Jail Bird. by Em. Z. (best free ebook reader .txt) 📕

He lifted my chin with his finger. "I won't let you drown. If you want to get out, then I won't force you. Just try with me." He took my hands again, tugging me toward the stairs that lead to the beach.

I bit my lip as he lead me down, looking nervously at the water. I didn't allow myself to back out, however, as he pulled off his shirt and set it down. Actually, I didn't think about backing out, as his abs came into view. In fact, I wanted to freaking do a canonball into the water just so I could be close to him!

I cleared my throat as I dropped my shorts, setting them by his shirt. He let his eyes roam my body, before grabbing my hand, and after a long look into my eyes, leading me to the water. I stopped short, digging my feet into the sand as the water rushed over my toes, my joints locking in fear.

Victor stood close to me, lowering his head so it was inches from mine, on the same level. "Hey, I'm right here." He whispered, his hand carressing my cheek, and brushing the hair behind my ear.

I swallowed thickly, and nodded. He took a step back, and I forced myself to mirror his movements. His eyes never left mine, as he eased me slowly into the water. I could feel panic creeping up, as the water began to get waist deep, and I bit my lip hard to keep from whimpering.

Before I knew what was happening, Victor's arms encircled me, and he pulled me close to him, his hands making patterns on my back under the now mid-back water. "I won't let go." He assured as I clutched his arm with force.

I looked at him in panic. I'd never been this deep before. What if a wave crashed over us, sending us both into the water? What would I do? Would I drown? How would I get out? What would I-

My thoughts were silence at the look in his eyes. Determined. Protective, and something else I couldn't put my finger on. I knew immediately that he would keep a hold of me, even if we were sent into the water. He was a man to keep his promises.

So I let him lead me out, until we were about shoulder deep. Still, as small waves hit us, I would bury my face in his neck, and whimper, but each time, he would stroke my hair, and comfort me enough to lift my head.

Finally, I began to realize that I wasn't about to die. I was enjoying myself. despite my nerves, I was actually glad I was out here, with Victor. 

As I began to relax, I could tell Victor was relaxing too, as he began to tease me.

"See? Now what did I tell you? Water isn't going to kill you! Now it's the sharks you have to worry about," He said, thoughtful.

My mouth dropped open. "Shut up!" I splashed him in the face.

He laughed loudly. "I'm just teasing you, Jaws was overeacting." He assured, and then he added with a grin, "They only attack when they smell fear."

I let out a yelp and jumped into his arms, burying my face in his neck. "You are the meanest person alive!" I complained.

"Relax, Jane. I'm only teasing." He chuckled, although I could have sworn I felt his arms tighten around me.

"Yeah, I-I knew that." I said, pulling back from him.

Psh, I was practically shaking. Who was I kidding? I was completely and utterly frightened of the ocean. The water may have been clear and beautiful today, but that didn't take away my fear.

I slowly eased myself down from his arms, keeping my own around his neck and swallowing thickly as my feet touched the sand underneath.

"You need to stop biting that lip of yours." He said, sounding pained.

I looked up at him, a puzzled expression on my face. "What fo- oh." I felt the breath leave my lungs as I looked into his eyes, full of hunger.

I swallowed thickly again.

"Yeah. Oh." He muttered, looking away.

I wanted to take a step back, but I didn't trust myself to move away when I was shoulder deep in water. We stood there awkwardly for a moment, not really sure what to do.

"Um...was I going to learn how to swim?" I asked, looking up at him through my lashes.

He seemed to force a smile, as he met my eyes. "Yeah. Come on, I'll help you." He said.

"Oh really? I was thinking I'd just, you know, wing it." I said, my voice playfully sarcastic, as I pushed him on the shoulder.

He grinned playfully. "Okay, first we practice going under."

"What?" My yelp was cut off as we went under.

Panic panged in my stomach, as I clutched onto Victor tightly, wrapping my arms and legs around him like a lifeline. He reached back, unclasping my hands from each other, and pulling me back slightly from him. His hands clasped my face, and I slowly peeked open my eyes. I blinked a few times, my panic slowly subsiding as I saw Victor's smile. I was doing it? I was doing it! I was under water!

I smiled brightly at him, waving almost in slow motion as the water slowed my movement. 

He waved back, keeping one hand on my face. I went up for breath, pushing my hair out of my face as I gave Victor an award winning smile.

"I did it!"

"You did it!" He exclaimed back.

"I didn't panic and die!" I said, clapping my hands together like a five year old.

Victor laughed and pulled me into a hug, surprising me. "You did it." He murmured, his voice low in my ear.

Why did I have to be so affected by him? Why in that moment, did this one man have to shut down my defenses so easily?

