CHAPTER 23

Genesis's POV

LOVE

A four letter word. A promise. A sourvenir once given. Love is the strongest force the world possess and yet, the humblest imaginable.

Love is not something you go out and search for. Love finds you wherever you go. Wherever you are. It knows. You don't have to be an engineer to build love or a lawyer to defend it. You don't even have to be a doctor to save it. It only requires you to be sincere to conserve it.

Love is an unconditional commitment to an imperfect person. To love somebody isn't just a strong feeling. It is a decision. A judgement. A promise.

I have witnessed people just throw the word about without given it much thought or possessing much knowlege of its meaning. They say it without actually meaning it. They make it a habit. 'I LOVE YOU' means I accept you for the person you are and I do not wish to change you  into someone you are not. It means I do not expect perfection from you just as you don't expect it from me. 'I LOVE YOU' means I will love you and stand by you through the worst of times. It means loving you when you are in a bad mood and too tired to do the things I want to do. It means loving you when you are down and not just when you're fun to be with.

If you love somebody, you love them with their scars, their sadness and their flaws. Love is true when it gives you the freedom to be the perfect reflection of your real self, doing exactly all you've ever wanted to be.

I have never been in love with anyone. I have never had the opportunity to get to know anybody. I have never crossed its path and it hasn't even crossed mine. Last night made me think a lot. Think about myself. Think about Keegan. Think about us and the way I felt towards him.

Keegan is an exceptional human. A beautiful creature. He makes me smile. He makes me laugh. He makes me feel safe, loved and deeply connected. He melts my heart with his touch. Leaves me with butterflies in my stomach with his words and his kisses. Oh! Those kisses. Those lovely passionate kisses. When our lips brush, it always weakens my knees and makes my heart thud so hard in my chest.

I love him.

A smile crept up the corners of my mouth.

I do love Keegan.

I love Keegan Ramsey Scott.

The ocean breeze whispered like a lover, placing salty kisses on my cheek and tousling my long brown hair. I smiled and stretched out my bare hands like a star-fish to feel it wrap around my fingers. I closed my eyes to the lullaby of the ocean, breathing in its poigant salty breath as people ran back off and forth on the sand, lingered around the shores of the ocean and plunged into its mouth.

Noises of laughter and chatter filtered here and there around me as I kept my eyes closed under the scorching sun, smiling up contently at its bright rays till I felt a pair of soft lips tenderly sip at my mouth. My eyes fluttered open, meeting a pair of bright silvery, blue orbs staring lovingly down at me. In that instant, my mouth stretched so much, so much that my cheeks hurt.

              "Hey." He breathed against my mouth.

              "Hi."

              "What has been making the girl I love like hell smile so much?"

I giggled, "Nothing. Just thinking."

His perfectly shaped eyebrow curved, "About?"

              "You."

              "Oooh. Good things, I suppose. My heart's gonna break if it ain't."

I laughed, "Sure they are."

              "So what were you thinking about that got to do with me? Perhaps, how I'm gonna make you cum so hard on my dick when I finally get the chance to be inside of you."

I splitted my sides so hard, swatting him on his cheeks.

He chuckled above me.

               "I won't want to ever get out. That's for damn sure."

Oh God.

               "Keegan..." I scolded him, laughing.

               "So tell me...what is it?"

I smiled, "Well, I was just thinking how I love being around you. You make me happy Keegan." I confessed, on a serious note.

Colour rose to his cheeks. I laughed to see them. He turned his face away from me but I didn't miss the way he was smiling like a Chesire cat.

             "Are you blushing Keegan?" 

His chest rumbled with loads of unsuppressed laughter as he rolled over on the sand, pausing on his back and bringing his network of veins scattered hands to shield his face from my view.

              "Damn. Look what you've done to me Genny. Still can't believe it."

I reached, leaning up against him. "Believe what?"

              "That I could actually fall so hard for someone in just a short span of time."

              "Do you regret it?"

              "What?" He pulled his hands away to look down at me curled up beside him. "Hell no. If anything, I love it. I love feeling this way about you. I love everything its bringing my way. I love you Genesis. So fucking much. I can't help it. You're just....you. So beautiful and gorgeous. Fuck, you're just too real, down to earth and so fucking different from what I'm used to and I just..." He laughed. "I'm blabbing, ain't I?"

              "No." I smiled. "I love listening to your voice."

He groaned, scrubbing his hand down his face, "Fuck...Genny. Come, let's go into the water." He picked me up before I could even comprehend the meaning of his words and began in the direction of the ocean.

I kicked my legs into the air, words of protest flying from my mouth.

