Page 68 of Always Right

“Look who decided to come out of his shell,” Dylan said as I took off the layers of my clothing, until I was down to my shorts. I decided not to reply and instead jumped in the water, making sure they got the brunt of the splash. I chuckled when they all started to throw water back at me but I didn’t give a damn, not as I swam to Hannah who remained by herself at the edge.

“Deborah offered to take the girls, huh?” I placed my arms on both sides of her body as she spoke, watching how her tongue traced her bottom lip. She looked stunning like that, under the light of the moonlight, with nothing much on other than a swimsuit and a flimsy t-shirt.

Her shaky exhale gave her away as she noticed my eyes roaming her body.

They all stared at us, but I didn’t give a damn.

“I thought you weren’t going to come out here,” she continued. I loved when she was nervous. It wasn’t something I saw often but when I did, when she showed me a glimpse of her vulnerability, I took it. She didn’t allow herself to feel that way with just anyone.

“Well, it’s fucking freezing.”

“Not in the water.”

I gave a small laugh, watching how her eyes avoided mine. Something was going on in that pretty little head of hers...and I was going to find out.

“I have a deal to make with you,” I said, reaching up and caressing her cheek. Her eyes widened for a second, but she didn’t push me away.

“What is it?”

“Honesty.” She swallowed thickly, but my brave woman held my gaze. “I want us to be honest with each other. I’m not sure what the hell we are, if this is a relationship or not, if you want it to be labeled as that, but I need you to tell me the truth all the time. Doubts, anger, sadness...anything. I want you to tell me. I will do the same. Can we do that?”

Her eyes twinkled in the dark as she gave me a single nod.

“The main thing that stands between us, is us.” I ran my hands down her arms, feeling the goosebumps that coated her skin, hoping I could comfort her. I was asking a lot from her...from myself...but I wanted things to work between us now more than ever. “And I want to try this out, Hannah. I want to take advantage of every second with you from now on, okay?”

Cautious, she answered, “There’s still something you don’t know.”

The pang in my chest told me it was serious. “What is it?”

Hannah’s mouth opened and closed and she looked away, shaking her head as she played with the hem of her shirt underneath the water. “I want to tell you, Derek, I do...but I don’t feel ready.”

“Why not?”

Her lips tilted up to a sad smile and she shrugged, as if ashamed. “I don’t want you to look at me differently.”

She could have said many things, yet none of them would tear at my insides like the words she’d chosen.

I don’t want you to look at me differently.

“It was after our fallout and I just...I wasn’t thinking straight...my judgment was clouded by sadness and anger and...”

“Did you hurt someone?”

“Not in the way that you think,” she whispered.

Hannah’s brown eyes held mine, and I could see how hard this was for her. How much it took from her to have this conversation.

“Okay...will you tell me when you’re ready?”

Shoulders relaxing, Hannah reached up, placing a small kiss on my lips. She lingered there with her eyes closed, savoring the moment as my hands traveled to her waist, holding her to me, afraid that she would disappear. “I will. Thank you for being patient.” Her arms wrapped around my neck and a small pout formed on her lips before she spoke again. “And I do want this to be called a relationship, because that’s what it is, right? You and me...no one else. At least I don’t have anyone else in mind. Although...”

I cocked an eyebrow watching how her expression took on a playful glint. “Although, what?”

“Well, if I just happen to run into Jason Momoa one day...I can’t say no to him, right?”

I snorted. She was pushing my buttons. “Keep that up, Hannah, and you won’t be able to think of anyone else’s name but mine.”

A wide grin spread across her face. “I would love that.”

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