Chapter 5: Swim.

SUMMER.

"Hmm this is so nice" I bit into the slice of taco, a splurge of cheese sticking to the corner of my lips. And Vincent, on the opposite end of the table couldn't refrain himself from laughing. I knew whenever he did, there was probably wrong with something on my face.

"What is it?" I groaned, after only shyly agreeing to share the table with him. I knew I was right to have been worried about eating in front of him and all he'd done in the past half hour was constantly prove my point and roll my eyes to as far back in my head that it almost became permanent.

He took a bite of his so delicately that it barely left a mark and I scoffed at his childish flaunting. "But it really is delicious" I added, letting my eyes gaze up to the name of the restaurant at the heart of Oregon. "Taco here is unbeatable compared to any other place" Vincent praised.

"Excuse me." I clamored, even though he could have been right but my biggest mistake would be me admitting to that. "I mean you already said so yourself" He chuckled and I shrugged. "Really—well I take that back."

While a coy smile lit my lips, he had one just as similar across his and it melted my heart that I had such an effect on someone like Vincent. I mean dad always talked about how much stern he was, and almost emotionless. Basically how much of a player he was.

But it was more-so as a terrible person that you'd even doubt that they were best friends. They weren't words he hadn't already said to his face.

"At least we take the crown for pizza!" I exclaimed and by we I meant my hometown New York which was so ridiculous to say because I was told once that no one is really actually from New York but it was true.

"New York Style" I winked at Vincent.

And he raised a hand behind his neck, leaning back into the chair. "Should I be scared to ask whatever it means by New York Style?" He asked and I shrugged, faking an enigma. "Maybe you'll see for yourself the next time you come around. I'll take you someplace" I offered.

And it was immediately I said that his smile faded from his lips, leaving me with a sting in the back of my throat. "You are going to come around right?" I asked the obvious question. A question that was replied by a chilly silence and then he reached across the table.

"Look," I pulled back my arms. "Okay, fine I will come around" And somewhere between his words and the sound of his voice, I could tell he only said that because it was what I wanted to hear.

And suddenly the taco tasted so foul in my mouth that I could almost spit it out at the thought of never seeing Vincent again after this summer and for a brief moment, we were shrouded in the silence. One that actually brought back to my memory what had happened earlier.

"Aren't we going to talk about..." I halted once our eyes interlocked, pushing a hard lump down my throat. "About what?" He faked q confusion even though he could tell exactly what I was talking about. But before I could even say another word, he arose from his chair.

"Come on" Stretching his arm out, he gestured and reluctantly, I stood, my head brushing the height of his shoulders at most. "Let me take you somewhere." He urged, tugging my hands across the pavement and we sprinted across the street, almost as as swiftly for the winds to blow my dress up but I was cautious with my hand placed against my thigh.

"Where are you taking me to?" I asked him and he shushed. "Do not shush me" I punched him lightly in his shoulders as he groped me further away from the direction of home. And for the good five more minutes, we trailed up the rocks until he halted by a lake.

Breathless, Vincent turned to me, maybe expecting me to squeal but honestly, I was just so exhausted. "You know we should get back before dad and Taylor" I looked to my watch and then the sun which slowly began to fade but by the time I already looked up, Vincent already had his shirt pulled and tossed to the rocky ground.

"Oh!" It was a sight that definitely caught me by surprise as he pulled his legs out of his shorts as well. Then Vincent turned around in his briefs and with his arms stretched wide open.

"Not before a swim in the grande Crater" He said but honestly with his protruding package shooting out just below his torso, it was rather difficult to hear a word he said. I had to rip my eyes from his briefs, shaking out of my head all the carnal thoughts.

"No" I turned my back to him. "We should really go."

"Oh come on" And by the sound of his voice, I could tell he was drawing close, however what I didn't expect was for Vincent to carry me by my legs and into his arms, swinging me in the air no matter how loud I screamed his name as he ran into the lake.

"I'm still wearing clothes!" I screamed in the hopes of getting him to let me go so I could run as fast as I could but Vince only held tighter. "You're going to run away" He chuckled, having as much fun as he splashed through the water and I beat against his bare chest he was so unfazed up until the moment he tossed me into the water.

And I could swear I saw my life flash before my eyes as I went under. I tried to hold my breath but who thought swimming could be so difficult?

Well to a first timer, it was.

However, it didn't take long for him to wrap his hands around me again, lifting me to the surface as I heaved in a deep gasp for air. "I hate you" I spat in his face but he was so overcome by laughter. I swam to the ledge, my top terribly drenched that it became see-through.

I would have been shy standing like that in front of Uncle Vincent but it was hard to each time I remembered he had this tongue down my throat barely hours ago. Something we still hadn't talked about, something that plagued me to the extent of wanting to rip out my hair.

