Accepted Fate (2 page)

Contemplating what I'm going to do, I glance over and see Presley making her way toward my car. How does she even know I'm here? The girl has to have ESP; so much for making a run for it. I grab my cell phone from my purse with one hand and stow my purse beneath my seat with the other. As she moves in closer, I remove my keys from the ignition. Grabbing my bag, I toss inside my cell and keys. I open the door and step outside.

"I was starting to wonder if I was going to have to come and pick you up," she says. A smile begins taking place, along with a mischievous look in her eyes that tells me she's up to something. Nothing good ever follows that look. I place my bag on my shoulder and hold on to my door, in case I need to make a dash for it.

"What are you up to Presley," I ask nervously, fidgeting with my cover up. She begins to move faster, as if I'm about to take off running, then grabs my hand and shuts the door.

"What makes you think I'm up to something?" She loops her arm through mine and continues, "Don't you trust me?" The tone in her voice alone says it all. No, I shouldn't and I should get back in my car right now before I go any further. She must see the hesitation on my face because she begins to pull me along the sidewalk, towards the beach.

As the water comes into view, I begin to understand that look on Presley's face. Some of the girls from the cheerleading squad have plastered themselves right in front of a group of guys, playing volleyball. I recognize some of them from the football team at school, but the rest of the boys don't look familiar. Great, this is going to be awkward.

I've never been one of the flirty girls at school, because I really just don't see the point. I get a front row seat to Presley's show every day and that is enough for both of us. Flirting was discovered with the intention that you're looking for love or trying to get laid and I do not want either. Love stands in the way of dreams and aspirations, cripples you, and makes you dependent on someone else. It sets you up for failure because you're always going to get hurt. If you don't get cheated on, you get left behind. I have worked too hard for my dreams to get shattered over something completely preventable. Since you can't control who you fall for, I just avoid it altogether.

Look at my brother, wallowing in pity because he let someone else take priority over everything else in his life. He gave away his heart freely, mapped his whole life out according to the wants of another, with the expectation it would last forever. Now, here he is, broken hearted and settling for his second choice school, as well as the possibility of losing his dream of a pro football career if he doesn't get his crap together before season. What did he do all that for, absolutely nothing?

I look over and see Presley standing behind her towel, adjusting her perky C-cups, as if her breasts aren't hanging out enough already. Shaking my head, I pull my towel from my bag and spread it flat beside hers. In a sense, Presley doesn't date either, at least not one person. After her breakup with Corey last fall, she swore off men, in the emotional sense anyway. Her heart will and always be made of ice because of him, or so she says; I think it is because secretly she's keeping her options open in hopes of attaining Konnor. Their relationship was similar to throwing gasoline to flame, so for now she enjoys being an upper class slut.

"Do you have to do that? Adjust that top anymore and they're going to fall out." Taking a seat on my towel, I pull my hair back in a loose bun on top of my head and grab for my bag. Digging through its contents, I pull out my iPhone and earphones, along with my water and tanning essentials. Pulling off my cover-up and flip flops, I toss them in the bag and set it to the side. Finally, I begin spreading the sunscreen on my face and shoulders before applying the tanning oil to the remainder of my body.

Presley sits beside me on her towel and begins coating her legs with tanning oil as well. "Hey, just because you're celibate and hate male attention doesn't mean the rest of us do. Maybe you should try something new, you're becoming a bit of a grump these days. All of that built up sexual frustration is starting to show," she laughs swirling her finger in front of my face. "You never know, you might like having the girls played with," she winks as her eyes trail down to my chest.

Rolling my eyes, I turn to acknowledge some of the other girls from the squad. "Hey you guys. What's up? It's nice out today, right?" Lexi and Madison are sitting, sprawled out in their beach loungers on rental. I still haven't figured out what they have against the sand. What's the point in coming to the beach if you aren't going to enjoy it to its fullest? They always were the prissy two of the group.

I'm starting to think they can't hear me, when finally Lexi pulls her eyes from the volleyball game and slides her shades down her nose, lifting a brow. "You really have to ask with all of that man candy right in front of your face?" She smirks as if I have just asked her what two plus two is. 

