Chapter five:
''I'm sorry to just call by.''
Jack's voice was gravelled although soft as his hands were steady on the wheel. They were headed towards Santa Monica town; but there was no destination in mind, just an open road out ahead of them. It was freeing out here, with nothing ahead but the gravel and fresh air. It seemed to be endless and welcoming to the both of them, as though, they had been fraught since they had been in each other's company last.
''It is quite all right. My mother wasn't at home, nor was the staff, well butler-'' Rose stopped, keeping in mind just how ridiculous she did sound. ''I have been out of my mind all day. The sun was so warm, I couldn't sleep much last night and then-'' she stopped again, feeling Jack's warm gaze upon her but sensing that something else was amiss, she realised how when nervous one chattered far too much and so she clasped her mouth closed. ''It's all right.''
Jack was quiet for a moment, just keeping his eyes ahead, not allowing himself to break contact with the curve of the road. He relished the feel of her in his car and it was suddenly beautiful to be sat in a comfortable, although heavy silence with a girl he didn't even know.
''I did have a reason, actually.'' Jack paused, his eyes off the road for just a second. ''I just don't wish to worry you.''
Rose stilled. ''It's about Cal, isn't it?'' Her stomach knotted, knowing the answer already before more was even said.
Jack kept his eyes on the road. ''Caledon Hockley?''
Rose nodded, wringing her hands in her lap. He sensed her worry and had to stop himself from reaching out to touch her hand like he had the night before. Perhaps that was the reason he was already in, far too deep, with a girl he had met, just twenty-four hours before.
''Yes.''
Exhaling deeply, Rose ignored the urge to scream at him to turn the car around and take her home where she could retreat to her own bedroom. Her own life. She could forget. She could allow the thoughts of any man to drain away from her mind, when all they seemed to do was overwhelm her of late.
''What is it?'' Rose raised her chin, preparing herself.
Jack pressed his lips together as he started to process his thoughts. ''One of those penguins came by the grill today looking for you. He has a guitar-''
''Ethan?''
Jack shrugged.
''Yes, he is Cal's younger brother.''
''Well, he came by the Grill asking if we had seen you. Apparently, he had mistaken me for someone else as he had already been asking about you in there to another waiter.'' Jack smirked. ''I must say, he isn't as threatening as he seems to believe he is.''
Rose eyed him sharply. ''He carries a gun in his guitar, Jack,''
''I heard as much,'' he raised his eyebrows, ''what was the jerk going to do, shoot me in the middle of the damned Grill?''
''I don't know what he ever intends to do.''
''No, me neither. Damned guy cannot speak for himself. Has he taken orders from his big brother all his life or will he one day grow a pair of-'' Jack stopped, stunning even himself with his way of words around a woman like Rose.
Rose couldn't help but smile, and it was the safest she had felt in a long time. His tirade had amused her, and the contents of the conversation were not what she was used to laughing at and perhaps that was the funniest part of it.
''A pair of what?''
Jack raised his eyebrows at her sudden change of mood. ''I will not complete that sentence,'' he laughed, and it made her stomach crunch up. This was what it felt like to be in another world, away from all of drear. This world was what she wanted to be in right now. Away from everything. With Jack. The worry just seemed to dissolve away and it had the second that he had taken her to the pier where had she had seen the water and the sound of the waves which had made everything dissolve.
Seeing how she smiled, then she laughed; that was the most magical sound and it cut through the tension with a knife, allowing their silliness to simmer again.
''I like that.''
''What?''
Jack watched her face, how her eyes sparkled the way they did. ''I like how you laugh, even after everything you have been through.''
Her smile faded but it wasn't for a particular reason other than she was totally engrossed in the words Jack spoke to her. Every single one of them. Concentrating on anything other than him when beneath his watch was extremely difficult.
''You make me laugh,'' she told him truthfully, ''it is a hard thing to do. I don't smile very often, or for many reasons.''
''Well the times I have seen it; I like it.''
Jack's eyes then focused on the road. He couldn't concentrate on anything except for her at all. His breathing was shallow but he felt as though he was hyperventilating; the air was completely robbed from his lungs and the window was already open allowing in a slow and steady breeze from the calm dusk.
''The sun is setting again.'' Jack pointed, as they reached a remote part of the promenade which led straight onto the beach. Rose looked through the windscreen at the sky, it was painted an array of orange, purple, red and yellow. She smiled. It looked wonderful. The way the sky met the ocean and the waves lapped right up on the beach. Without even hearing the sound of it, she knew it would calm her already. That was the beauty of been by the sea and she feared that she was now spoiled for life having spent all day longing for the sounds of the ocean and would always pine.
''Yes,'' Rose dreamily blinked about, and felt the car stall and then the engine stopped. With a sharp exhale, Jack placed his hands onto his lap and lowered his head as though he was about to say something he shouldn't.
