Chapter Fourteen

Even with the ocean's familiar roar and the salt spray on her face, Marie could not ease the feeling of guilt that was growing steadily within her. She felt horrible leaving Bradin like that, without so much as an apology for her actions. It didn't matter if he had been the one to begin their horrible encounters, Marie still felt guilty for at least half of their hostility towards each other.

If only she had swallowed her pride and tried to make do with Bradin as only a friend, then maybe they wouldn't be so damned awful to each other. And, maybe, no one would have gotten their heart broken. But no, Marie hadn't wanted to make amends. She had wanted Bradin to suffer as much as she was. The jealousy that had burned within her had been enough to make her irrational and hostile; things that Marie never thought she could be.

Kyle's arm still rested around her shoulders, and Marie couldn't help but feel a gnawing inside her soul. The feeling was unfamiliar, and she didn't know what it meant. It wasn't guilt or fear, Marie was too aware of what those feelings were like. But what else could it be. She glanced up at Kyle.

The sunlight caught in his hair, causing it to turn a dark blue-black. His profile was pronounced and handsome, enough to make any girl swoon. But he barely affected Marie. She was too used to him, to familiar with his personality, to feel anything but friendship towards him. There was no attraction there…or was there? Marie was so confused. The gnawing continued, growing stronger and stronger as she continued to watch Kyle. Nikki's words sprung, unbidden, into her mind.

Kyle likes you, but you're too hung up on my brother to see what's right in front of you.

Uh, why was she letting what Nikki said get to her? But, as she looked at Kyle, Marie couldn't help but question if there were actually some truth to those words. Kyle glanced down, a curious smirk crossing his lips as he caught her gaze.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, pulling her tighter against him. Marie shook her head.

"It's nothing." She tried to smile, but couldn't. Her mind was too full of thoughts to allow for any commands to her body.

"Yeah, sure." He gave her one of those I-know-you-better-than-that looks and stopped walking, pulling Marie to a halt as well. "Come on, Marie, spill."

"It's just something Nikki said the other day," she tried to brush off his inquiry and started to walk away. Kyle grabbed her arm and pulled her, gently, back to face him.

"What did she say?" He really wanted to know, Marie could see it in the way he stared into her eyes, searching.

"Remember the other night, when I told you that Nikki thought there was something between us?" The small spark in his eyes- was it perhaps…hope?- told her that he remembered. "Well, she also said that I was too hung up on Bradin to see that you…that you…" she couldn't get out the word, "you liked me." There, she said it.

Kyle's gaze dropped from her, momentarily. But that one second was enough to tell Marie what she wanted to know. Taking a shaky breath, she reached up and placed a hand against the smooth skin of his jaw. His eyes shot up to hers, questioning. She smiled shakily and stood on her tip-toes. Body trembling uncontrollably, she placed her lips gently against his. A spark of…something shot through her, and Marie felt herself falling into the kiss.

Kyle's arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her tight against his body. He responded to her kiss with skilled lips. A hand traveled up her back and held her neck gently. A shiver ran down her spine. Marie could feel Kyle's heart beating sharply, and her own heart soon matched it, beat for beat.

Pulling away slowly, she gazed up into his eyes. Kyle smiled at her. She smiled back, and moved back in for another kiss.

There was a God. Kyle believed now. How else could he feel that he was in Heaven with Marie in his arms?

He felt the skin of her back, warm beneath his hand, and a fire ignited within him. Her lips moved over his, hesitant yet passionate. The animal inside Kyle was awakened and it was all he could do not to press her down to the sand and make love to her right then and there. He wanted her so badly, wanted to be inside of her, to be one with her. But he knew that with Marie he needed to take things slowly. Damn was it hard.

Marie pulled away from him for the second time. Kyle rested his forehead against hers, his breath quick.

"Damn you're good at that." He whispered, bringing a blush to Marie's cheeks. His lips grazed her forehead, feeling the heat of her skin. His kiss moved to each closed eyelid, down her jaw, and back to her lips. Just as his mouth was brushing hers, Marie pulled back and turned away from him.

"What's wrong?" Anger surged within him, but Kyle kept it in check. What good would it do him to scare her away?

"I…" she shook her head, tears springing to her eyes.

"Marie," he placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her back towards him, hooking a finger beneath her chin to make her look at him. "You can tell me." He whispered.

"No I can't." Tears ran down her cheeks, leaving wet streaks in their wake.

Kyle was quickly losing his patience with her. He had invested too much time in their growing relationship to have her pull away now, not when he was so close.

"Tell me." The words came out harsh and rough, and Marie looked up at him with terror in her eyes. "Please." He added in a much calmer and gentler tone. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I'm fine." She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and smiled weakly up at him. "I went through this same thing when Bradin and I first kissed."

There it was again, the comparison to that son-of-a-bitch. Kyle hated it. Their whole friendship, Kyle had continually felt as if Marie were comparing him to Bradin, seeing how he measured up to the boy who had captured Marie's heart. How could she compare the two of them when they were so different? Kyle had always felt that he had to equal up to Bradin or Marie would vanish from his life. But how did he equal up to a person he knew only through the stories that Marie told. He had grown sick of hearing about Bradin. He was all Marie could ever talk about. Then, he had met Bradin.

Kyle couldn't believe it when he finally met his competition and saw just how pathetic the blonde haired surfer was. How could Marie have fallen for someone like him? This was the guy that Marie had always drooled over, always talked about? He was pitiful. A weakling. A puny little surfing punk. That was it, nothing more. There was not a hint of knight-in-shining-armor in him. What you saw was what you got. And, to Kyle, the package was not very appealing.

But, Kyle had come out on top. Marie had chosen him, had kissed him. Bradin was left with nothing more than the memories of having had Marie. Kyle could have laughed in his face if he hadn't thought it meant losing his victory.

He looked at Marie, his eyes boring into hers.

"I'm not going to hurt you like your step-father," he said. He wanted to add, "or like Bradin," but refrained, knowing it would only hurt Marie.

Another short chapter, but it's all adding up to the big un-Marie like thing that's going to happen later on (maybe even in the next chapter). Hehe. Please review and tell me what you thought.

Soxbabe: I believe that Emma will be coming back sometime soon. I just haven't figured out how to bring her back yet.

jessesfan0409: Yeah, email me that story, I'd love to read it.

the different person: Right now I am stuck on Right Here Waiting, but I will try and update soon.

chadslover, Jmacsgurl15, Caitlin, emily, AllyCat16, tinhyeu92, Dramagrl, beverleyd, kandykane33, jessebradinsummerlandobsession, and Saynt Jimmy: I love reading what y'all have to say and I appreciate the fact that you guys take the time to review. Thank you.