The Lies That Define Us Part 25

The attendant was already waiting on the plane to stow away our stuff, but I insisted on doing it.

Ari settled into one of the aisle seats, nervously rubbing her hands over her bare legs. She blew out a breath, and her eyes s.h.i.+fted around.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, squatting down beside her. I didn't know why, but I put my hand on her knee and rubbed my thumb in smooth, calming circles.

"I've never been on a plane before," she whisper-hissed under her breath while the others began to get on the plane.

"It's not scary," I a.s.sured her. "I'll sit right beside you and hold your hand. Whatever you need me to do."

Her teeth dug slightly into her bottom lip. "Liam-"

"Liam," Brady hollered, and I turned to see him with his arms spread wide. "My man. Thanks for this." He held out his clenched hand for a fist-b.u.mp.

"Yeah, of course." I b.u.mped my fist against his.

"What were you saying?" I turned back to Ari.

She shook her head, her eyes looking anywhere but at me. "Nothing. It was nothing."

I didn't believe her-not for one second.

I lingered a moment longer there beside her giving her a chance to say something, but she didn't take the bait. With a sigh, I stood up straight and went to make sure everything was on track.

It didn't take long to get everyone settled, and I took my seat beside Ari.

"Breathe," I whispered in her ear. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"There's everything to be afraid of," she countered.

"Here," I reached forward, securing her seatbelt, "you need to strapped in."

I fixed my belt and the plane began to taxi.

"Hold my hand," Ari pleaded, outstretching her hand towards me. "Please?"

I gladly took her hand.

"Don't let go," she pleaded.

I wouldn't. I didn't want to.

We arrived in Hawaii, and I couldn't get off the plane fast enough. I dragged Ari behind me, and we nearly fell down the plane steps. The sun was s.h.i.+ning high and bright above us, the day already scorching hot. I looked up at the blue sky and the few clouds floating above us. My whole body vibrated with the need to grab my board and head out into the water. I was sure the guys felt the same way.

Ollie and Talia came off the plane next. "Whoa-oh, man. This place is nice. I forgot how much I loved Hawaii."

Jeremiah and Brady got off behind them as an SUV circled around to pick us up.

"There's a place Talia and I know," Ollie began, rubbing his hands together, "it's got a sick view and there's a jump. Wanna go?"

"A jump?" Ari questioned, confused.

"Cliff-jumping," I told her. "It's more fun, and less scary than it sounds." To Ollie I said, "Yeah, we should all go once we get settled at the hotel. After that, I need to get in some surf time."

"h.e.l.l yeah." Jeremiah grinned. "This is gonna be one epic vacation."

The car driver of the SUV hopped out and opened the door so we could get in. Brady took the front seat while Ari, Talia, and Ollie took the third row. That left the two middle seats for Jeremiah and myself.

I loaded the bags into the trunk of the car, much to the driver's dismay.

I hadn't discussed it with Ari, but she was staying in my suite. It had two bedrooms since it was one of the larger rooms in the hotel, so I hadn't seen the point in asking her if she was okay with it. I mean, she stayed at my house in her own room, so what was the difference? For some reason I suddenly felt unsure and thought maybe I should've said something to her. Too late now.

We pulled up to the hotel after a thirty-minute drive. The place was nice. More than nice. Everything seemed to...sparkle. Like it was coated in glitter or something. The outside was a bright white and it boasted towering columns. The place screamed money, and it definitely wasn't cheap. My room was covered by the compet.i.tion hosts, but I'd paid for my friends so I knew this place was the likes of which celebrities stayed at.

We filed out of the car, and while everyone else oohed and ahhed, I went to check us in.

The receptionist was polite and friendly, and spoke in a tone of voice that was supposed to make you feel calm. I wondered if she was trained to speak that way.

Armed with four room keys, I joined everyone where they lingered in the lobby. All of them looked around in awe. The lobby floors were a s.h.i.+ny white marble, with white walls, and white furniture. Large chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, adding to the opulence. The place was certainly minimalistic, but you'd have to be an idiot not to notice how expensive everything was.

The six of us filed into an elevator, along with a bellhop rolling a cart with our bags, and I doled out the room keys.

"Where's mine?" Ari asked, looking at the lone key left in my hand.

I held the slender credit-card-like key between my index and middle finger. "You're staying with me."

She paled, and her Caribbean blue eyes widened. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she finally managed to utter, "What?"

I decided to mess with her. "Yeah, I couldn't get another room. You'll have to sleep in my bed. I don't snore, so you don't have to worry about that, but I love to cuddle."

She inhaled a shaky breath. "I can sleep on the floor."

My friends watched us in amus.e.m.e.nt.

