Desire

Chapter 1

A soft wave crashes elegantly over the long span of empty beach. The sun, bright orange and pink, slips below the water's edge, slowly darkening the world. As the moon gives the world it's ghostly glow, Tanner pulls me out of his car and wraps his arms around my waists. We stand with our heads bowed together as the moon grows brighter and brighter.

This meeting has become part of our daily ritual. Sharply at six o'clock, Tanner and I would meat at the small city mall, where we would leave in Tanner's car for this private beach his parents owned. (Yes, they owned a beach, just like they owned an island. In fact, Tanner's family owned everything they wanted.) Our meetings would last into the early morning hours, and on the rare occasion, into day light. On these ocassions, I would find myself having to answer a flow of questions from my father, but I could never tell him the truth. He would kill me if he knew I actually had a boyfriend, and I knew that, and the guilt ate me and it still does. Only my love for Tanner beats the guilt out to where I can live with myself.

Tanner takes my hands and twirls me around a few times before leaning into kiss me, pressing me back against the hood of his car. I kiss him back, my lips tingling with a warm sensation that I have only ever felt with Tanner. Tanner must feel the sensation too, for her doesn't stop with one kiss, he continues on. He lets his hand travel up my back, through my hair, over my face, and down my neck, feeling my body gently as he locks his lips with my own.

I stop his hand with my own as he starts down my chest. "Not now, Tanner. I'm not ready, baby."

"Peyton, please, you say that every time I try to touch you a little more. I love you so much, and I want to show you." He whispers softly, nibbling lightly on my ear.

I moan softly in pleasure. "No, not tonight. I know you love me, just as much as I love you, but not tonight."

"Peyton, I have to leave tomorrow for one week, you know that. Let me take a little something extra with me. No one will have to know. I only want to hold you and touch you."

His voice has a persuading tone to it, and I almost give in to my want to be closer to him, but I fight it off. "I am not ready, Tanner, I am sorry." I whisper to him and kis shim softly, wrapping my fingers around his.

He sighs, but kisses me back, and I feel happy. I have been resisting him for three months, despite my natural want to let him get what he craves. Somehow, I just don't feel right doing it so soon in our relationship. We have only been together for six months, but that is a milestone for both of us. Neither one of us were ever able to hold down a steady relationship before we found each other.

Tanner pulls away from our kiss and holds me tightly, rocking back and forth to an imaginary song playing in his head. I rock with him, laying my head gently on his shoulder, and enjoy our time together before he leaves me. I was devastated when he told me he would be leaving, especially since he wouldn't tell me where he was going. I had bugged him so much about it, he finally told me to visit his Aunt Pam, but in the pit of my stomach, I knew it was a lie, though I accepted it.

"Promise me you won't be with any other girl." I tell him softly as we rock back and forth.

"What do you mean, Peyton?"

"While you are gone, promise me you won't be with another girl."

"I promise, baby. I can only love you, you belong to me and I belong to you, we are one together." He tells me softly, pulling me into a final kiss before we slip back into the car and head back for the mall.