WANT TO KNOW A SECRET?

(16)

I wanted to remove my hand from his face but his hand stopped it and brought mine to his lips before kissing my fingers one by one tenderly. I closed my eyes when goosebumps sprang all over my body.

"Let's get some more sleep before morning comes..." He muttered a few minutes later and we both lay back down the way we'd fallen asleep hours before.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked him over his steady heartbeat.

His lips on the top of my head told me I could.

"Earlier you said that Tom, Cam and I were inseparable growing up, that it was always the three of us..." I paused unsure of how he'd react to my question. "You said it as if you'd known us all your life..." He interrupted me.

"That's because I did... Landon, Owen and I always joked that you were the wild version of our own tightknit trio..." I smiled at that. "We were jealous, actually..." He added. "They had the beautiful Poppy Martins while we... Well, we could only dream of meeting a girl like you..."

"A girl like me?" I interjected with my eyebrows raised.

"A girl who's not only incredibly beautiful but who's also sporty, who wears the cutest dresses but climbs trees like boys, who doesn't cry all the time and is not obsessed with appearance and money... You were like every boy's dream."

Wow...

"Hmm...Ok..." What do you say in these situations? "I guess that will teach me not to ask that kind of question..."

"How are you more embarrassed that I am right now, Poppy?!" He laughed lightly and began running his hand through my hair. "Let's just sleep, ok?"

"Ok..." I muttered, grateful for the darkness surrounding us.

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"Pops, you need to come inside!" Nathan called me from the edge of the pool. He was as excited as the day I'd offered him his dream pair of Air Max Nike last year.

After waking up in Tyler's arms, I'd cowardly sneaked out of bed and decided to go swimming in order to release my pent-up energy, good and bad, and I'd been at it for a couple of hours now.

"What's going on?" I asked suspiciously.

"You have to come and choose your favorite..." He answered as if I knew what he was talking about.

"My favorite?" I asked before hoisting myself up the wall easily. He handed me my towel and I dried my face before wrapping it tightly around myself.

He grabbed my hand and led me up to the main wooden deck where Leo, Landon and Tyler were all seated around a table with a laptop in front of them.

I could see Darren and Owen were watching TV inside.

"Did you eat anything for breakfast?" Nate asked me as we reached the boys.

I shook my head.

"Magda sent us some of her yummy food this morning... I'll go and make you a plate." He said before heading inside.

"So what's going on?" I asked, feeling suddenly awkward standing up in my towel in front of them.

Two hands reached around my waist and pulled me down somebody's lap, startling me.

I instantly recognized Tyler's cologne and relaxed.

"I'm dripping wet..." I pointed out.

Landon began laughing at that.

Boys... I thought and rolled my eyes at their dirty mind.

"Suit yourself..." I mumbled, getting comfy. "So why is my little bro so excited?"