~ Zoie's POV ~
"Sweet girl," he said again, breaking the silence.
"Yeah...?"
Zoie watched his reaction cautiously, anxious to know where his mind was going. Asher's expression was stern and serious. His eyes were hooded and dark.
"I think we should get outta here," he said.
"Oh? Why?"
This is it... is he gonna ask me to...?
"I need to take a leak," he said with a sheepish grin.
So much for the sexual tension!
Zoie rolled her eyes in response. She almost felt embarrassed for feeling what she felt. And she wanted to smack that stupid grin off his face, but she restrained.
"Ew! Don't you dare do it with me here in the water!" she said instead, pulling away and swimming to the shore.
"I don't think I can hold it much longer!" he yelled playfully.
"Asher! Euuugh! Get away!"
"Hey, I think I just peed a little,"
"Nooo!" she groaned. "Yuck!"
Zoie pushed and paddled as fast as she could to the shore. Asher was just laughing that sinister laugh as he followed behind her.
Once they reached the shore, Asher went behind some trees to relieve himself. Zoie shook off the excess water from her hair and body before taking a seat on one of the rocks.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed their backpacks on the ground, and Asher's backpack was slightly ajar. A notebook was peeking out and it piqued her interest. Asher usually wrote his notes on his laptop. What does he use a notebook for? A mischievous smirk curved up Zoie's face as she tiptoed around to get the book.
Zoie picked up the book and examined the cover. It was a normal black and white composition notebook and there were several rubber bands wrapped around it. Asher clearly didn't want anyone reading this book because of the way the rubber bands bound the book together. But on the corner of the book, a piece of paper stuck out. It looked like a plane ticket or some sort. Curious, Zoie pulled it out. It was actually the plane ticket stub from their last trip back to New Jersey.
Why does Asher keep this?
Feeling more curious, Zoie pulled down the rubber bands and the book flipped open. Inside, there were receipts, ticket stubs, and even napkins saved from various restaurants and places that she and Asher had gone to. Zoie picked up a napkin from Olive Garden, an Italian chain restaurant they went to a couple of months ago. On that napkin was a handwritten note saying:
Dear Zoie,
The unlimited breadsticks really got the best of us. We ate and laughed so hard until we got so full that you had to unbutton your jeans for the rest of the night. I love how you can be yourself without restraint. You make me feel like I can do the same. Nothing in this world makes me feel fuller than you do. Not even all this pasta. Not even all this air. Not even the limitless possibilities in life. You are it. You are all.
Zoie picked up another piece of paper and this time, it was a ticket stub from a race track they went to a while back. On the back of that paper, she saw another note:
Dear Zoie,
You make me fall so fast. In just a matter of seconds. With the speed of light. You already got me on that first night. And I'll forever be chasing after you with all my might.
Zoie felt a pang in her chest. No one's ever written poems about her before, and not only that, these might be the most beautiful poems she's ever read. Zoie flipped the pages of that book and she saw more writings. All of them were addressed to her. The dear Zoie letters.
"Zoie?"
Suddenly, she heard a voice. She didn't move or turn around, she just froze in her place.
"What are you doing?"
Asher was standing right behind her. He looked over her shoulder and saw the notebook wide open.
"Ah, shit," he muttered. "You found the book?"
"...What is this...?"
Zoie knew what that was, but she wanted to hear him say it out loud. Asher shuffled in his spot, coughing awkwardly. He looked kind of nervous, which was cute. He was always too cool for school and never nervous about anything.
"It's, um, you know... just some ramblings I wrote about... you..."
"Some ramblings?"
"Yeah, some words,"
"Ash," she said as she stood up. "These aren't just some words. These are poems and they're so beautiful!"
"R-really?" Asher stammered. This was probably the first time she heard him stammer.
"Yeah! I mean, I can't believe you kept all these and you wrote poems about you and me- these are so good! Why didn't you show it to me before?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "I don't really think they're that great. They're just the thoughts I have in my head,"
Zoie cocked her head to the side and stared at him. These writings were amazing and yet he thought it was just some ramblings.
Oh, Ash. I don't think you know how amazing you really are.
"Well, I think your thoughts are beautiful," she said as she took a step closer.
"Why, thank you," he replied.
Which is why I need to show it to you. I need you to know how amazing you are and how I'm so utterly and hopelessly in love with you.
Zoie stared at Asher with such intensity. He looked into her eyes and he was taken aback by the gravity that her gaze held. There was admiration there. And longing. And hunger. Hungry to be near him. To hold him. To be one with him.
"Zoie...?"
Zoie didn't respond in words. His dark hazel eyes were so undeniably alluring. Without giving it a second thought, she leaped into his arms, kissing him on his lips, and pushing him back in the process. Asher lost his balance and the both of them fell, splashing down into the water again.
* SPLASH! *
Zoie was shocked for a moment. Her first instinct was to swim up for air. But before she could do that, Asher pulled her down and he just smiled at her. His hair was waving from side to side in the water, and his eyes held a playful glint as he pulled her closer.
Zoie couldn't help but smile as his lips found hers again. She was no longer breathing, literally. Her hands were on his face and his hands were on her waist. They were dancing around in zero gravity, lips locked, and hearts bursting into flames.
When they finally came up for air, they couldn't stop laughing and smiling at each other. Zoie's heart never felt so full. Not even the water or the oxygen can fill her lungs with this much joy.
I guess I know what Ash means when he's talking about this feeling.
The water was still a little cold, but her body was on fire. Zoie locked her arms around his neck as he held onto her waist. They locked eyes with each other, and she was still smiling from ear to ear.
Leaning in, Asher closed his eyes and closed the distance between their bodies again. Her hands gripped his shoulders tightly as his held onto her waist to support her. All that tension that existed before was now replaced by this weightlessness about them. Combined with the sensation of the water all around, everything felt heightened.
Zoie locked her legs over Asher's waist and his hands roamed to touch her. Everywhere, in every way. He buried his face on her neck and his heavy breaths were warm against her skin. He sucked hard on her sweet spot and Zoie tipped her head back, allowing his lips to send her to paradise.
Asher then pulled away slightly and they refrained from kissing. Instead, they just looked into each other's eyes for a long time, savoring the moment and savoring each other for as long as they could.
There's never anything in the world that can make me feel the way he makes me feel...
Slowly, Zoie felt Asher's hands moving down her body. He pulled her dress up and pulled down her underwear. Zoie swallowed hard, but she didn't complain. She responded by unbuttoning Asher's pants and pulling them down.
Zoie didn't know how to explain this, but the moment when he delved into her, when his manhood plunged into her core, her body melted like ice in a fire. Their bodies molded into each so other perfectly. He started moving in and out and Zoie lost all her senses. Everything was flowing. Everything was warm. Everything was beautiful.
We were moving to the same rhythm, to the same beat.
Like we were like a poem. Like two words tangling together.
Just you and me.
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- - - - - - To Be Continued - - - - - -