                "Oh my God, Keegan. No, please."

                "Why? You don't wanna swim?"

                "I can't...."

                "You can't swim? Fuck that, I'll teach you."

I laughed, "Of course, I can swim but look around. There are so many people here. I can't walk around half naked." I reached behind my legs in a bid to pull down the seams of the off shoulder cotton-like beach gown I had on.

               "We'll be alone." He tickled my sides.

I jerked so hard like an earthworm fighting off sprinkles of salt, "Oh God Keegan. I'm going to puke my breakfast on you if you keep on tickling me."

               "Then I'll make you shower with me tonight."

I laughed when he did it again, screaming so loud I caught the eyes of some college students looking at us.

The water rippled at its surface as he dived into it from high up the cliff with me clinging so hard against his body and together, we plunged into the ocean. I laughed so hard when we hit the surface, spluttering as he came up behind me.

              "You okay?"

I giggled, turning around to wrap my arms around his neck, "You're here with me so yes, I'm okay."

His mouth crooked at the corners as he leaned down to kiss me. Carnal and slow, his mouth moved slowly against mine. The gentle carress of his lips sent a shiver of pleasure through me.

He pulled away, leaning his head against mine, breathing, "Meet me at the other side." And then, he began to swim, leaving me.

I caught on, swimming after him in cackles of laughter, calling him out on his deceit. He caught me off guard, kissing me like that to unsteady me. No way.

It didn't take long before we got out of the water with me taking residence on his back. I had caught up to him and swam passed him. It was fun doing it again as I brought him down over and over. I am a good swimmer and super fast in water. It was a shame he didn't know that before challenging me to a contest.

              "You took me by surprise." He  crooned, chuckling.

              "You deserved it." I laughed.

              "Remind me never to do that again. I swear I had no idea. Baby, you swim like a fucking fish."

              "My dad taught me how to swim when I was five. He taught my brother and I everything we know."

              "Respect."

              "I'm so wet."

              "Woah, are you serious? Why didn't you let me know sooner? How long has it been?"

              "No, no. Oh God Keegan, you have such a dirty mind. You need to sanitize it."

              "And this dirty mouth of mine I know you love so much can do unimaginable things to you if given the chance."

I tipped my head back in laughter. "Oh God. I meant I'm wet. Like I'm soaked. My dress is soaked with water."

His brow raised in understanding. "      "Ah, I get now."

              "You're crazy."

He chuckled, "Only for you."

I shook my head grinning down at him. I yanked at the roots of his hair from below me. He yelped, guffawing and catching me by my wrists.

              "I need to go change."

              "Do you want me to come with you or...?"

              "No. I'll be back soon."

He lowered me to the sand and I turned to face him immediately. He dipped his head and took my bottom lip in his mouth, tugging slightly at it while sneaking the tip of his tongue to sweep sensually across the worried skin. I closed my eyes and savoured his flavour.

He finally released my lips, smiling down at me.            

             "I'll be waiting."

             "Oh God." I shook my head and hid my face from him, twirling just to feel him slap my bottom. I jumped and spun around to face him, feigning a glare. He winked, mouthing only to meet my ears, 'I love you'.

I turned back around, giggling to myself.

The shore was a graceful arc of sand, glittering under the summer sun, a place for a placid ocean to lap. The waves rolled in with a soothing sound, the salty water a brief flurry of sand. Every few meters of so lay a shell, a treasure of the aquatic world just out of reach, and the footprints they left behind were soon erased.

As I trekked en route to the beach house, I watch the life bustling out of people. It was beautiful. It was enchanting. It was magical. The sea was packed with college students hanging out, just having a good time. Far off into the distance, I sighted a huge white yacht. The lone word 'Scottish' was creatively and neatly inscribed at the side with a bright red paint. It was filled with people of both genders in swimming attires, dancing, drinking and partying so hard with their hands thrown to the skies above them.

Surfing in the brine, creating that water-lace trail, absorbing the heat of the summer sun, riding upon the top of the greatest waves the sea has to offer were surfers. I have surfed once. Actually Jace made me do it or should I say I only did to prove a point to him. To pass down the message that anything that had to do with the water, I was better in the aqua that he could ever be and oh, I surely did pass down that message.

When I surfed, I felt my inner spirit rise with the waves, riding so freely upon their crest. I felt my body in synchrony with my mind. There's a joy in it, feeling waves of serenity as steady as the ocean. It's being there in the sunlight, existing in each sweet moment as if it were just one, the past falling away with a gentle acceptance of the future we create.

