The Summer Boyfriend

by Benjamin, Christina

  He pulled his lips from Joy’s, giving himself a moment to calm down. “Christ, I want you, Joy.”

  “I’m yours,” she whispered breathlessly against his mouth, capturing his lips once more.

  For five more weeks, Joy.

  You’re only mine for five more weeks.

  I think you’re going to break me, Joy.

  But I think I want to let you.

  Joy

  Piper’s barking pulled Jo from the moment she’d been lost in. That moment was Hayden’s lips and hands and eyes. She couldn’t get enough of him. But he heard the barking too and paused to look around. The sound of an engine rumbled toward them and panic stabbed Jo in the chest.

  “Get in the van,” she yelled, squirming from Hayden’s arms.

  Jo ripped open the driver’s side door and climbed in, pulling Hayden behind her. She crawled over to the passenger side, shoving Piper to the back. Hayden took the driver’s seat and shut the door behind him.

  He stared at Jo with alarm. “Are we on private property or something?”

  “No, but we can’t let anyone see us.”

  “Joy, we weren’t doing anything wrong.”

  “Yes, Hayden, we were. That’s why we made the rules. This has to stay secret or I’m out.”

  “Okay, I get it. But we’re in the middle of nowhere. It’s not like someone from ACE was going to catch us out here.”

  “This is a small island, Hayden. Word travels fast. Now drive.”

  His eyes widened with worry. “You want me to drive?”

  “Yes. You’re in the driver’s seat. Come on! Go!”

  He started the car and looked around anxiously for what to do next. “Um, I feel like this might be a good time to mention I don’t know how to drive.”

  “Well, no time like the present to learn.”

  “Are you serious right now?”

  “Deadly. Put your foot on the brake and shift into drive.”

  “Which one is the brake?”

  Jo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she climbed onto Hayden’s lap. Who doesn’t know how to drive? But there wasn’t time to switch seats. The sound of the engine behind them was getting closer. She put her foot on the brake, shifted into drive and stomped on the gas.

  The van lurched forward, trucking down the bumpy road with too much speed. Hayden wrapped a strong arm around her waist to keep her anchored against him. It took some effort to concentrate fully on the road with the feel of Hayden all around her. She decided talking would be the best way to distract herself from the glorious warmth of him seeping into her backside.

  “How is it possible that you don’t know how to drive?”

  “I have a driver.”

  Jo choked out a laugh. “Excuse me? You have a driver? Who are you, Chuck Bass?”

  “Who?”

  “Never mind.”

  “It’s not a big deal,” Hayden muttered. “No one drives in Manhattan.”

  A quick glance at him in the rearview told Jo she’d hit a nerve. It only made her smile more. She found it adorable that he was embarrassed by his lack of driving experience. And although his flushed cheeks were delightful, she couldn’t bring herself to tease him further. “Well, guess who will be driving home?”

  The van lurched, hitting another rough patch on the road. Jo was nearly tossed out of her seat, but Hayden held fast, pulling her back onto his lap with force.

  “I think maybe my first driving experience should be on an actual road, not the Jurassic Park game trail,” Hayden cracked.

  Jo laughed. “Very funny, New York.”

  Hayden

  Hayden sent up a silent prayer when they finally parked the van at the Munro Trail head. He sighed in relief when Joy slid off his lap and he could get out of the death trap she called a vehicle. Not only did he worry the thing was going to rattle apart from the breakneck speeds she pushed it to, but he was also dangerously close to embarrassing himself for the third time today.

  Having Joy’s fine ass bouncing up and down on his lap for the last twenty minutes had nearly gotten the best of him. If it weren’t for his extensive memory bank of gross turn-offs he surely would’ve exploded beneath her. Today, his thanks went to his food aversion, specifically curdled milk and expired mayonnaise.

  Hayden’s balls were as blue as the freaking ocean, but at least he hadn’t ended up churning butter in his shorts. But goddamn, this girl was pushing him to his limits.

