Page 100 of Unwritten Rules
“I was thinking we could sit on the beach and watch the sunset,” I say, reaching into my pocket. Tatum eyes the headphones in the palm of my hands, the cord no longer white but grey with age. “And, of course, listen to music.”
Tatum grins and leans across the console, nose brushing against mine. “Sinnett Baxter, are you suggesting we do something other than sit in your car?”
I playfully roll my eyes and reach for the handle on the door. “Only if you’re up for it, strawberry.”
“As long as I’m with you, I don’t care what we do.”
My heart lodges itself in my throat. I step out of the car and try to clear it with a cough, hoping Tatum won’t notice. Thankfully, the late afternoon air whipping around us muffles the sound. A few cars are parked in the lot overlooking the beach with only a handful of surfers bobbing in the waves, hoping to catch a decent one. With it being early June, the weather is far too cold to walk dogs or meet up with friends. Which makes it the perfect scenario for us.
Tatum’s shoulder brushes against my arm as we walk to the water, shoes in hand and toes sinking into the sand. The wind whips at my face and exposed legs, making me grateful for thehoodie I threw on after getting out of the shower. My hand itches at my side, wanting to take Tatum’s hand in mine, needing her warmth. Instead, my thumb twists the silver ring on my forefinger.
I survey the length of the beach, and upon spotting an elderly woman walking her small dog along the water and surfers heading into the waves, I thinkfuck it. My fingers slide through Tatum’s, and her eyes snap to the side of my face. Not wanting her to stress about my very public action, I look ahead and relish in the warmth her skin spreads up my arm and across my body.
We settle onto the sand and I shove my feet through the tiny grains, hoping to find some warmth for my toes. Without saying a word, Tatum slides her hand from my grasp and reaches for the headphones in my palm. I watch as she slips one of the earphones into her ear and offers the other to me, all while flicking through her playlists.
Tatum clicks play on a song, leans against my side with her cheek resting on her shoulder, and slides her fingers through mine again. The opening notes of “Stop And Stare” by OneRepublic blasts into my ear, and I exhale a sigh of relief.
This is what I needed after a long week of being exhausted. I was in desperate need of some sort of release; not the sexual kind like I would chase in the past with Zoe and random women I would meet out at bars. Being here with Tatum, feeling her calming presence and getting lost in music… Yeah, it’s exactly what I needed.
I like that we can go from talking about the most random things about ourselves or topics we find interesting, to sitting in silence. It’s the kind of silence that never feels uncomfortable, but can last an eternity and yet, even then, I’ll still crave more because it’s with the right person. Tatum has this unique ability to reach into my soul and see me for who I truly am. Not the halfback rugby player, but a guy who is still figuring out life andwhat he wants. Instead of forcing me down the path my parents desperately want me to take, she has opened my eyes to the endless paths that have always been there but were shrouded in darkness. The paths that I was too blinded by what my father wanted for me to see.
This newfound sense of freedom within myself has been eye-opening. If it wasn’t for the woman sitting beside me, hand wrapped in mine while the other taps against my bicep to the rhythm of the song playing in our ears, I would still be the lost guy she met at the Barrenridge Pub.
The song ends, making way for another upbeat one I haven’t heard before. I listen intently to the lyrics, nodding my head to the simple beat.
“You like this one?” Tatum asks, tilting her head up to look at me.
I nod. “What’s it called?”
“‘Kiss Me’ by Olly Murs.”
Another one to add to the list.
I grin. “Another song called ‘Kiss Me’. If I didn’t know any better, I would say you’re trying to send me a message, strawberry.”
Heat floods her cheeks, mixing with the light pink hue caused by the cool air lashing at us. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Unable to wipe the shit-eating grin off my face, I jump to my feet, not carrying that the earphone rips from my ear with the movement. Tatum squeals when I bend at the waist and hoist her onto my shoulder, spinning her with ease. Her giggles catch the air flowing past us, drifting away while her hands find my back, trying to hold on for dear life as I race down to the water.
“Sin!” she squeals, followed by a giggle. “Put me down!”
“I happen to like you at this angle,” I respond, chuckling. My arm tightens around the back of her legs while my other hand comes down on her ass. “Yeah, I’m never putting you down.”
“Sinnett!”
Laughing like a hyena, I stop short of the water and lower Tatum to her feet. Our eyes lock, sparks catching. My chest heaves as I get lost in her beauty, wishing we could stay in this moment forever. Her hands slide around my neck, bringing our bodies closer. The grip I have on her waist is the only thing keeping me afloat right now, my self-control slipping away rapidly.
“I made you something.” My voice is barely above a whisper, the words getting caught on the wind.
Her eyes round at the edges. “You did?”
I nod. “A playlist of all the songs that remind me of you. Of us.”
Tatum blinks at me, her lips parted. “When did you do this?”
“I’ve been building it since the night I dropped you home when your car wouldn’t start.” I swallow around the lump forming in my throat and drop my head so our noses brush lightly. “You made me a playlist, so it’s only fair I return the favour.”
“Sin,” she breathes. “That’s so kind of you.”
