Chapter 26

I felt like a criminal who was wanted in at least seven countries by the way I tried to hurry back to my room, tiptoeing all the way to the end of the hallway.

I heard someone moving around in the living room but I was too afraid to turn around. As soon as I reached the door to my room, I pushed it open and slid inside as fast as I could.

When I saw Leigh on her bed, I bit into my tongue but she already heard the door closing.

She exhaled and moved around while a frown took over her face. When she saw me, she blinked a few times while my heart almost ripped through my ribcage.

"What time is it?"

I wiped my hair out of my face.

"Around five."

"Why are you up then?" She groaned and hugged her pillow.

"I was sick." I improvised. "I had to go to the bathroom."

When Leigh examined my worn-out appearance, she hummed to herself while she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Well, you certainly don't look like who just came back from a beauty competition."

I gasped and walked over to my head. My head was still pounding and my lips were so dry that I almost believed that I'd been living in the desert lately.

"Thank you, seriously."

"You know me, Heddy." She said and turned around. "My honesty is my gift and also curse."

Before I could open my mouth to say something, she started to snore, pushing my words back into me.

"I know." I whispered while roaming around the wardrobe to find something to wear.

I grabbed my clothes when something jumped into my mind. It was already too early in the morning and there was no way that I'd go back to sleep.

That was one of my curses, if I woke, up no matter how tired I was, I just couldn't go back to sleep.

I decided to go for a swim to relax my body after the intense night I'd just had.

When I grabbed my phone, I noticed a missed call from my mother then a new text from her.

I assume you are too cool now to pick up for your mother, so happy birthday

I rolled my eyes and threw my phone on the bed and changed.

She was calling me while we were partying, so of course, I hadn't heard my phone ringing. Also, why did she feel the need to call me when she had texted me in the morning to wish me a happy birthday?

She was overreacting, not even a little. I felt it was the best option not to answer.

I already knew what she'd say.

She'd give me one of her famous speeches that my friends have had a bad influence on me and it's not as cool as we think to shit on our parents.

Then, she'd bring up Seeley of course, with his famous 'it doesn't matter what my father thinks' lines. And I could listen to her for hours while ranting about how it was a bad idea for me to come here and I was just wasting my money while she was at home all alone.

Even thinking of her made me angry. Now, that was the power that she held over me.

After getting ready, I walked out of the room with my towel over my shoulders.

Emilia was in the kitchen making herself breakfast. She turned to me when she heard my footsteps approaching her.

She looked so tired that it made me think if she was sleepwalking for a second.

"Hey." I smiled and put on my shoes.

"I'd say good morning but I hate you at the moment." She narrowed her eyes at me and I froze in my place.

"Why is that?"

"Because it was your birthday that made me hug the trashcan in sleep." She pointed her finger at me.

"So, it's my fault that you were drinking?" I asked carefully.

"Yes, so take full responsibility for your actions."

"Take responsibility for my birthday?" I asked and she inhaled sharply. Then she shook her head and turned back to her cereal.

"Just go." She murmured and I laughed at her painful expression. "I'm too hungover for this shit."

Obeying, I went out as the cold wind breezed over my skin. I massaged my neck while walking down to the beach.

I barely saw anyone which made me even more relaxed since I wouldn't be listening to the screams of little kids while enjoying the summer.

I walked away to an almost hidden spot on the beach where no one was around. Putting my towel down, I took off my shorts and shirt and walked into the cold water.

My muscles tensed at first then got used to the cold after a few minutes.

I stared at the early sunrise while slowly disappearing in the water. Only silence and peace surrounded me under the water which made me wish that I could stay down there forever.

Wiping my face, I got lost in the sunrise while multiple thoughts invaded my brain.

I walked down a path last night that I'd never come back from. And it felt great to satisfy your physical needs without any feelings involved.

If I would have known that one-night stands were this fun and also exciting.

But I made a note that I would never get drunk ever again. I could only hope that my birth control was working just fine.

I knew that there were small chances that it didn't work but mostly I was fine during my last relationship, so I kept holding into that thought.

I heard something or someone splashing into the water behind me. I turned around in confusion just in time to see Seeley coming up and wiping his wet hair out of his face.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" I asked, swimming backward.

Seeley sighed and let his head fall into the water.

"Yes, I definitely should be." He said closing his eyes.

For a second I got scared that he'd fall asleep in the water and would drown.

"Then why are you here?" I asked.

Seeley licked his lips while water was dripping from his hair. It was a sight to see.

"Because you are here too." He said the obvious.

I let myself smile a little before turning around.