  Joy whistled for Piper, who’d already run off down a trail.

  “So, where are we hiking?” Hayden asked studying the trail map posted in the parking lot.

  “Munro Peak.”

  Hayden read the description beneath the trail: this popular hiking destination is an eight-mile vertical hike through the rainforest rewarding hikers with a stunning 360-degree view of the island from the peak, which reaches high above the vegetation at an elevation of 3370 feet. Skill level: intermediate. Not recommended for pregnant women, small children or those with vertigo or heart conditions.

  Hayden swallowed thickly as Joy came to stand by his side. “Unless it’s too much for you?”

  “No, it looks perfect,” he said, smiling back at her.

  And it did. Anything sounded perfect as long as it involved keeping Joy by his side. The thought gave him pause. He knew his heart would be fine. It was stronger now. But physical strength wasn’t what worried Hayden. It was his inability to make rational decisions where Joy was concerned.

  He’d have said yes to an 800-mile hike through the desert if that’s what she wanted to do. Hell, he’d follow her into a volcano if she asked. She blinded him in the most terrifying way. All he could see was her.

  When he was with her he didn’t think five steps ahead like usual. He didn’t worry about who he was pleasing or disappointing. He only had eyes for Joy. He let her fill him up, sustain him, own him.

  I’m falling for you, Joy.

  Promise you’ll catch me.

  Joy beamed at him, standing on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. “Okay, let’s go, New York.”

  Hayden took the backpack Joy offered and followed her into the vivid green rainforest, praying he’d survive. Because as he threaded his fingers with Joy’s and walked into the wilderness, he felt like he was starting on a dangerous path. One with very few outcomes. Glory or destruction. Life or death. Joy or misery.

  Please let it be Joy.

  30

  Joy

  “We made it!” Jo exclaimed.

  Hayden scooped her up and spun her around, howling like a lunatic. She couldn’t contain her glee as she laughed and howled along with him.

  “Let’s take a picture,” Hayden said, holding up his phone to snap a selfie.

  The next few minutes were filled with them making ridiculous faces into his camera, followed by lots of laughter and kissing.

  Jo’s favorite photo had to be the one where Hayden surprised her by hoisting her up onto his shoulders. He’d set the camera on time lapse and caught the whole silly thing. From diving between her legs, lifting her up, spinning her around, the both of them lifting their arms and fist pumping like a bad team cheerleading stunt, to him flipping her over and tangling his lips with hers.

  As she swiped through the photos she couldn’t help but notice the wide smile and unguarded laughter gracing her face in each one. She looked so raw and carefree. She hadn’t seen herself that way in a long time.

  Hayden wrapped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled her neck. She leaned into it trying to hold onto the happiness the girl in the photo owned. But Jo could already feel it slipping away. “We should delete these,” she said.

  “What? Why?”

  “Photos don’t keep secrets.”

  “Can I keep just one?”

  She slowly shook her head.

  Hayden sighed but took his phone, selected all the photos and trashed them.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “I should be the one thanking you.”<
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  Jo frowned. “Why?”

  “For taking me here. For sharing this with me. For giving me these secret moments.” He pulled her close. “I don’t need photos to remember this, Joy. My heart will never forget.”

  Jo buried her face in his chest, listening to the soothing thump of his heart. She closed her eyes and drank him in, committing the sound to memory. She’d need it when all this was over.

  Hayden’s fingers found her chin and tilted her face up to look at him. He squatted down to pick her up. Her feet dangled above the ground as his arms cocooned her and his lips reassured her. She shut off her mind and lost herself in his kiss.

  Hayden

  When they’d kissed each other breathless, Hayden set Joy back on her feet. His heart was so full it felt like it might burst. He pulled Joy’s back tight against his chest so they could face out over the island and drink in the stunning view of the sparkling blue water.

  “Well today has been full of firsts,” he said, settling his arms around her.

