Okay here you all go the bonfire chapter hope you EnJOY sorry if i made it too short i don't really like drawing out and redescribing the legends SM did it well when she wrote it so if you need a refresher reread the book they are in hahha well hope you all like :)

Chapter 18

Bonfire at the beach sounds like something from a 50's movie or a teenaged drama based in California, definitely not something I would ever thought to be caught dead at. I roll my eyes at my thoughts as I throw on a thermal shirt and a tight t-shirt that certainly shows off my curves. My baggy jeans complete the outfit and as I look in the mirror I wonder if I could get away with no shoes but then I remember the sting my feet felt earlier and grab a thick pair of socks and my tenna shoes. Collin and a couple of his friends will be picking me up in about 10 minutes, luckily Dad is still not home and I will be able to sneak off with my coat over my arm instead of on my back.

Who would ever believe that I would be going to a bonfire with a guy, let alone under my own free will. Lisa will never believe me, which reminds me I will have to text her or email her cause I so don't want to answer her questions about weather the guys here are hot.

I hesitate as we pile out of the car, Jake and Brady trudge on ahead of Collin and I leaving us alone in the darkening parking area.

"What's wrong?" Collin asks when I refuse to continue towards the beach.

"Who's all gonna be there, I mean how many people are we talking? The whole town, just your friends, or somewhere in between?"

"Don't worry I think you have met everyone you will see tonight, well maybe not met but seen one way or another." I frown at him but decide to trust him and continue on to the beach.

Collin leads me to a large log and we take a seat, I glance around at everyone and come to the conclusion that I have in fact seen most of these people maybe all but it's not like I have taken inventory. Collin sits beside me only a few inches between our bodies and I think nothing of it besides that someone else will join us on the log.

The air is cooler down here by the beach and I fail to suppress a shiver as I pull my arms around me. Maybe I should have worn a hoodie, at least then I could put my hands in the kangaroo pouch on the front.

"Cold?" I jump and yelp a bit only to hear Collin chuckle at my reaction to him whispering in my ear.

"A little." I mumble cursing my reaction in my head.

"Want me to get your coat from the car?" He asks frowning at me.

"Not even if I was freezing to death." He frowns a little more seriously before my feet leave the ground.

"Hey, What the…" I start to yelp at him as he pulls me into his lap and secures me against his impossibly warm chest.

"You were saying?" He whispers into my ear and I notice his hands are resting on my stomach. "If you won't let me get you your coat you will have to let me keep you warm." He murmurs and I swear I feel his lips move against my neck.

My head whips around to look at him causing my nose to line up directly with his lips.

"Better watch it Keys I might just have to bite your nose off." He says closing his lips gently around the tip of my nose. I shrink away from him a bit but he holds me firm, my struggles seemingly going unnoticed. "Relax, Billy is about to start." He whispers settling me a bit more snugly in his grasp.

I glance around the fire and notice for the first time that everyone has seated themselves and a few are giving me silly looking smirks. What am I to do? Collin's hold on me is tight and I can't very well overpower the guy. I glare at their smirking faces but as I do I find myself leaning backwards into the heated chest of Collin. I breathe deeply taking in his scent, the warm soothing aroma that is the man holding me. Shit did I just think that?

A calm almost eerie atmosphere overtakes the intimate circle as Billy starts to speak, his voice exerts an authoritative presence while exuding a captivating wisdom that seems to just hold me in awe. He twists and forms the stories so that I almost imagine them coming to live right before my eyes in the midst the flames and smoke. A cinematic special affect is what my imagination longs for as I hear the tales and legends of the very people before me, the history of the man holding me against him. No wonder he said he was no storyteller; Billy makes the lady at the public library sound like a amateur.

A yawn escapes my mouth as Billy winds the present story to an end breaking the trance he held over the whole group. The group disperses slowly and Collin leads me away, not back to the car but down the beach towards the water. The inky darkness of the waves is mesmerizing as we both stare out into the dark depths of the ocean.

"What did you think?" He asks quietly as he turns to break my gaze at the ocean waters.

"Entirely beyond reason, wonderful like something from a fairytale." I smile and blush at my honesty but am thankful the darkness doesn't allow him to see.

"Have you ever wished some of the fairytales you read were real?" He asks running his large hot hands down my clothed arms, and still managing to heat the skin underneath.

"What like Hansel and Gretel?" I laugh, "Don't think I want to find a cottage in the woods made of candy only to find myself in the oven of a witch. or maybe you were thinking little red ridding hood since you are into the whole wolf thing, but that doesn't quite appeal to me either." I chuckle and this time he joins me.

"Yeah I guess you are right those fairytales do not have any high points." He looks down seemingly studying the ground or his feet, "What about the frog prince, the swan princess, or even Shriek?"

I laugh, "You have a funny taste in fairytales Collin."

"Yeah I guess so, come on lets get you home before you freeze to death." He says putting his arm around me to walk me back to the car. Amazingly I don't protest but actually find myself leaning into him, after being so close to him all night long it feels right.