''I'm sorry that I did just call by,'' he repeated, as he had done earlier, feeling the need for sincerity. ''I just had to know that you were all right.''
Pinned beneath the beautiful gaze of his, she smiled. ''Thank you, but I am all right.''
Having to glance away because of how much he seemed to penetrate her soul, Rose exhaled, watching the waves breaking upon the beach. It was wondrous; an image which she never would be captured within her heart for the entirety of her life, perhaps even the handsome boy who had taken her there, too. With a hammering heart, she clasped her hands to feel how it pounded against her fists; this was living. She was alive. For once.
''Take me there, Jack.'' she whispered, not taking her eyes away from the golden sand and how it called to her in ways one had never known.
Jack had come here simply to be away from the chatter, the business of the main strip and to just observe for a little while.
''You want to go down to the surf?''
She nodded her response, excitement festering within her eyes.
''All right,'' Reaching into the back seat of the dodge, Jack pulled out a blanket; red and checked. As he twisted about, his shirt was rising to reveal his lower stomach and Rose watched fascinated as she spotted a small trace of hair there, dark enough to be noticed but fairer, as it disappeared down beneath his trousers-
''It gets cold out here, sometimes.'' He justified the reason to collect the cover. Rose drew her breathe, as he was suddenly full within his driving seat once more, as she got out of the car just to cool her simmering cheeks.
Jack threw the blanket over his shoulder, as he locked his car doors before walking next to Rose. Their fingertips seemed to touch briefly just a few times. She tried her hardest to focus on the view before them as she wondered if people from afar would watch and think of them as young lovers, on a dusk walk. Whatever had that quick glance at a man's stomach done to twist her silly head? She had seen a man without a shirt a time or two; some were handsome and some were not but never did it affect her so. A gust of salty air hit them, and Rose's hair went flying about, as she shivered.
''Woah,'' she giggled, shaking her head to move her hair. Taking the blanket, he placed it across her shoulders, with soft fingers touching her nape which caused her to tremble more than the breeze ever could.
''Is that all right?'' Jack asked, softly. ''If I rest my hand, right there?'' He meant, loosely draped across her shoulders to keep the blanket in place and to steady her. Nodding, she couldn't speak having never felt so secure or frightened in her entire life. It was as though he had her pinned right there, and though she could have easily said no; she didn't want to. Turning her attention to the approaching tide, she felt the ease overcome her.
''I feel so small in such a vast space.''
''It is endless,'' Jack squinted in the early evening sunset. Sand had started to irritate him already filtering inside his old beat-up Chuck Taylors. He stopped abruptly to sit upon the gloriously warm sand and he unlaced his sneakers, before removing them. Rose watched, and then followed suit.
''I always loved to feel the sand on my bare feet. Perhaps a perk of not living long in a warmer climate,'' he smiled, ''I hear most people hate the feeling.''
''I cannot say for certain.'' Rose unfastened the buckle, exposing her dainty pale feet with a shocking bright red nail paint. ''This will be the first time.''
Jack raised a brow, standing with now bare feet.
''First time, huh?'' He exposed beautiful white teeth, in a mischievous grin. Extending his arm out to her, Rose placed the shawl upon the sand before accepting his hand to help her to her feet. Once up, she felt how silky and yet rough it was against her skin.
''Its-''
''Soft. Dry.'' She giggled, grasping onto his other hand for balance as she tried to step out but sunk into it.
''Its sand.'' Jack laughed at her. ''It's down in the surf that it gets better. Come on.''
With her hand still in his, Jack led her slowly towards the water's edge. It welcomed then, rolling up nearby and then soothing out. The sound was wonderful, peaceful and inviting.
''Isn't it just beautiful?''
''Yes.''
Another wave crashed, this time soaking into his own trousers, unable to have darted out of the way in time for the lash against his legs. He didn't even flinch when it came for him, and Rose knew that he cared very little for appearances or things of the sort.
Every blink was new to Rose and she dare not close her eyes for a second, for fear of missing something. Every so often, Jack would glance behind to watch her. She was beautiful, her hair billowing loosely in the warm breeze of the summer evening, the sky an array of pinks, blues and purples and then the sea which was growing closer to them, greeting them with its warm touch. She watched him curiously as he rolled up his trousers to his shins, and without his hand on hers it felt cooler somehow.
The crashing sound of the waves had become ingrained within her mind after Jack had introduced her to the sea. The night before she had lain awake, almost hearing the sound which would drift her off to sleep. She found a peace within this place, with Jack that she never knew could ever exist. From the moment of setting foot on warmed sand, feeling the crumbling beneath her toes it had become intoxicating.
