June 24

Loon Call Island, Lake Rosseau, Muskoka

Punching out from work, I grab my small bag and wave goodbye to Hunter.

Greyson's already pulled the boat around and takes my bag from my hand as I approach.

"Still on for tonight?"

"Of course. Mum and Dad are on up on Georgian Bay for a work dinner. They'll be home tomorrow."

"You up to toss something on the grill at your place, watch a movie, or something. I'd like to spend some time together, just the two of us if that's cool with you."

I smile at him, equally excited, and only a little nervous, for some time alone with him. "Sure. Head there now?"

He offers me his hand, and I step down into the boat. I bite back a smile. In the past year, well two years really, all the boys have kind of been adopting the code of gentlemanly chivalry our fathers tend to stick to. No matter how many times I've jumped or scrambled into a boat, car, or walked through a doorway, recently, all the boys feel it's their duty to help me. Come winter, I'm sure they'll forget I've been putting my own coat on for years, too. They're certainly leaning into the gentleman act, hard.

When it comes to the boys and their dating lives, which, aside from introducing them to my friends, I am explicitly forbidden to interfere with, they're all very chivalrous. Theo sometimes pushes the boundaries of what's gentlemanly, but deep down, he's a sweetie, I think he's just a little misunderstood, and a lot of his bluster is for show.

Brodie and Greyson are the wild, unpredictable ones in the group. They're actually so similar, it's eerie. Their dark, brooding moods and rougher attitudes can be off-putting, but once you get to know them, they're marshmallows at the core. Although Brodie is a natural protector, a big-brother figure, whereas Greyson is, well, Greyson. I thought I'd had him pegged, but now, I'm just not sure.

Hudson is simply the perfect gentleman, though, but really we have Winston to thank for that as well. I stifle a giggle, thinking of our etiquette classes at the club, but shake those thoughts off.

When we pull up to my dock, I leap from the boat with the stern line in hand, pulling against the waves. Greyson pulls the nose in by tipping the throttle in reverse, spinning the wheel away from the dock. The engine revs loudly, fighting against the powerful waves.

He'd spent summer after summer helping me learn to park the big inboard boats. I always had an easier time with my smaller outboard engine, since I could tell which way the boat would go just by looking over my shoulder.

Last year, for my birthday, Greyson and Hudson bought me this ridiculous hook, making fun of me for my terrible parking skills. I've since learned and can manage well enough, but it had taken every ounce of Greyson and Hudson's collective patience to teach me.

Greyson tosses my bag over his shoulder and pauses before offering me his hand. I link my fingers with his, and my heart melts at his soft smile. We cut through the main house to grab two herb marinated chicken breasts from the freezer, some orzo pasta and a selection of fresh veggies we can toss on the grill.

Since we're staying home, I grab four bottles of low alcohol ginger beers from the fridge, making a note to tell my parents later.

Greyson grabs a market basket from the cupboard "Load me up."

I pack some basics from the pantry to take over, olive oil, sea salt, black pepper before picking some fresh herbs from the garden box. Greyson watches me curiously. He's a terrible cook, and we all know this. But, he grills to perfection. So whenever we have Greyson in the cooking rotation when we're not with our parents, we all know how to plan accordingly. He's also the best cook when we're camping, so he has some redeeming qualities in the non-conventional kitchen, so to say.

"Have anything special in mind for tonight?" I ask him as we walk back to my cabin.

"Just spending some time together, maybe we could watch a movie? You can even pick." He smiles at me, pulling the sliding door open for me to step through.

I turn the ceiling fan on and look up to the vaulted ceiling as it starts. The scent of pine is strong, the fragrant wood is paneled all over the interior. There are few smells I love more than the scent of pine and the forest.

"Maybe an evening swim? Before dinner?" If we don't swim, I definitely need to shower. It was a hot day at the marina, and right now, I feel sticky, and smell of perspiration, sunblock, gasoline, and oil.

Greyson walks across the main open room that's home to the dining table, kitchen, and living room and unpacks the basket into the fridge. He pops the top on two of the ginger beers, handing one to me. "Let's head down then."

