Page 23 of Agony

“Do you really want to talk about that right now?” he asked, giving me an odd look.

“No, but this silence is getting awkward,” I admitted.

He smiled and turned his attention back to the water.

“So, have you?” I prompted.

“Yup.”

“Oh.”

I moved away from him a little bit. I didn’t know how to react. I mean, I still liked Jess and everything, but…

“Now it’s awkward,” he said.

“Not completely,” I lied.

“Hmph.”

Suddenly he got to his feet and stretched. He looked down at me and held a hand out. I took it and let him pull me off the towel. He intertwined his fingers in mine and we started to walk down toward the water. Instead of rejoining Addie and her boys, he turned and we just walked down the shoreline silently.

It was actually quite nice, walking along quietly with someone like Arsen. When we reached the rocks, he put his hands on my waist and lifted me up. I stood on the rock and Arsen pulled himself up behind me and took my hand in his again.

“Where are we going?” I asked curiously.

“I wanna show you something,” he replied with a mysterious smile.

I narrowed my eyes at him and he laughed. We carefully walked over the rocks until we reached the lighthouse that was sitting alone. Arsen walked up to the door and pulled it open.

“Come on,” he said, pulling me in and closing the door behind us.

We walked up the winding staircase to the top door that he pushed open. He climbed up and reached down for me, easily pulling me up behind him.

“What do you think?” he asked, leaning on one of the rails.

“It’s… beautiful,” I breathed.

It really was. The beach looked so different from where we were and the ocean looked even more massive from up here.

I put my hands on the railing and smiled as the breeze went by. The air even smelled crisper up here.

Arsen left his spot and moved behind me. He leaned against me and put a hand on either side of mine on the railing.

“Like it?” he asked softly.

“Yes. Thank you for bringing me.”

“You’re welcome.”

I watched one of his hands leave the railing, and then felt it brush my hair off of my shoulder. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply when he put his head on my shoulder.

His other hand left the railing and wrapped around my waist, pulling me back tightly against him. He shifted his head on my shoulder and grazed his lips against my neck.

I felt the oddest, most amazing sensation from that simple action. I opened my eyes and turned myself around. It amazed me how big Arsen truly was and it also amused me that I only came up to his chest.

“Look at me, baby doll,” he said, lifting my chin with his hand.

I looked up into his eyes and he smiled. I instantly returned his smile and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

---