''Come on,'' Jack held out his hand to her. There was no hesitance in the hand she offered him, with entwined fingers he slowly approached the tide with her, the water lapped up in a small wave, hitting their feet and within seconds, Rose screamed, doubling herself over in giggles. Jack laughed loudly, his voice breaking the peaceful silence amongst them, along with her girlish scream. She had started back towards their shoes and the shawl which were laid out almost forgotten upon the soft sand.
''No!'' He ran toward her. ''That was only a small splash.''
He caught her by the waist and began to gently pull her back, in a circle before she was within his arms. She giggled so hard that she fell to the ground and he on top of her. The sand was stuck to her dress, in her hair and all over Jack's shirt and trousers. He went to get up and pull her with him but she relented, pulling them both back down to the sand. Their laughs were echoing across the beach.
''It is too cold!'' Rose protested, as Jack got to his own feet, not bothering to brush the sticky sand from his clothing.
''That is warm,'' he shook his head at her childishness, ''you are-''
''I hate the cold.''
Jack placed his hands upon his hips like a stern teacher, his stance wide. The wet sand had caused his white shirt to appear transparent, clinging to his body and exposing him beneath.
''But you get used to it, I promise.''
Rose bit her lip, shaking her hair causing sand to fall out of her curls.
''You're a bad liar.''
He smirked. ''All right, if you don't get up then I will happily take you and dump you in that water.''
Rose moved to a sitting position. ''You wouldn't dare!''
He raised his eyebrows. ''All right.''
Rose squealed as he started his march toward her, but her own stubbornness refused her to back down now. In one scoop, Jack placed one hand on her back and the other on her shoulder as he took her into his arms, she squealed as he moved to the water, in long legged strides. She fought hard against him, her sandy hair flying about as she tried to push him back but he was too strong and she giggled through her protest.
''What did I say?''
''No!'' She shrieked further, her wet hair ticking her face as well as his.
''This is what you want, huh?''
His feet in the surf, he went into the waves, further until the water reached just above his shin.
''No! You would not dare.''
It was as though he was tickling her endlessly and everything on her body ached from laughing so much. Her belly was on fire, those little butterflies...
''I will do it!''
Rose moved the hair from her face. He saw how some of her make-up had rubbed off and how lovely she was, laughing so naturally. He adjusted his hand so that he held her beneath her legs and her back. He felt out of breath and it wasn't from laughing or holding onto her weight. The pure carelessness of their act; the way of which they seemed to become one thought and one mind as they played together beneath the setting sun was everything to her.
Jack's eyes beneath the sinking sun seemed to completely match the ocean but in comparison to the other, the waves were dull. She held his shoulders so tight having never been in someone's arms quite like this, so strong and yet she felt so weak. Her lips parted, she had to gasp for air as her blood thrummed in her veins.
''Don't let me go,'' she whispered. But she didn't mean into the ocean.
''I won't.''
He searched her face for something to tell him that her feelings may even possibly reflect his. He saw her quick glance to his lips and then back to his eyes.
Slowly, he lowered her into the water and as her bare feet reached the cold, she didn't even gasp as she went, or as the water seeped up into her dress. Instinctively her arm wrapped around his neck to support herself as her feet sunk into the sand. She bit her lip; the new feeling was strange. His left arm was holding onto her waist still, but his right, he couldn't help but reach up to stroke her face. She seemed to flinch but it was beyond her own control. Jack knew then, that Hockley had hurt her in the ways which he had imagined and he swallowed down the boiling acid of his stomach concentrate on just her. This was a place, beyond all expectations and he wouldn't waste a second of it thinking of a worthless man. He continued to stroke her face, upwards to her cheeks and then down to her lip. The lips which trembled beneath his thumb.
''Breathe.'' The words were laced with such a passion that Rose held in her breath even more, then suddenly felt dizzy from the lack of air about them. The air was humid, a fine sheen of sweat or water seemed to line his face, slicking back his hair and exposed his sapphire gaze wonderfully to her. Within those eyes, she found herself pinned to the spot; the same way a deer froze in a light.
The water now seemed irrelevant. It wasn't so cold. It was warmer than Rose had ever felt, but the way it tickled about her legs felt as though she was floating about, clinging to his shoulders for support. The heat of the day burned down onto her pale skin, causing her to glow in a way which she never had before and her aching soul healed right there.
His lips pressed to hers, ever so slowly, giving her chance to back away if she wished to but she didn't...couldn't. Her hand landed at the flat of his chest, feeling the hammering of his heart within his chest. Opening her mouth, she moved her lips against his; tasting a man for the first time, allowing him to take her mouth in a way that was so sensual and sweet that she felt her senses divide and then hit her all at once. As a shocking breeze came, it almost knocked her fragile body sideways until he caught grasp of her waist and held her tightly there in a place which felt as though she truly belonged.