I scrunch my nose causing my eyebrows to wrinkle, "You too? All of you are hopeless," I say and lay down to work on my tan. At least one of us is going to leave with some dignity left intact. It looks like that person is going to be me, since I am the only one that's not practically drooling over the shirtless guys before us.

I plug my earphones into my iPhone and start my music. I was just about to drift off to sleep, listening to the sweet voice of Colbie Caillat, when something smacks me right in the face. Startled, I scream, more like a squeak, and jump to my feet. "What the heck!"  I look down at the sand and see a volleyball lying beside my towel. I bend over and reach down to pick it up, so I can toss it back to the guys playing. "You could be a little more careful," I yell picking up the ball in my hands, then stand up.

When I turn around, I'm staring right at a chest; a sweaty, smooth, tan and muscular chest. My face is so close I can feel the heat radiating off his body. My eyes widen and trail upward to see who is standing in front of me. They lock with a pair of midnight blue eyes, deep and rich, like staring into the midnight sky. For a second I forgot where I was, at a loss for words.

As my eyes scan his face, Mister name unknown swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, when his mouth opens. "I'm really sorry about that. I guess I got caught up in the game and stopped paying attention. Are you okay? That looks like a pretty bad whelp developing on your forehead."

Dang, that voice; it's so deep and raspy. Is that an accent? Southern maybe? Great, I'm still staring at him. I probably look like an idiot. What is wrong with me?
Now would be a great time to speak, Kinzleigh.
"Yes, I'm fine. Here is your ball back." I extend my arm, palm side up, supporting the ball.

He takes the ball with one hand, pulling it against his hip. Wow, his hands are big and strong. He extends the other hand out, a wide smile spreading across the bottom half of his face, revealing straight white teeth. "Forgive my manners, I'm Breyson, and you are?"

I look down at his hand, staring like he's grown an extra limb. I can't help but to look him over some more. First, I look down and notice his navy and orange, Ralph Lauren Polo swim trunks, covering a nice set of tanned, muscular legs. He must play some type of sport like soccer or football. His abs is defined, tightening each time he breathes. He has a V of muscle that disappears into the band of his shorts. His hips are narrow, widening into a pronounced chest, defined and smooth. My eyes won't stop wandering up his body. His arms are built, flexing before me, and I wonder how they would feel wrapped around me. His lips are perfect and pouty, barely open. His eyes are thickly lined with black lashes. His hair is the shade of dirty blonde, short mostly, but longer on the top, swooping across his forehead just slightly. It's shiny and thick, perfect for running my fingers through, grabbing a hold of, and holding on for dear life. Wow, in my entire seventeen years, I've never witnessed something so beautiful.

Suddenly, he looks unsure of what to say and that's when I realize what's going on. I'm standing here as if it's my first encounter with a human, after being locked up in a room my entire life.
Good job Kinzleigh, now he can not only think you're a stuck up brat, but ignorant and weird.

Presley clears her throat, "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going introduce yourself sometime today," she asks removing her shades looking up from lying on her towel. "Not that I mind the view from down here, but you're going to give California girls a bad rep." By the look on her face, she is pleased with the sight before her as well. She stands and glances over at me; a smile forming on her face, then looks back at him. "Please excuse my friend; she must have gotten hit a little too hard. I'm Presley." She knows I was staring; I'm never going to hear the end of this. She's always trying to set me up with people. She is never going to stop now. She closes in and elbows me in the ribs.

I pull my sunshades up to rest on my head. Placing my hands on my hips, I try to clear my head. "Hi, I'm Kinzleigh. Sorry for being rude, you just caught me off guard." He's staring at me, with a smirk on his face, as if he's really amused by me. Awesome! From the cocky grin he knows I find him attractive.

"Well Kinzleigh, it's nice to meet you. Would y'all like to play? You can be on my team. It's a guaranteed win," he says playfully, winking at me. His smile comes back full force and my stomach flutters like I've just started down a roller coaster.

