“Then horseback riding it is.”

“Great. If you don’t mind, I’m going to take a quick shower,” she said.

“Go ahead. I’ll meet you downstairs.”

She kissed my lips and then got up from the bed. I grabbed her hand and pulled her back. She laughed as she fell on the bed. I leaned into her and kissed her again. This time, it was deep and passionate and I didn’t want to let her go. I broke our kiss and she smiled at me.

“I just felt the need to do that.” I smiled.

“Feel free to do that anytime.”

“I will. I promise. Now go get in the shower.”

She got up and I lightly smacked her perfect ass. She giggled as she left the room.

When I went back downstairs, my mom and dad were sitting at the table with their heads down. I looked around the kitchen. My mom had started to take out the ingredients for her hangover cocktail. Oh my God; this was perfect.

“GOOD MORNING, PARENTS!” I yelled.

“Oh my God, Collin. Shut up!” my mom said as she put up her hand.

“Son, be respectful.”

“What’s wrong? Did you drink too much last night?” I whispered in my mom’s ear. “Are you hung over?” I whispered in my dad’s ear.

Julia walked into the kitchen and I brought my finger to my lips, motioning for her to be quiet.

“Let me help you out, dear parents, and make you something to help ease your pain.”

Julia silently laughed as she helped me put the ingredients in the blender. I turned it on full speed and both my mom and dad jumped.

“Jesus Christ, Collin!” my dad exclaimed.

“Sorry, Dad.” I laughed.

I poured the drink in two glasses and handed them to my parents. They just sat there and stared at me.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and drink it.” I smiled.

Julia sat down at the table next to them. “I sure hope your grandson never sees you like this. What would he think?” She smiled.

“Let’s do this, Connor,” my mom said as she held up her glass.

They both drank it as Amelia walked into the kitchen. She had the look of fear in her eyes when she saw the blender. “You know I don’t need one of those.”

“I know, baby. It’s for them.” I chuckled as I pointed to my parents.

“Whew,” she said.

****

My parents, Julia and Jake, and Diana and Jacob all left early to head back to the city. My dad wanted to get back and check on Denny. I told them that Amelia and I wouldn’t be heading back until later this evening because we were going to spend the day horseback riding and then relaxing on the beach. Amelia had an amazing smile on her face the entire time we were horseback riding.

“I love this so much,” she said as we rode along the shore.

“It’s relaxing. Isn’t it?”

“It sure is.”

I extended my hand out to her and she took it. We rode our horses next to each other and held hands the rest of the ride. Words couldn’t describe what I felt. When we finished with the horses, we drove back to the beach house and got in our bathing suits. I had to bit my bottom lip when I saw Amelia in her string bikini. Fuck, I was getting hard just looking at her. We went down to the beach and lay down on the blanket. I reached over and grabbed her hand while we both relaxed in the sun. I had an idea.

“Hey,” I said as I turned my head and looked at her.

“What?” she asked.

“Stand up.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see.” God, I was scared to do what I was going to do, but I felt it had to be done.

We both stood up. I bent down, placed my arm under her legs, and picked her up. “What are you doing?” she laughed.

“Do you trust me?” I asked seriously.

She became quiet and looked at me. The smile had left her face and it was almost as if she knew what I was going to do.

“Do you trust me?” I asked again.

“Don’t, Collin. Please,” she said as her eyes began to tear.

“I’ll ask you one more time. Do you trust me?”

“Yes, I do trust you. But—”

“No buts, Amelia,” I said as I began walking towards the water.

Her grip tightened around my neck. “Don’t, Collin. Please, I’m begging you. If you care at all about me, you won’t do this. PLEASE!” she yelled.

“I do care about you and that’s why I’m doing this,” I said as I walked into the water.

I could feel her heart racing faster than the speed of light and the tears started to pour from her eyes. “Please take me back.”

I reached the point with her where the water was above my waist. She was crying and I felt like a fucking monster. But I knew in the end that this was what she needed to live her life again.

“You loved the water. You told me it was your life and you can’t let one accident destroy it.”

“You bastard. I fucking hate you for doing this to me,” she cried as I put her down in the water.

Her eyes were closed tight and she was shaking. Not because the water was cold, but because of fear.

“I’ve got you and I won’t let you go. I promise. Please, baby, relax.”

I was holding her as tight as she was holding onto me. “I hate you,” she said with her eyes still closed.

“No, you don’t. Feel it, Amelia. Feel the water, the waves; everything you once loved about it. I know you’re scared, but open your eyes. It’s beautiful out here, baby, and I want to share it with you.”

“Fuck you!” she screamed.

My heart broke for her, but this was the only way to get her back into the water, a place where she used to feel safe and at peace. She needed to understand that it could still be that way.

“You can hate me all you want. But you need to do this. I’m doing this because I love you, Amelia, and I want you to get better.”

I said it. I told her that I loved her and I meant it. She became still as she had her arms wrapped tightly around my neck. She took her hand and placed it in the water, moving it slowly back and forth. I let out a deep breath because she had finally calmed down.

“It’s great, isn’t it?” I said.

She lifted her head from my shoulder and looked at me as the tears still streamed down her face. I gently wiped them away as I smiled at her and then kissed her softly on the lips.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she whispered.

“It’s not so bad, is it?” I asked as my eyes began to water.