I change quickly into a bikini, and when I walk back out, Greyson's already wearing his board shorts. I love the way they ride low on his hips, the sharp cut of the muscles there drawing my eyes lower. He is so beautiful. I should probably think of another way to describe him, I guess men don't exactly like being called beautiful. 

The sun's only just starting to set when we walk down to the dock, it's stunning, the oranges, pinks, reds, and blues mixing together to create the perfect watercolor backdrop to an evening swim. Greyson sets his beer on the edge of the dock and dives in, no hesitation.

I edge my way to the end of the dock, barely managing to run my toes across the surface of the water. It's refreshing, but not cold. Perfect.

I follow Greyson's lead and dive in, cutting through the water smoothly. Opening my eyes under the water, I look around to see where he is, arching my back to glide up to the surface just in front of him. I tip my head back to slick my hair away from my face and watch him quietly.

"You're so beautiful, Elle."

His quiet comment startles me, it's said with such intensity that I look away. His hands reach out, pulling me close to him, and I hook an arm around his neck.

Unlike last summer, I feel a little stiff and awkward in his arms. Without Hudson and Theo here as a buffer, or the adrenaline from the cliff jumping, without the excitement of our first date buzzing through me, it feels different to be in his arms now, completely alone.

Greyson must sense my discomfort because he looks down at me, removing the band of his arm from my back, giving me the option to move away if I choose to. For now, I stay where I am. "Relax, Elle."

I sigh, smiling a little tightly at him, "I'm just a little nervous, Greyson."

His hands settle on my hips, and he wraps my legs around his waist, moving to stand in the shallower water.  

"Why are you nervous?" With his feet braced on the rocks, the small waves lap against us, hitting his shoulders. He boosts me up slightly higher, wrapping one arm under my butt to hold me steady.

His other hand smooths slowly over my wet skin, starting from my thigh, up my side to my back, settling between my shoulder blades. My pulse goes haywire, and I can't express myself the way I want to. I start to quiver in his arms, small shakes wracking my body, all nerves, neediness, and an apprehension I can't quite explain. The combination of these feelings leaves me off balance, stressed.

Greyson frowns, and his provocative hold on me shifts, pulling me in for a hug instead. After a moment, I relax in his arms and lay my head on his shoulder as his free hand strokes its way up and down my back, eventually resting at the nape of my neck and squeezing gently.

A soft but rough whisper close to my ear makes me shiver again. "There's a fine line between making you just a little nervous, Elle, and scaring you. I never want to cross that line." His lips press down on the top of my head, resting there for a moment. He walks to the shore, lifting me up and onto the dock before setting me down, handing me a towel.

"You don't scare me, Greyson. Everything is just different this time. I'm scared you'll hurt me again, though, even without meaning to. Last summer, I never questioned our relationship, trusting you beyond measure, then when you changed your mind, it shook that trust."

He pulls me close again, cheek resting on the top of my head. "I'm going to do my best not to hurt you again, Elle. I promise. I want your trust back, I'll earn it back."

I let him hold me close. I want to let go with him again but now that we're alone, I'm feeling edgy, wondering if I'm ready to take this further, trying not to let history repeat itself is weighing on my mind. I wonder if I just need to let go and have faith in him again, in myself.

I stand on my tiptoes and place a light kiss on his lips, pulling back a moment after. "Let's go get some food started. We'll eat and watch a movie, just like you suggested." I keep my voice light, banishing the nerves.

Greyson picks up the two glass bottles in one hand and takes my hand in the other one, leading me back up the hill.

When we're back at my cabin, I walk to my bedroom and close the door. I slide into a pair of soft, tight ankle-length Lululemon yoga pants and a snug t-shirt before walking to my small kitchen. I see Greyson's changed into a dry pair of khaki shorts but is still shirtless as he starts the grill, checking the propane and setting the tools and chicken down on the picnic table beside the barbeque.

I put the orzo to boil inside and set the timer for ten minutes. Then I bring the cutting board and veggies out and sit next to Greyson. We cook together, chatting about nothing really, I tell him about Kuna and my first show, then the one I have next week. Eventually, he opens up a little when I ask about his friends Ryan and Liam.