  “What do you mean?”

  “First time driving a car. First time hiking. First time kissing a beautiful girl atop a mountain.”

  Joy’s face fell.

  “What?” he teased, “Don’t tell me this is where you bring all the boys you kiss?”

  The look that crossed Joy’s face was so pained that Hayden felt it in his own chest. It was like a kick to the heart. It was also blatantly obvious that Hayden was not the first boy Joy had kissed up here. He fought the jealousy that raced through him. But more than that, he fought the urge to kick himself for ruining their moment.

  Joy shrugged out of his embrace. “We should start heading back,” she said quietly.

  She was pulling away from him in more ways than one. Hayden could practically feel her light mood evaporating. She whistled for Piper and started down the trail, leaving Hayden to wish he’d made a no talking rule for himself so he’d stop putting his oversized foot in his mouth.

  * * *

  Halfway down the path, Joy turned onto another trail called Waterfall Way. Hayden wanted to say seeing a waterfall would be another first for him, but he was afraid to open his stupid moment-ruining mouth. So he kept quiet and followed soundlessly behind Joy until she finally stopped near a picnic area.

  “Hungry?” she asked.

  “Always.”

  She smiled and took the backpack from him, rummaging around for what was hopefully food. Hayden was starving. As a competitive swimmer, he was used to consuming massive amounts of calories. But evidently Joy was not.

  Her assortment of food was as haphazard as her apartment. Their picnic meal consisted of two cans of soda, a 100 Grand candy bar, a six-pack of Oreo cookies, one half eaten bag of potato chips and a single serve cheese and cracker stick packet that Hayden had only seen on nineties television shows. He kept waiting for her to pull something else out of her bag. Something edible, like sandwiches or fruit, but when she settled down at the table and tore open the candy bar, Hayden collapsed with laugher.

  Joy looked up at him, startled. “What?”

  “Is this seriously all you brought?”

  She reexamined the sugary mess on the table like she was missing the joke. “Yeah. Why?”

  “Oh my God, Joy, tell me this is not the shit you eat on a normal basis.”

  “What’s wrong with my food?”

  Hayden laughed, plunking himself down next to Joy. “Um, Joy, sweetie, I don’t know how to tell you this, but I don’t think any of this junk can actually be classified as food.”

  “Why not?” She picked up the packet of crackers and cheese goo. “Wheat and dairy.” Then the chips. “Vegetables.” Then the candy bar. “Nuts and protein.” Then the Oreos. “Dessert.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  She pouted. “Stop picking on my food or I’m not gonna share.”

  “Joy, everything on this table is either sugar or poison. I mean the lack of nutrition is seriously impressive.”

  “It is not.”

  “I bet Piper wouldn’t even eat it.”

  Joy arched an eyebrow defiantly and tossed Piper a greasy potato chip. The dog sniffed it, then backed away, looking back up at Joy with confusion.

  “Traitor,” Joy hissed, tossing Piper a dog treat.

  Hayden was quaking with laughter as he shook his head and wrapped an arm around Joy’s slender shoulders. “You are proof that God didn’t create everyone equal.”

  She popped a piece of candy bar into her mouth with a frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “That not everyone can feed their bodies garbage disguised as sugar and still look like a masterpiece.”

  Joy

  Joy had been on the verge of laughing about her poor diet choices when Hayden called her a masterpiece. Her laughter stuck in her throat, replaced by surprise, then doubt.

  As if he could see what she was thinking, Hayden brushed her golden hair out of her face and gently caressed her cheek. “You are a masterpiece, Joy.”

  She huffed a laugh. “More like a mess.”

  “One man’s mess is another’s masterpiece.”

  She grinned and he pressed his lips to hers.

  “Mmmm. You taste like sugar,” he purred.

  “Is that a complaint?”

  “Not at all.”

