the bed and kisses my lips as if he was cleaning some nonexistent cream.
I smile against his lips and tell him that there was no cream on my lips.
He settles behind me with me on his lap, his chest touching my back, his arms surrounding me and his lips and nose nuzzling my neck.
‘Well, I didn’t know if I needed an excuse to kiss you, so I found one to be on the safe side...’
I smile at him and skim on his cheek with the back of my hand.
‘I think we are safe to say that you can ask me or you can just go ahead and kiss me...’
He smiles wide and twists me slightly around on his lap, so he can get better access to my lips and kisses me very softly at first and when I put my arms around his neck, he opens his mouth and I do the same, enjoying his candy cotton scent and the way his tongue is softly massaging mine.
Logan’s kisses are the sweetest: don’t get me wrong he’s handsome and gets my pulse racing as much as Xander and Austin do but where with Xander I feel like I lose control, with Logan is like being wrapped in a soft blanket and the heat does come but at first it’s more soothing rather than my body catching fire at the first touch.
We slip down on the pillows now lying down next to each other, still kissing.
He pauses for a moment and looking in my eyes with his amazing blue eyes, he asks:
‘Clary, how are you feeling, how is your ankle? I’m so sorry, I am a real asshole. I needed to kiss you and have you in my arms so bad that I didn’t ask... Will you forgive me?’
I cup his jaw with my hand and give him a little peck on the lips and smile at his concerned eyes.
‘There’s nothing to forgive, I wanted to kiss you too and I think I’ll live. It hurts right now when I walk on it but hopefully tomorrow I’ll be better, I don’t want to miss the bonfire...’
Lake Emerald Chronicles: The First Summer: A Reverse Harem Romance Page 12