"Our agreement only includes us having sex, not having romantic and intimate dates in the ocean."

He raised his eyebrows.

"Is that so?"

"Yes." I said, watching him close the distance between us. Memories from last night when he crashed his lips into mine and lifted me up then pressed into the wall flashed in front of my eyes.

"If you want it this way, then just ask." He grinned and before my mind could catch up, he grabbed my legs underwater and pulled me close to him, placing my legs around his waist.

I automatically took hold of his shoulders while my legs were tightening around him.

Why was I so speechless whenever he got close to me? Things weren't this difficult with him before. What changed?

My body was on fire even though the water was cold. Trying to focus on the cold around us, I stare into his eyes. They never looked so green before as now.

"I'm actually a little sore from last night." I said and his grip tightened around my waist.

He gave me an amused look.

"I'm not surprised." He said while grinning like a maniac. "We'd done quite a few things over the night."

I wanted to ask him what else happened after we left the bathroom that resolved me falling asleep with him in the same bed but my brain refused to ask that question.

"I didn't know that you were a freak in the sheets." He teased me and my cheeks flared. Not knowing what he meant by that just made me drop my gaze to the water between us.

"Can you not talk about it, please?" I asked softly.

He fixed his gaze on me while rubbing my thigh.

"Why?" He asked. "I meant that as a compliment."

I turned my head away, suddenly wishing that I could swim away from him but his firm hold on my body made it almost impossible.

"I thought women liked getting compliments." He furrowed his eyebrows.

"We do." My eyes met his. "Just not about a drunk night."

"Why is that?" He asked. I waited for him to laugh at me or just do a horrible job at attempting to hide his smile but he seemed genuinly curious.

"Well, I can't speak for everyone."

"Then speak for yourself." He suggested. "I'm only interested in you anyway."

When I gave him a questioning look, he inhaled.

"It's true." He reassured me. "At the moment, who else would get my attention like you? No one."

His words hurt a little when he said 'at the moment' but then my brain reminded my heart that this was in our agreement.

No strings attached.

I couldn't let myself getting too lost in Seeley, this thing between us was just for the summer. And the more I enjoyed, the more I'd care about him and before I could even blink, the summer would already be over.

This couldn't end well if I didn't keep my feelings and heart in their place.

"Well, you can do whatever you want until the end of the summer." I said. "But don't ever bring up the things I'd done while drunk."

Seeley let himself smile while he grazed the top of his nose over my neck, leaving nothing but goosebumps there.

"But those are the best parts." He whispered into my ear and I shut my eyes for a brief second, while his voice took over me.

"I like to live in the present." I said and draw circles on the side of his jaw. He was watching me, mesmerized and stunned to speak.

"I do too." He let me know.

He leaned closer and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. I wanted to pull away but my body refused to do the logical thing if Seeley was tangled around me.

The waves were rocking us softly while birds were flying above us toward the blinding sun. I ran my fingers through his wet hair while his tongue rubbed over mine.

I inhaled, enjoying his scent while his fingers deepened into my skin but I didn't mind that at all.

I felt drunk on his kiss while heat ran over my body as he seduced me with his tender kisses.

I pushed my thoughts aside, trying to keep me alarmed that anyone could see us. I was too fazed to think about that right now.

When he pulled away, his pupils were dilated as he stared into my eyes.

"Does that mean that I can have you all to myself for the rest of the summer?" He breathed into my mouth.

Even if for some reason I wanted it to say no, I wasn't capable of it.

A part of me still felt guilty about how I played him back then, so I thought that doing this fully with him would not only help him forgive me but also would help rebuild some parts of our friendship.

We could never be together anyway, we just didn't fit and weren't that invested in each other.

We just needed each other physically and that wasn't a very uncommon thing anyway.

"Anytime you want to." I said, my voice small.

For a moment all I could hear were the waves of the water around us. We just stared into each other's eyes in desperation.

I wished I could read minds so that I could know what was he thinking about at this moment. But he didn't let go of me, so I assumed that he wasn't planning on backing out anytime soon.

And I was more delighted about that fact than I let myself know it.

"Be careful with your words." He said, his voice hoarse.

"Why?"

"I might take them too seriously." He warned me in his deep voice which made my bones shake.

"I wouldn't have a problem if you did." I admitted by heart to his surpirse.

I liked how startled he looked by my confession. Since we were this honest with each other, there was no point in acting like I didn't want him either.

"You just love having secrets, don't you?" He asked, cupping my face.

I enjoyed his touch and leaned closer to him.

"Having secrets to myself are my favorite thing."