Mostly because I knew it was wrong. It felt wrong kissing him but it was even worse that I enjoyed every second of it and now I couldn't look him in the eyes without dreaming of stealing another one. Ugh it was so safe in his arms and he knew each part of my body to touch.

The right parts.

I really wanted to do it again, especially with him unclothed right in front of him. His hair was dripping wet and the ones along the lines of his chest had curled up in little tender balls. His muscles were more defined and I could see his toned abs even from underneath the lake. I unconsciously bit into my lips unbeknownst to him but I shook it off.

At least I tried to, repeating to myself that it was a mistake and the reason he didn't even want to talk about it was because he felt the same way. It was something in the Oregon summer air and we got caught up in the moment. It wasn't an excuse that it felt so good because it did.

It was just something to hold unto.

I sat up by the edge of the lake which was just a heap of rocks and the birds chirping above us fought the silence between us. Their songs were beautiful and the winds intensified, swaying my hair and drying the lake water to my skin. I might as well have been naked in front of him too because of how color drained out of my top.

And Vincent's eyes didn't even hold back from staring intensely.

"That was horrible" I broke the silence, hoping to dart his eyes away and it worked. "I could have drowned" I rolled my eyes. "Well it's not my fault that you can't swim at fucking what—nineteen?" He teased and I splashed a handful of water in his face which he dodged.

"It's not my fault" I humphed.

"My dad never let me close to the beach without him or the lake or any water at all that was at least several meters wide" I replied. "Why?" Vincent narrowed his eyes while I shrugged. "I don't know. He was always so overprotective, you know" I whispered and by his nod, one could tell he agreed but only at the fact that Davis was protective.

"You're a big girl now" Not at the fact that I needed it and it felt good to hear that from someone else. "I mean so much has changed since the last time I saw you" Vincent's eyes explored mine as I cleared my throat.

"Really?" There was a crack in my voice.

"Not much in your face though, you've always been this beautiful. It's just—" Vincent swam closer, reaching to my hair. "It's longer" He noted.

"And you're..."

"More mature?" I said the words on the tip of his tongue. "No shit Sherlock" I teased, allowing us a moment to laugh. "It's just wrong" He admitted and I arched my brows. "What is?" I asked softly.

It was as though he battled to hold back his next words but he just spat it out. "The way you make me feel." He said. My blood froze as his hands touched mine but slowly it slipped down. I slowly jerked up, spreading my legs for him to inch closer and he did.

"It's so..." His heated breathes slapped me in the face. "So so wrong" He added. "You're my best friend's daughter" And that was as much admittance that I could get. Admittance that I wasn't losing my mind.

That it wasn't a mistake—that Vincent wanted this as much as I wanted him. His large hand spread across my thighs and I couldn't blame anyone but myself for how wet I'd gotten. And it was by lake water.

"I mean I am a big girl now" A faint moan got stuck in the back of my throat and I only just heaved a soft exhale. But just when I thought he was about to kiss me, Vincent pulled away although with eyes overtaken by desire and he got up shamelessly from the pool which a hard rod shooting out of his briefs.

He ran his hands through his hair before turning around but I had caught a glimpse of his boner. I watched him put back his clothes on and oh was it a marvelous sight. Vince was perfect, the kiss was perfect, leaving a longing sore in the back of my throat for him.

I just wanted one night with him for I knew it would be just as perfect.

"You're right" He threw a look back at me. "We should get going" And by the time we took off, the sun was already setting on its horizons. But luckily, we weren't so far from him. I just hoped dad and Taylor hadn't gotten back.

"You're so slow" Vince halted after a minute, turning back to me as I limped. "You did push me into a lake and we've been walking all day" I nagged and it scoffed as though my voice was like thorns in his ears. He crouched low before me with his arms stretched behind.

"What is going on?" I asked and Vincent just sighed. "Just come on. I'll carry you back home" He offered and even though he couldn't see, there was a smile which almost instantly appeared across my lips. I hopped unto his back and Vince's hands clenched around my thighs.

We walked back up the hills to the cabin, well he did, breathlessly. But if you asked him now, his ego would cause him to just shrug it off. "Light as fucking paper" He hissed before placing me down and I rolled my eyes.

He could see through me but trust me, Vincent was just as predictable.

Luckily, dad and Taylor only arrived about a few minutes later, allowing me some time to change out of my wet clothes and into something more comfortable. They told all us all about the tour while he had dinner that night, my dad relentlessly making sure I knew how much I missed.

"Are you better now?" Ultimately he asked and I nodded. "Yes" Ridden with guilt, I lied to my dad but it was so worth it that I stayed and in that moment, I met Vincent's gaze stealing a glance across the table.

His lips curled up with the that devilish smirk of his before he licked across them and we both knew my father could never in a million years find about what happened today. But was it worth the risk...

Was it worth the backs and forth with him? Ultimately, yes it was.