I kept away from men. I didn't want Ike getting angry at me and hurting those I loved, though in this moment, I wanted to be selfish. I wanted to hug Victor back. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted him to comfort me, to tell me it was going to be okay. I wanted everything. And why couldn't I have it? Ike didn't know where I was. He didn't have a claim on my life. He wouldn't find me.

So I wrapped my arms around him, splaying my hands across his wide back.

I didn't expect him to drop back into the water. Bubbles floated up, and with them was the sound of my muffled laughter.

The day pretty much went like that. He helped me learn the basics of swimming, never giving any looks of judgement when I shamefully admitted just how little I knew. He was very patient, although he did like to tease me. He found out I was ticklish by accident, when he grabbed me to shield me from an upcoming wave, I let out a loud laugh and accidentally jerked slightly away from him.

So now that was his ultimate weapon against me.

Any time I made a snarky comment, or even gave him a dry or sarcastic look, he'd grab me around the waist, making peals of laughter escape.

So I couldn't even give him attitude when he teased me. It was no fair! I needed to find something weak about him, too. I already tried to tickle him, but he just stood there with a grin as I poked his sides, brushed his neck with the tips of my fingers, and even tried between the shoulder-blades. Nothing.

He had no weaknesses!

Impossible! My mind growled at me. Everyone has one weakness!

Logan and I got out of the ocean, a little pruny from being in so long, and he handed me a towel he'd thought to bring. We sat on the sand, watching the tide roll in. The sun was now half-way down in the sky, and I guessed it was about three to four now. I laid my head back on the towel, slipping my sunglasses on and closing my eyes as the warm breeze dried my hair.

"This is the most at ease I've been near water since before I almost drowned." I murmured.

He hesitated for a moment, before asking softly. "What happened?"

I chuckled. "I tried to learn how to swim by myself. Dad had gone to help Kent get the cooler from the back of the truck, and I was impatient. I'd been swimming with these little floats on my arms. I think I was six at the time. I took them off, set them aside and...jumped in. I didn't realize swimming was so hard, at the time. I tried my best to reach the top but...It was like I was being weighed down. Dad, realizing I wasn't standing by the pool where he'd left me, jumped in after me. I was still the hard-headed idiot that I am now, so I thought that I could do it.

"I jumped in again, and the same result. This time Dad had been watching me like a halk, as I sulked by the pool, but he had to go to the bathroom, and left me with Kent. Kent, being a very distractable kid, was ah...shall we say, bribed by someone to go and hang out with his friends. And when I say someone, I mean I bribed him with some rock candy my Dad gave me. When I jumped in, I was determined to reach the surface. I could feel the triumph in my gut when air filled my lungs, and I could see my brother...but I started sinking again. Luckily Dad had been coming back from the bathroom when he saw me come up for air. The third time was pure accident, actually." I stopped, laughing to myself.

"Accident?" Victor inquired softly.

"Yeah. Completely given up on the notion of swimming, I was walking back from the snack bar with a chocolate bar in my hands, and this kid, a huge bully in my neighborhood, walked up to me and tried to take it. My dad had taught me self defense by then, and you know how I'm protective of my candy, so when he wrapped his grubby little fingers around my candy bar, I grabbed his wrist, twisted it, and flipped him. Of course, I was flipping him straight into the pool. He grabbed my wrist in an attempt to stay out of the water, making us both tumble in. The kid was more of a spazz than me, because he was flailing, and making a complete fool of himself," I paused to roll my eyes.

"This is what actually gave me aqua-phobia." I continued, "He was holding onto me, pretty much using me as a life boat in his panicked state. It was actually his dad and my dad that saved me. Turns out the kid's dad was one of my dad's best friends, who saw us take a tumble. The kid acted like a three year old, crying and blubbering that he would have died. Of course, my dad defended me, saying that the kid could have killed me and all that shit. I never wanted to get into a body of water again." I finished, glancing at Victor from behind my sunglasses.

Victor was smiling slightly at me, with a strangely awed expression on his face. "You flipped this kid?"

I shrugged. "Yeah."

"How old was he?" He asked me.

"Eh, I don't know, eight maybe? Way too old to act like such a baby. I mean, seriously, I was the one who panicked when near water, and I didn't even shed a tear when they pulled us out!" I threw my hands up.

"You, a six year old girl, flipped an eight year old fat kid?" He asked me incredulously.

I grinned. "Hey, you don't mess with my candy." I said.

"Momma, look! it's the nice lady!" I sat up slightly, taking my sunglasses off as I watched Lindsey point me out to her Mom, and rush over.

I smiled at her, my expression softening immediately. "Hey,