Something About The Sunshine

Chapter Ten

I wiped the water from my eyes and looked up to see Grayson's concerned blue eyes.

"Are you okay Leah? I'm so sorry", he apologized as he used his other hand to wipe my face of water and move my hair off my face.

"Its okay, I'm okay", I assured as I steadied myself by putting one hand on his shoulder and the other on his upper arm.

God, he felt so warm and firm. His hair was wet and slicked back and he smelled of his usual natural scent mixed with sea water. I found that I loved the way his arm held me tight against him and the sight of his worried blue eyes let me know he truly cared. My chest felt tight as the tingling sensation of sexual tension danced over my skin. His eyes moved from my hair, down to my eyes, and then finally settled on my lips before they darkened with lust.

"You're gonna have to be the one to stop us this time, I don't think I can hold myself back", he whispered huskily as his face drew closer to my own.

"Hold yourself back from what", I asked as if in a trance. But maybe thats what I was in. Grayson's eyes were always like a vortex to me, pulling me into their blue depths to be consumed by his intoxicating presence.

"From holding those soft cheeks and tangling my fingers into your dark hair as I kiss you with everything I have in me. Because if I kiss you right now Leah, I'm not leaving your side at all and I will try and bring you to my place or stay at yours. And I promise you right now mia piccola dea, the heat and sexual desire between us now is nothing compared to what it could be if I get you alone in a bed tonight", he spoke softly with us nose to nose.

Damn that sounded tempting as fuck. At that moment I couldn't think of anything else I wanted more than what he just explained to me. But deep inside I knew we couldn't, no matter what we may feel right now we both knew we weren't ready for each other. So I mustered up all the control I had and pushed him away and swam to keep myself afloat.

"Hey love birds I thought you guys weren't together yet", Beck called out with a smirk as he, Kyra, and Talia swam towards us but were still quite a distance away.

"We're... trying not to be", I called back before I looked back to Grayson who masked his lust with a small smile.

Later on after hanging out and having fun in the water for quite awhile I noticed my fingers were getting pretty pruny so I decided to step out for awhile. I stepped out of the water and cringed at the cold of the air but made my way to our space in the sand. I noticed a few more groups of people around us than before. But I couldn't really complain because it wasn't too many people and the group nearest to us was playing some really good music.

I dried my body off with my towel and then pulled my yellow beach chair out into the sun to enjoy its rays. I sat back and closed my eyes and felt my body relax as my mind settled into thoughts about how much my life had changed.

Almost a year ago I would've been Jordan's wife and personal punching bag in a noisy city where the sun never hits your skin like this. I would've been stuck in a job I hated with locked potential and not nearly enough confidence to be writing my own columns, much less model for a magazine. I would've hated my life so much. It almost makes me want to thank Jordan and Talia instead of... nope I can't even finish that thought. I still want to beat the shit out of both of them.

I opened my eyes to make sure the others were still doing okay in the water, only to notice that there were 3 men who looked like they had been walking along the beach side but were stopped and all looking at me. I looked away thinking maybe I had just caught them at the exact second they had been looking at me. I counted to five and looked back over to them to see them still staring, they weren't even trying to hide it. I gave them a small smile to be kind and they started walking towards me as if to think my smile was an invitation.

Please don't, please don't, please don't, please don't.

I kept telling myself they weren't coming towards me not only so it wouldn't be awkward, but also because there was no way I was getting this much male attention. I was still surprised that Grayson thought I was beautiful, the possibility that 3 men were going to walk up to flirt with me seemed way too far fetched.

Speaking of the devil, as the men were getting close Grayson in all his wet, sun kissed glory walked through them. And even though he had a smile on his face I can tell it was a mask, a mask to hide his... anger?

Holy hell, was he being protective because he noticed them walking towards me?

"Excuse me boys", he smiled confidently as he slid through them and even bumped shoulders with the one in the middle.

"My little goddess, can you grab my towel please", he called out as he winked at me. I felt my cheeks begin to grow hot because he said little goddess loud and clear for not only those men but the group next to us to hear, but I got up and grabbed his dark blue towel from the back of his matching beach chair.

It felt as if all eyes were on us as I met him half way with it. When we got close enough he grabbed the towel with one hand as his other found it's way at the small of my back, making me shiver.

"Thanks babygirl", he said before kissing my forehead and drying off his hair with the towel. We both looked back at the men who had been walking towards me to notice they had turned around and continued their way down the shoreline.

"That was a little mean, don't you think Gray? We don't even know what they were coming over here for", I said as I watched him pull his chair to be next to mine and we both sat down together.

"It is quite obvious that all 3 boys were ready to fight each other to the death just to even get your number. You're the most beautiful woman on this beach though , so I can't blame them too much", he smirked. I laughed and shoved his shoulder lightly before taking a sip of the mango flavored Seagram's.

"Oh come on, this is L.A. I'm sure there are plenty of women on this beach who are ten times-", I started.

"Don't you dare question your beauty in my presense Leah. You know how I feel about you, you know how breathtaking I think you are. Do you really not notice when people stare at you? Do you think my mom would pay you extra to have you model for her magazine if she questioned how stunning you are? Everyone can see how beautiful you are except you, why is that", Grayson asked as he looked over at me with stern blue eyes.

I was taken back by how intense he was being about the subject of my beauty. Was it really so serious that I didn't find myself as attractive as he thought I was?

"Because my ex drilled into my head that I wasn't and that I never would be. He always said that he could find better, and I had gotten so comfortable with him that I truly thought I needed him and that I wasn't worthy of him. I was stupid and blind when it came to that relationship, but the one thing that has stuck with me since I left is that I'll never be attractive enough", I explained.

"But you model-", Grayson began.

"I took the modeling job because it came with the columnist and editing job. I do what I have to for the job I've dreamed of having since I was a teenager. The only confidence I have is in my writing", I snapped a bit harshly. I took a deep breath and looked back out to the water as I tried to calm myself.

"Sorry, its just a sore subject", I apologized.

"No, I should be the one apologizing, I pushed the conversation too far. I just wish you could see yourself through my eyes. Whoever this ex of yours is, knowing how he's made you feel makes me want to beat the hell out of him" Grayson said.

"I wish I could too", I replied.

"What? See yourself through my eyes or beat the hell out of your ex?"

I looked into Grayson's blue eyes with all seriousness before taking another sip of my drink as I watched the others come out of the water and walk back up towards us.

"Both".