  They finished their makeshift meal between kisses and conversation. Joy was grateful the storm that had been brewing within her earlier seemed to subside. She should’ve known bringing Hayden to Munro Peak would’ve dredged up old feelings, but she’d been so excited to show him something that she loved that she hadn’t stopped to think about the last person she’d shared that spot with—Max.

  Somehow, it was as if Hayden had known. And he’d also known what she needed. He’d given her space. He’d allowed her to breathe and reconcile things within herself as they hiked back down.

  She knew making new memories with Hayden didn’t diminish the ones she had with Max, but it was still difficult. She hadn’t truly let anyone in since Max. And she hadn’t even meant to let Hayden in. But she had. She’d wanted whatever this was between them to be purely physical. But the girl in the photos he’d taken proved this was much more than that. That girl was happy. That girl wasn’t afraid to open up her heart. That girl was hopeful and bright and new. That girl was the version of herself that Jo wanted to be.

  She glanced at Hayden who was reading the nutritional label on the packet of Oreos looking appalled. She couldn’t help but smile. The world was strange. Sometimes it brought you things you didn’t think you needed. But as she watched Hayden tentatively bite into the cookie, she realized that maybe just for these next few weeks he could be exactly what she needed.

  He’d already figured out her signals and known how to lighten her mood by picking apart her awful picnic. He was absolutely right. Jo’s nutritional tastes were lacking. It’s not like he was the first person to point that out to her. Jack and Ryan were always on her case about it. Luckily, Ethan and Lucas were junk-aholics, too, so she had some allies.

  Jo never got to eat like this. She wouldn’t be caught dead eating junk food around Kai. But this summer was like a cheat-week marathon. And not just for junk food, she realized. But for other cravings too.

  “I still don’t know how you can eat this shit,” Hayden mused.

  Jo shrugged. “It tastes good.”

  “For like a minute. I can already feel my body regretting this meal.”

  “Oh, live a little, New York.”

  Hayden cut his eyes at her. “I plan to, by never eating this crap again. I’m packing our next picnic.”

  “Fine by me,” Jo said, gathering up the wrappers and packing them back into her pack. She pulled out a dry bag containing towels and started to strip down to her bikini.

  Hayden watched her. “What are you doing?”

  “Going for a swim.”

  “Where?”

  She pointed over her shoulder. “Waterfall. Come on.”

/>   Jo didn’t wait for Hayden to respond. She knew he would follow. She grabbed her dry bag and marched down the path to the falls.

  Hayden

  Hayden scrambled up from the table, his heart nearly flatlining as he followed, Joy down the narrow path labeled Falls. His eyes watched her perfect ass swaying from side-to-side as she swaggered down the trail.

  Goddamn, I’d follow that ass anywhere, Joy.

  The thunder of water grew louder as they got closer to the falls. When Joy reached the edge of a cliff, the waterfall came into view. It was stunning. The ledge they were on was about halfway between the falls. Water cascaded from above them to a deep blue pool below. Hayden was momentarily distracted by the beauty of the falls and when he looked back at Joy, he realized with sudden horror what she was about to do.

  She chucked her dry bag off the cliff. It plummeted through the air in a desperate free fall before splashing into the water below.

  “Get it, Piper.”

  Hayden was frozen with terror as he watched the fearless dog launch herself off the cliff into the water below. Her spotted head emerged from the water and she skillfully paddled after the floating yellow dry bag, tugging it to shore.

  “You’re next,” Joy said, turning to Hayden with a magnificent grin on her face.

  “Me?”

  “Yeah, you, New York.”

  “Um, maybe you should go first.”

  She laughed. “Okay. Watch and learn.”

  She moved to the edge of the cliff and balanced on her toes.

  Hayden’s heart was in his throat. He wanted to yell at her to stop, to be careful, but he was afraid to disrupt her concentration. Seeing her so full of boldness only bolstered his fear. He was sure she’d probably done this before, but watching her hurl herself off a cliff wasn’t something he’d been prepared for. But that’s exactly what she did.