(Katelyn’s POV)Gentle fingers caressed my cheek, tugging me from my dreams.My eyes flickered open, adjusting to the soft morning light that seeped in through a crack in the blinds. Tyler's smile greeted me, warm and welcoming.I blinked my groggy eyes as he came into focus, a sleepy smile adorning my lips."Morning," I mumbled, rubbing at one of my eyes."Morning," he replied, his voice gentle. "How did you sleep?""Really goo—", I had begun to respond, but the words died before they escaped my lips. "What happened to your face!?" I asked, shocked by his appearance.He had a pretty deep gash on one of his eyebrows, and another on his lower lip. Both looked like they were in the process of healing, but still, they didn't look great.My fingers traced over his brow bone, skimming over the purpling bruise gently. "Does it hurt?" I asked worriedly."A little," Tyler confessed. "But it's not so bad," he brushed it off."What happened?" I asked again, my fingers now trailing over his slig
(Tyler’s POV)I made my way upstairs, feeling the tension in the house growing with each step.As I reached the top of the stairs, I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what was to come. I could hear my Mom's voice, a low murmur punctuated by the occasional sharp word.I pushed open the door to my dad's office and stepped inside.Dad sat behind his desk, his laptop in front of him, but he wasn't looking at it. He quickly over to me now, his eyes narrowing. Mom stood beside one of the leather couches near the fireplace, her expression a mixture of concern and disappointment as she looked over at Ryder. He was standing by the window with his arms folded across his chest, his back to the rest of the room as he gazed outside.The tension in the room was palpable."Where’s Kate?" Dad asked as he peered behind me, likely expecting her to walk in any second now."She's not coming," I replied, meeting his gaze head-on. "She doesn’t want to see Ryder right now, and I don’t blame her."D
(Katelyn’s POV)I heard the faint creak of the door opening and turned to see Tyler entering the room. His expression was a mixture of frustration and exhaustion, and I knew the family meeting must have been a rough one."Hey," I greeted him softly, putting down the book I'd been pretending to read."Hey," he replied, his voice strained.He walked over to the bed and sat down beside me, his eyes scanning my face for any signs of distress."How did it go?" I asked, already dreading the answer.Tyler sighed, running a hand through his hair. "As well as it could, I guess. Ryder tried to apologize, but I told him it was too late. And my dad wasn't happy that you didn't come, but I explained the situation to him. He wants you to head up next." I'd expected as much, but I can't say that the anticipation had made me feel any more prepared.I nodded my head solemnly, swinging my legs off the bed, determined to get this over with."Do you want me to come with you?" Tyler offered, his voice r
I walked down the hallway with a mixture of relief and surprise. The conversation with Tyler’s parents had been more understanding than I’d anticipated.As I descended the stairs, I could barely contain my excitement. I was going on a trip with Tyler and I'd somehow managed to make amends with his parents. It felt like things were starting to go right at last.Pity things with Ryder were at an all-time low. The thought knocked me back down a peg. Don't get yourself too excited Kate, I scolded myself. Your life is still a shitshow.I headed toward Tyler's room, dreading the possibility of seeing Ryder again. Moving quickly, in an attempt to minimize the possibility, I hurried to his room with silent footsteps. I knocked once before swinging the door open, desperate for the safety and protection of his room.Tyler was busy stuffing a pile of t-shirts into a bag. He looked up at my sudden appearance as I exhaled deeply, my back pressed against his bedroom door."How did it go?" he asked,
"Are we staying here!?" I asked, my voice tinged with excitement as we pulled up to a hotel nestled right on the beachfront. It had a quaint, rustic charm to it with beautiful wooden finishes. The sight of it made my heart race with excitement. I'd never been to the beach before."This is home for the next few days," Tyler confirmed with a smile as he parked the car.As we stepped out, I turned to Tyler, my eyes wide with wonder. "I've never been to the beach before," I confessed, my voice tinged with awe.Tyler looked at me, surprised. "Really? Never?"I shook my head. "Nope. Colorado is landlocked, remember? The closest thing we had was a lake."Tyler frowned slightly. "Didn't your family ever go on holidays to the beach?" he asked curiously."Yeah, they did," I replied, my voice softer and more uncertain now, "but I never went with them."Tyler's eyes softened, and he gave me a warm smile. "Well, I'm glad I get to be the one to share this experience with you."Tyler grabbed our bag
The hotel restaurant was cozy and inviting. Tyler and I sat at a table near a window, and the sound of the waves crashing outside drifted through the dining area. The menu was incredible, boasting local, seasonal ingredients. I was just hopeful that this wasn't one of those restaurants that served tiny portions. I was starving and needed a substantial meal.The atmosphere was intimate, with only a few other couples scattered about the room, quietly enjoying their meals. The low hum of conversation and the gentle clinking of cutlery created a soothing backdrop.As we waited for our food to arrive, my eyes lingered on Tyler as I contemplated asking him the question that had been burning inside me all day."What?" he asked, reading my mind."So... what happened to your face?" I ventured. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that my guess that it was from training is wrong."Tyler sighed, his gaze dropping to the table for a moment before meeting my eyes again. "Ryder and I... W
Tyler's grin widened as he took my hand, leading me back inside.Our room was warm and quiet, the space feeling private and comfortable.I watched with disappointment as he closed the door to the balcony behind us, but that was soon forgotten as he kissed me again, his lips hungry and needy.My fingers snaked up beneath his shirt, feeling the ripples of his chest against my fingers, his heart hammering away almost as violently as my own.I was nervous, but certain at the same time.He broke the kiss, his eyes watching me intently before he pulled his shirt up over his head. I followed suit, shedding mine as well before my fingers tugged at the button on my pants. I realized I was trembling slightly, my nervousness making itself apparent.I took a deep breath, determined to compose myself, trying again and this time managing to get the button and zip undone before I stripped my pants off, tossing them aside.When I looked up, Tyler had also shed his pants. We stood motionless in front
"I love you," I murmured, reaching out a lazy arm and resting it on his chest. "I love you too," he replied, wrapping his hand around mine before he brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss to it.With a sigh, I closed my eyes, feeling wholly content.Outside, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore continued on, muffled now that the balcony door was closed.Tyler and I lay side by side on the bed, still trying to catch our breath and waiting for our heart rates to normalize to a more reasonable BPM.With great effort, I managed to roll onto my side and shuffle my way closer to him, craving his touch... The feel of his skin against mine. Those waves of warmth and comfort that he seemed to exude.He moved to accommodate me, shifting his arm to a more comfortable position beneath my head as he cradled me like I was the most important thing in his world.We said nothing and the room was silent aside from the sounds of the sea. Words felt unnecessary.His fingers raked through m