laid over me. Beyond the foot of the couch was an open kitchen, and
him
, with his back to me. The taste of tequila still lingered in my mouth – probably seeping through my pores as well.
I pushed myself up to sit, expecting pain, but it didn’t come. Instead a swirl rocked me. I blinked, trying to focus. The stark white room forced me to squint against the intense brightness.
‘Hey,’ Cole greeted me, busy with something in the kitchen. ‘Hungover?’
‘No,’ I rasped, running my fingers through my hair,feeling one side all pushed up. I attempted to smooth it down and tuck it behind my ear. ‘I think I’m still drunk.’
Cole chuckled. ‘I wouldn’t doubt it. I’m making pancakes, if you want some.’
I looked around the small open space, with its wall of shelves filled with books, pictures, boxes and ocean paraphernalia. There was an oversized beige chair, complementing the couch I had awoken on. Behind the couch was a square wooden table with a couple of chairs. The kitchen was separated by a peninsula that had three wooden stools pushed against it.
I stood up and shuffled over to the sliding glass doors to admire the ocean view, then opened the door and walked out onto the wooden deck. The clouds hung low over the water, casting gloom over the barely visible islands that lay in the distance. Wrapping my arms across my chest, I braced myself against the chill of the breeze. I closed my eyes and breathed in the damp air, settling the dizziness.
Cole stepped out and stood beside me, placing his hands on the railing, watching the seagulls flying across the water before landing on the beach, scouring for food.
‘Crappy day,’ he observed, glancing at me. I turned towards him, blinking lazily through the clouds in my head.
‘Feels like me,’ I groaned, earning a grin. He went back inside while I continued to stare out at the dark water. There was something inviting about the rhythmic surf intermingling with the grey sky. I wanted to float along its surface, breathe in the mist.
When I looked back into the house and saw that Colewas preoccupied with cooking, I crept down the steps, easing over the rocks that were smooth and cool under my bare feet, until I reached the coarse sandy beach. The bordering houses were dark and seemingly unoccupied.
I stared out at the water, and my heart convulsed. I took one more glance at the house without seeing a sign of Cole. Releasing a settling breath, I slipped out of my capris and peeled off my top, dropping them on the sand along with my bra and underwear. Before I could change my mind, I waded into the frigid water until it pushed up against my thighs and dived beneath an oncoming wave.
I broke the surface, gasping at the freezing cold water. A wave crested above my head, and I ducked under it, re-emerging on the other side. All around me the fog was thick, blending the surrounding houses into the shadows. I lay back on the rolling surface and kicked my feet, pushing further away from shore. My thoughts were quiet as the water lapped around my ears, dissolving the world around me. The buzz in my head was replaced with a calming hush. Nothing mattered.
Some rational part of me knew I needed to get back before the water sucked me under – but I stayed on the surface a little longer, not wanting to give up the stillness. I tried to imagine what it would be like to let it swallow me up, and surrender to the silence forever.
With a quivering inhale, I slipped under the water. A wave captured me and pushed me to shore. I broke through the surface and inhaled the cool air, filling my lungs. I continued to glide towards shore with the waves, until my knees scraped along the sand.
‘Are you insane?’ Peyton scolded, standing on the beach, holding a towel in her hands. ‘Your lips are purple, and you’re
naked
. What the hell are you thinking?’
I glanced around before I stood up, making sure it was just the two of us.
‘Right now?’ I paused. ‘Nothing.’
him
, with his back to me. The taste of tequila still lingered in my mouth – probably seeping through my pores as well.
I pushed myself up to sit, expecting pain, but it didn’t come. Instead a swirl rocked me. I blinked, trying to focus. The stark white room forced me to squint against the intense brightness.
‘Hey,’ Cole greeted me, busy with something in the kitchen. ‘Hungover?’
‘No,’ I rasped, running my fingers through my hair,feeling one side all pushed up. I attempted to smooth it down and tuck it behind my ear. ‘I think I’m still drunk.’
Cole chuckled. ‘I wouldn’t doubt it. I’m making pancakes, if you want some.’
I looked around the small open space, with its wall of shelves filled with books, pictures, boxes and ocean paraphernalia. There was an oversized beige chair, complementing the couch I had awoken on. Behind the couch was a square wooden table with a couple of chairs. The kitchen was separated by a peninsula that had three wooden stools pushed against it.
I stood up and shuffled over to the sliding glass doors to admire the ocean view, then opened the door and walked out onto the wooden deck. The clouds hung low over the water, casting gloom over the barely visible islands that lay in the distance. Wrapping my arms across my chest, I braced myself against the chill of the breeze. I closed my eyes and breathed in the damp air, settling the dizziness.
Cole stepped out and stood beside me, placing his hands on the railing, watching the seagulls flying across the water before landing on the beach, scouring for food.
‘Crappy day,’ he observed, glancing at me. I turned towards him, blinking lazily through the clouds in my head.
‘Feels like me,’ I groaned, earning a grin. He went back inside while I continued to stare out at the dark water. There was something inviting about the rhythmic surf intermingling with the grey sky. I wanted to float along its surface, breathe in the mist.
When I looked back into the house and saw that Colewas preoccupied with cooking, I crept down the steps, easing over the rocks that were smooth and cool under my bare feet, until I reached the coarse sandy beach. The bordering houses were dark and seemingly unoccupied.
I stared out at the water, and my heart convulsed. I took one more glance at the house without seeing a sign of Cole. Releasing a settling breath, I slipped out of my capris and peeled off my top, dropping them on the sand along with my bra and underwear. Before I could change my mind, I waded into the frigid water until it pushed up against my thighs and dived beneath an oncoming wave.
I broke the surface, gasping at the freezing cold water. A wave crested above my head, and I ducked under it, re-emerging on the other side. All around me the fog was thick, blending the surrounding houses into the shadows. I lay back on the rolling surface and kicked my feet, pushing further away from shore. My thoughts were quiet as the water lapped around my ears, dissolving the world around me. The buzz in my head was replaced with a calming hush. Nothing mattered.
Some rational part of me knew I needed to get back before the water sucked me under – but I stayed on the surface a little longer, not wanting to give up the stillness. I tried to imagine what it would be like to let it swallow me up, and surrender to the silence forever.
With a quivering inhale, I slipped under the water. A wave captured me and pushed me to shore. I broke through the surface and inhaled the cool air, filling my lungs. I continued to glide towards shore with the waves, until my knees scraped along the sand.
‘Are you insane?’ Peyton scolded, standing on the beach, holding a towel in her hands. ‘Your lips are purple, and you’re
naked
. What the hell are you thinking?’
I glanced around before I stood up, making sure it was just the two of us.
‘Right now?’ I paused. ‘Nothing.’
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