"We've been friends since we were six, well Ry a year later." The smile on his face as he enjoys some small private memory makes my heart stutter.

"Liam and I played in the peewee hockey league together, we've been on the same team ever since." Grey looks over his shoulder at me, sipping his drink. "He was so small, so fast, no one could catch him. Then, bang. He grew so fast, you think Theo's built, but he has nothing on Liam. Well, had nothing on Liam." 

Greyson's eyes shine brightly for a moment, and he looks away quickly. "When we made the cut at Landon, he was already so wide in the shoulders, so flexible, so bendy, so damn fast, Coach pegged him for goalie right away. He nearly had a shutout season, at least until playoffs. That's when he took the hit when Coach realized there was something wrong with the way his bruises looked, how they weren't fading or something."

Greyson is silent for a moment as he flips the chicken and closes the grill again. "Now, you can hardly recognize him. I'm never prepared for it when I walk into the hospital."

"I'm sorry for your friend Greyson. I'm sorry for how it hurts you to see him suffer. I'm sorry for the helplessness you must feel. I'm just so sorry."

Setting the utensils aside, I wrap my arms around him from behind and press my cheek to his back. He stiffens for a moment, then wraps his hand around my wrist, squeezing. When he pulls away, I sense that he's had enough, that the topic is closed for the night, so I walk back inside to the kitchen.

The cabin isn't overly large, it can sleep six people including the screened-in sleeping porch. But it's perfect for my needs. My brother's cabin is slightly smaller and not equipped with a kitchen. Since Mum and Dad entertain so much, it's more convenient for my brother and me to have our own space, and to be self sufficient when needed. I'd usually cook for my brother and me two or three nights a week when he's not at camp.

I toss together the orzo salad with the grilled veggies Greyson brings me, adding some oil, fresh herbs, sea salt, pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. I set the table on the deck for dinner and light the candles before opening the last two ginger beers from the fridge.

Greyson slides the chicken breasts onto our plates before dumping the platter in the sink. As we eat, he watches me intently, which makes me a little self-conscious. I haven't brushed or dried my hair, so I start to think I must look a bit wild or something with the way he's watching me.

"What?"

"Nothing, I just like looking at you." He flushes slightly at the admission, turning his attention back to his food. I smile, taking a small sip of the spicy ginger beer.

I watch as he smiles to himself, shifting his gaze back to me. "Tell me about the list this year, Elle."

Grinning, I shake my head. "You know the rules, Greyson. I only share a few points at a time. Otherwise, you make fun of them and fight about who's going to be stuck doing them with me."

He laughs, a deep, rolling laugh that makes me smile. "Come on, I promise to do every single one of the items on the list with you if you show me, I swear. I won't tell anyone, and I'll only volunteer after someone else does."

My spirits lift at this. It would be the first time I manage to get someone to do the whole list with me. Setting my fork down, I dash into my bedroom and pull my notebook out. Sitting back down with Greyson, I start to read the list.

"We've already ticked a few. Shopping and ice cream in Steamboat Bay, wakeboarding, and waterskiing, although I still have to actually make that work for it to count." I laugh at that one, sure it's doomed to failure.

I turn the journal towards him so he can see the rest of the list.

Try one new thing this summer

Go strawberry picking

Toast marshmallows

Watch fireworks

Have a water balloon or water-gun fight

Play giant twister on the water trampoline

Dance in the rain

Host a dock party

Outdoor cinema night

Take at least five hundred Polaroids or pictures this summer

Make a new friend or friends

Stay awake all night, so we can watch a sunrise and a sunset

Dance all night long

Take a midnight swim

Do something that scares you

I look up, gauging his reaction as he finishes the list on the first page. "Then, we have to go on a road trip and see a festival, but that's already on the books for July, as you know."

I close my notebook shut with a snap. "Oh, and I guess I should tell you, full disclosure and all, so you know what you're getting into. I also have 'get a tattoo' on this list, second page, so since you've already promised to do everything with me, think about what you'd like." I just can't resist faking this last option to tease him.