A sight under an oak tree made me cringe so hard and throw my eyes so very far way. I saw Lana swaddling a guy's lap, moving in an up and down motion, bare and naked for the whole world to see. The scene left waves of shock rippling through me. She was comfortably having sex in front of everyone and their tongues tangled together. Lana was a wild creature, careless and untamed. She was nonchalant about a lot of things, throwing caution to the wind at every given opportunity.

I hurried past them, keeping a very straight face. In no time, I reached the main beach house, utilising a whole fifteen minutes to mosey from the ocean side. I decided to quickly take the elevators to the third floor instead of using the stairs in a bid to get back to my boyfriend on time. It didn't take long before it dinged and I crossed over en route to Keegan's room.

Getting there, I rushed to the closet and quickly changed to another piece of clothing, similar in design to the drenched one I had on but unalike in colour.

Taking inventory in front of the gigantic mirror mounted on the wall, I strided to the door to leave. I was rambling along the lavishly marbled floors, adjusting my dress to sit better on my skin when a chill curled up my spine. I froze, straining my ears to hear it again and I did. I heard it loud and clear. I heard the music, plaintive and forlorn, wistful with an expression of pensive sadness.

The notes flowed in perfect synchronization, in perfect rhythm, touching my soul in sweet vibrations, yet generating a cycle of tension in my bones. It was heartfelt and melancholic, shooting tingles through me and then I saw him. I saw him. I saw him sitting behind a great, shiny, pitch black structure of a piano, with his shoulders slumped down and fingers playing over the keys. He was in a loose black shirt that had a round neck. It rolled down to cover his arms and palms. Black jeans hugging his bent athletic legs that stretched on forever.

I blinked, stunned for a bit. It was my first time seeing him wearing something other than his usual black leather jacket on black hoodie, finishing up with a black jeans. It made me wonder if the colour black was his favourite. Well, given his entire persona, it wouldn't be so far from the certainty.

His head was hung low, his hair a mess all over his head. It was the first time I was seeing his tresses in broad daylight given his choice of clothing, except for little peeks here and there. They were exceptionally long and curly, black like night, thick like the forest. They fell like waves to sit firmly on his tattooed neck. I noticed those didn't just stop at the front of his neck. They swam through the sides and encroached into his nape. I knew from his waist upwards was also covered in ink but I was curious to know where else. Something told he was tattooed all over.

              "Shut the door." I flinched at the deep tone of his voice, surprised I had mindlessly crossed over the threshold into his room and extremely surprised he sensed my presence. I didn't even realize I had been holding my breath. Slowly, with my heart beating so fast and goosebumps attacking my skin, I closed the door gently, barely making it squeak. There was no doubt he intimidates me. In every way, Dario intimidates me.

I swallowed, clenching and unclenching my fists as tension settled deep in my stomach.

I closed my eyes, breathing in and out and then opened them again. His back was still turned to me, his broad shoulders stretched so wide, thick with muscles. I could hear my heartbeat so loud in my ears.

               "I-I didn't know you play. You play so well. I...liked it. What-what else do you do?" He said nothing to that or replied my question either. I bit my lips, contemplating on my next choice of words.

               "Why..."I shook my head, swallowing down again. "Why aren't you with...with the others at the beach? There's no...no one here. You're all alone."

Next came the silence, long and stretched. I thought he wouldnt reply or rather still, give me a savagery answer. I thought he would ignore me and probably scream and yell so loud at me to get out...to leave his presence but...

              "Non so nuotare o entrare in acqua. Mi fa male e voglio essere solo." (I can't swim or go in the water. It hurts me and I want to be alone).

Confusion wrecked all over me. My brain tried and failed to process the meaning of what he said or language in which it was spoken. One thing I was certain of was that it wasn't English. He could have been laying curses on me but then again, his tone of voice wasn't accusatory. If anything, it was calm. More calm than I have ever seen him.

Then he rose, dawdling to face me, carefully and slowly like he had all the time in the world and he did. He did have all the time in the world. Dario had all the time the world had to offer because I'd wait for him. I'd wait for him to get to me.

What shocked me the most was the look I saw on his face. His face harboured an expression I have never associated with his features before. Gone was the tough, mean, alpha male persona he had created for himself and replaced with this scared, damaged, lost little boy I have never envisioned him possessing. I realized something so astounding in that single moment. Under that hard and brittle personality was someone more vulnerable than I could have ever fathomed.

He started sauntering towards me. Slow and long steps eating away at the distance between us. Tension grew in my muscles and my breath became more shallow and more rapid. My pulse quickened against the side of my neck and my heart sped into overdrive.

I gasped, "Dario." With my voice low on a whisper.

             "Mio inizio."

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