Page 68 of When love and Hate Collide

“No, no, it’s not Pax.” I cry, staring at my hand, not having the nerve to meet her gaze. I need to tell her the truth. All the lies I’ve been telling her are eating me up inside. “Ash, I’ve done something really, really stupid.”

Ashlyn bows her head to look me in the face, but I keep my eyes cast down. “What is it babe? Whatever it is it can’t be that bad surely.”

I bite my lip hard, tears of despair streaming down my face. I’m fighting with myself to find the courage to tell her, but the words get lodged in my throat. “Ash, I sl—” A knock sounds at the door and Ash tears her eyes from me to look at the door.

“Hold on.” Frowning, she slides off the bed and walks to the door to open it. When I hear my sister’s voice coming from the door, I quickly wipe away the tears and dry my eyes. I don’t want her seeing me like this and I sure as shit don’t have the energy to deal with her firing questions at me too.

“Why aren’t the two of you ready yet? The boys are on their way up.” Jess huffs, walking into the bedroom clad in a black bikini and a knitted neon pink cover up over it. A beach hat on her hair and a bright yellow beach bag hanging off her shoulder. “We only have the jet-skis for an hour and they’re both getting testy with me for making them wait.”

Ash looks over at me, her gaze apologetic and I shake my head meekly, forcing a smile on my face. “Have you been crying?” Jess gasps and rushes over to me. “What’s wrong, Jey?”

I feel my emotions bunching again and I shake my head, standing from the bed. “No, nothing, I’m fine. I was just sick. I think I have heat exhaustion or sunstroke.”

Jessica pouts and presses her hand to my forehead. “Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe you should stay out of the sun today and rest?”

“I’ll be fine, I’ll wear a hat and sit in the shade.” I assure and we walk to the door. Just as Ash opens it, the boys appear. Like two magnets, my eyes interlock with Dean’s and when I’m inundated with memories of the night before and all the things we did, another wave of nausea hits me. I shift behind my sister and lower my gaze to the floor as I scurry past him, avoiding his watchful gaze while we make our way to the elevator.

The others talk animatedly about the foam party and concert the hotel is having later in the evening. I stay quiet and walk into the car first and lean against the wall, Dean and Jessica walk in after me followed by Oz and Ash.

I lift my eyes to look at the numbers at the top left and stiffen when I see Dean watching me through the mirror from his position at the opposite side. Something happens to my heartandmy body whenever this boy looks at me with such unease and tenderness in his gaze. I’m not accustomed to getting looks like that from him and it makes me nervous.

An hour later we’re all in our life jackets ready to go jet skiing. “All right, keep it safe out there and stay within the perimeter that’s roped off, understand?” The instructor says and we all nod. “You all know how to ride?” Ash, Oz and Dean all nod, but Jess and I look at one another and shake our heads. “Okay,” the instructor chuckles, “I wouldn’t recommend going on alone then girls. Jump on with one of the boys.”

“I call Oz!” Jess chirps and runs over to him, laughing. I gape at her and then look at Dean who smirks.

“Oh, come on!” I exclaim crossing my arms over my chest like a petulant child. “Why can’t I ride with Ash?”

Ash grins and climbs on her jet ski, “You can do baby, hop on.” I smirk at Dean and walk over to Ashlyn and climb behind her.

“Don’t kill me, bitch.” Ashlyn laughs and starts the engine, and we start moving. Five minutes in and I understand why the instructor recommended I get on with one of the boys. I love Ash, but her small frame isn’t really the sturdiest, especially when our arses lift off the seat every time we go over a wave. I see Jess holding onto Oz for dear life and ducking behind his muscular frame to keep the water from splashing in her face.

One moment I’m pushing a wet strand of hair out of my face and the next I’m flying off the jet ski when Ash makes a sharp turn. I barely have time to yelp before I’m hitting the water surface hard at high speed and sink under. The shock of the fall and the angle I hit the water feels like a hard slap to the face and I’m momentarily disoriented so it takes a couple of seconds for my brain to acknowledge that I’m submerged under water. Thankfully, the life jacket pushes me up to the surface and I suck in a greedy breath, filling my deprived lungs. My vision is blurred, and my eyes are stinging from the saltiness of the water. I cough out the water from my windpipe.

“JJ!” I blink up at Dean when he appears next to me on his jet ski, his arm stretched out for me, “You all right?” I nod mutely and take hold of his hand so he can pull me up on the jet ski behind him.

“Jey, I’m so sorry, are you okay?!” Ashlyn shrieks and I nod, coughing.

“Yeah, I’m fine, really it’s my fault.” I assure when I notice the worry in her gaze. Dean looks back at me, his eyes narrowed.

“Thank God Dean noticed and came back for you. I didn’t even realise that you fell. I’m so sorry,” Ashlyn apologises woefully as Oz circles around and joins us.

“Ash, please, can we not make a big deal about this, I’m fine. You’re acting like I almost died, I got a little dazed but I’m fine now.”

“Are you sure? Let me take you back to shore so they can check you over.” Ash says holding her arm out to me and I shake my head and laugh.

“Absolutely not, you’ve been looking forward to this all day. Also, I am never getting on a jet ski with you again. I’ll take my chances with Dean, thanks.” I tease and she smiles, her nose crinkling a little.

“I love you.” She coos, cocking her head to the side.

“I love you more, now scram.” I shoo her away with my hand and she cackles and revs her engine before she speeds off. Oz gives me a silent ‘are you sure you’re okay’ look and I nod back at him, smiling reassuringly.

When he rides off with my sister, Dean looks back at me.

“Hold on to me, I’m taking you back.” I hold his gaze and his eyes lower to my cheek that is stinging like I just got bitch slapped in the face where I face planted the water and then back up to my eyes again.

I don’t argue with him and nod, my ears are ringing, and I feel sick enough I might actually hurl again.

It doesn’t take us long to get back to shore. I keep my eyes closed and my head pressed against Dean’s back when my head goes faint as we slow and eventually stop. It’s not until I’m off the jet ski and my feet touch solid ground that I realise how unstable I feel. Dean helps me with the life jacket and lifts me into his arms.

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