Greyson doesn't speak for a minute. Then a big smile splits his face. "Brat." He scoops me up in his arms, tossing me into the big nest of cushions on the sofa, then tickling me as I shriek with laughter—his laugh booms out alongside mine. It's a beautiful sound.

"Stop, stop, stop, Greyson. I have to pee." I use this excuse nearly every time, but this time I really mean it.

His laughter dies down as he releases me, smiling, hands up in surrender. I scramble off the sofa, running into the washroom. Two ginger beers, water, and a tickle fight are not a good match for my small bladder.

Washing my hands and rinsing my mouth with Listerine, I return to the living room.

"It's a good list, Elle. I'll do it all with you, and I already have one that you can check off the box."

I curl up next to him on the sofa, but he pulls me onto his lap. "What's that?"

"You can overcome your fear of trusting me, and I promise I'll overcome mine and let you in, I'll try to talk to you about what I'm feeling and try to rebuild your trust."

His calm, soft, and slightly shy statement makes my heart melt. He's right, we both have to start somewhere. I snuggle into him, pressing my face into his neck and breathing his familiar scent in, thinking.

"We can take this week, Elle, then tell the rest of the gang, or sooner, if you want."

His cheek rubs gently against mine, and I shiver in his arms. The subtle, fine sprinkling of rough whiskers on his jaw adds a different sensation than last summer, and I find I like it.

"You've got yourself a deal, Greyson. I'll try to let go of my fear over what might or might not happen, and you open up more."

I stick my hand out to him, and he grins, shaking his head. Instead, one of his hands slides up to cup the back of my head, and he leans in, giving me a moment to decide whether I'll stop him. I hold my breath, waiting. His other hand slides around my back, pressing me close.

When his lips touch mine this time, my breath hitches, and my pulse spikes. The firm press of his lips on mine causes pulsing waves of heat to roll through me. He tastes of the ginger beer he's been sipping, crisp, fresh, a little spicy. When his lips part mine, he takes full advantage, sliding his tongue into my mouth, teasing, stroking. He groans against my lips, a deep vibrating moan that makes my bones melt.

Greyson changes the angle, never breaking the kiss as he shifts me on his lap, so I'm facing him, one knee on either side of his thighs. I slide my hands up his chest, moving one hand up to his cheek, rubbing my thumb across his jaw. His face is chiseled, the jawline sharply defined, the cheekbones angled, his face losing all softness of youth. My pulse jackhammers, the only sounds I can hear are the sounds of our labored breathing and my pulse pounding in my ears.

Greyson threads his fingers through my hair, tugging me closer and crushing my lips to his as he edges the kiss deeper, harder, one arm banding across my lower back to keep me pressed against him. I'm crushed against him so tightly, I can feel the hammer of his heart against my chest. The raw, husky groan he releases as he breaks the kiss sends tingles through my whole body.

He rubs his hands up and down my back, breathing slowly, deeply, resting his forehead to my collarbone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to let it get that... intense." His breath tickles my skin, and he places a quick kiss to the soft spot to the right of my collarbone, before shifting me on his lap, so I'm cradled against him, head tucked under his chin.

"It's okay, that was, well... wow." My voice is breathless, husky. I don't recognize it. I rest my cheek against the soft spot just under his shoulder, listening to his heart's erratic beat.

After several moments sitting quietly, Greyson reaches for the remote control, turning the satellite on and flicking through the channels. "Your pick." he says.

Settling myself against him, I see an old favorite pop up on the screen. Grabbing the remote from Greyson, I select The Little Rascals and curl up happily in his arms, watching a simple story centered on the adventures of a group of neighborhood kids and the changes that overcome their group as juvenile love interests shift the dynamics of their friendships.

The parallel to my own situation with Greyson is not lost on me.

- - -

What was your first love like? Steady and sweet? Or a whirlwind romance?

What do you think of Elle and Greyson together?

Hope you're enjoying the work, would love to hear your thoughts, but if you love it, consider voting!

Xx Toria