All of a sudden, I'm hot and I feel dizzy. Maybe I'm hungry, it's been a while since I've eaten and I never usually skip breakfast. That has to explain this weird feeling I'm getting. Where in the world is this guy from? I wonder if all guys from there look like this. "Y'all? Come again. You're not from around here are you?" Please say no, I really don't need this right now. I've got too much going for me to be interested in some boy.

He just shrugs, bouncing the ball from hand to hand. "Nah, just visiting some family. So, you going to play or what?" 

I've got to do something to make up for my weird behavior earlier. "Yeah okay, sure."

The girls quickly jump in and volunteer to play, as if they've been waiting for the opportunity. I guess if you put ten attractive, half naked men anywhere, they have the motivation for anything. Thank goodness I don't have to do this alone.

Breyson hands me the ball back, looking as if he's happy with my answer, "Ladies first."

He has to stop smiling at me like that. Every time he does, I start to shake and my breathing becomes heavier. He's so sexy and I don't think I have ever looked at a guy like this. Why, oh why, didn't I stay home today? This is the last thing I need right now. I haven't worked twenty hours a week in the gym for the last twelve years, cheering and stunting, to suddenly get distracted by some guy. I don't care how sexy that accent is. I take the ball and smile. "As long as you don't get in my way." Growing up on the beach, everyone knows how to play volleyball, and well. He smirks as if that is exactly the opposite of what he is going to do and backs up to give me some space.

About an hour later, we're up three points. I'm standing there waiting for Lexi to serve and suddenly I feel like he's watching me. Now feeling paranoid, I glance at him underneath my shades, from the corner of my eye. He's looking right at me as if there is something he wants to say. Maybe, there is something on me. I start discretely doing a self-check to make sure my swimsuit is still in place, when I hear him chuckle. 

I glance back across the net and see the ball sailing through the air. Not even thinking, I take off running to hit it back. Before I can stop myself, I collide with Breyson midair and land flat on my back, in the sand beneath him. Electricity shoots through my body and I feel like I can't breathe. His body is lying perfectly aligned with mine, pressed against me. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." My voice comes out strained.

His eyes are staring straight into mine as if he's trying to read into my soul, to discover all of the secrets that lie inside. He puts his weight on his forearm in the sand, next to my head, while his other brushes up my leg, stopping on my hip. A moan slips from my lips at the contact, causing me to close my eyes. When I open them, he bites his lips as his eyes move down to my lips. My face starts to flush. He's so close, I can feel his breath tickle my face and I find myself wishing he'd kiss me. Everything else has faded away, except him. We could have been there, staring at each other, for five minutes or five hours, I didn't know. It seems I can't think looking into those deep blue eyes. Presley clears her throat, breaking me from my somewhat frozen state. "Guys, are we going to play or just stand here and watch you two all but hump each other on the beach?" 

Embarrassed, I place my hands on his muscular chest and try to push him back, not having any effect at all. "Can you please get off me," I say, irritated I can be so stupid around him. This is not like me at all. I should know better than to allow myself to be sidetracked by some guy. I don't even know him! How can someone I just met put me in a state of bliss in front of all my friends?

He stands and offers out his hand to help me up. I take it and stand to my feet and begin to brush the sand from my body, trying to gain control of the emotions that are obviously in a state of panic. I'm in uncharted waters, a foreign state of mind.  Knocking the remaining sand off, I realize, I have to get out of here. "Thanks, I just remembered my parents needed me home early. I have to go. It was nice to meet you." He looks as if there's something he wants to say or do, but doesn't and I find myself slightly disappointed. I rush over to my towel, shove everything in my bag and take off towards my car.

Hands shaking, I unlock my door and climb inside. Always in the past, I would change in the bath house because I take really good care of my car and would never allow sand inside. This time, though, I would have to make an exception. I don't know what has come over me suddenly, but I never get stupid around a guy. I'm just not that kind of girl; never have been. I have seen too many girls put their dreams on hold to chase after a boy and I will not be one of them.