"It's a king bed, Ari, it would be silly for either of us to sleep on the floor. Don't be ridiculous."

She leaned her back against the wall of the elevator like she needed the support. "Still, I think that would be for the best."

"Are you sure?" I drawled, tapping a finger to my lips. "All we'd be doing is sleeping. It's not like I'd touch you or whisper sweet-nothings in your ear. Sleeping, that's all we'd be doing." With a smirk, I added, "Unless you're afraid you'll want to touch me. I'm pretty irresistible, so I wouldn't blame you."

That fire that I loved so much blazed in her eyes. "I'm capable of keeping my hands to myself." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me.

I chuckled. "Good. Besides, you have a separate bedroom in my suite." I winked at her, enjoying the way her mouth fell and her brow wrinkled with irritation.

I f.u.c.king loved riling her.

The elevator chimed with a happy ding, and we stepped off on our floor. All our rooms were in the same section-I requested it that way-and the bellhop followed us down the hallway.

He unloaded everyone's bags, except mine since I wanted to do it myself, into their rooms, and I tipped him generously before he left.

I entered my suite to find Ari walking around the central living room; the two rooms and respective bathrooms branched off of each side of the living s.p.a.ce. There was also a fairly s.p.a.cious kitchen, and a large balcony that overlooked the ocean.

Ari brushed the tips of her fingers against the white couch before taking a seat.

"So, this is how the rich travel?" she asked. She didn't say the question rudely, in fact, she seemed to be holding in a laugh.

"Of course," I replied, heading over to the refrigerator. I found it fully stocked with food and drinks, and grabbed each of us a bottle of water.

I took a seat in the chair beside the couch and handed her the extra bottle.

"Thanks." She untwisted the cap and took a sip. "So..." she began hesitantly. "Cliff-jumping?"

My lips quirked into a half-smile. "You'll love it. Trust me."

She looked doubtful, but didn't say anything. "When are we leaving?"

"Knowing Ollie?" I raised my brows. "Three, two-"

Right on time, there was a knock on the door followed by, "My b.i.t.c.hes, where ya at?"

Ari pressed her lips together, but it was pointless. The laughter escaped her, and she clutched her stomach.

He banged at the door again.

"I wonder what he'll do if I don't answer?"

She wiped tears from her eyes. "Something tells me we don't want to find out."

"Li-am," Ollie sang, drumming his hands together. "I'm here to give you your-" I ran and opened the door before he could finish that sentence. I didn't want to know where he was going with that.

"I thought you'd never answer." He sighed dramatically and his hands dropped at his sides.

"We need to change," I explained. Ollie had somehow already changed into a pair of board shorts, sans s.h.i.+rt.

Ollie groaned. "You guys are so slow my grandma could ride a turtle and get done faster than you. And let me tell you, my grandma is a nice lady, but she's the size of a bus."

"Why don't you go check on your pregnant girlfriend and see if this place has some Cheetos," I suggested.

He nodded in agreement with a sly smile. "You're always looking out for me. You're so smart."

"Mhm, yeah dude." I shut the door in his face and started toward the bedroom on the right.

Ari snickered from the couch. "You're so rude."

I snorted. "Tell me something I don't know. Now go get changed. You'll need to wear a bikini. Preferably something black. And skimpy."

She rolled her eyes, her lips lifted into a smile. "And bossy too." She stood from the couch and stretched her arms above her head. "I need ten minutes."

"Ollie will give you two," I warned her.

"Then stall him." She smiled, and did this little skip/hop thing toward the other room. "Braid his hair or something."

"I don't braid hair," I scoffed.

"Then learn." She cackled, closing the double doors leading to her room I stood there, staring at those stupid closed doors. My heart thumped like an out of control freight train in my chest. Even a stupid conversation like that could rile me up when it came to Ari. My heart was shouting the truth at me, even as I continued to deny it.

She was mine. My perfect other half. The one that completed me.

I scrubbed my hands over my face roughly. I'd known for a while, deep down, but I hadn't wanted to believe it. I still didn't. But you can only bury the truth for so long because it always comes back, and she was my truth-the future, the life I'd forced myself to abandon, but there it was right in front of me. Mine for the taking.

And I was finally going to claim it.

I took Ari's hand as we climbed the narrow dirt path up to the jump. Everyone else was up ahead of us, but I'd been more than willing to let them go on.

Ari kept looking down at her feet, careful not to trip on any of the loose rocks.

I didn't really care about that. I was too busy checking her out. She had her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun on top of her head, her face was clear of any sort of makeup, and I could clearly see a few freckles sprinkled across her nose. She was dressed in a tiny pair of shorts and a black bikini top with some kind of straps crossing over her middle and tied around the back.

"I can feel you staring at me," she scolded, and her lips lifted into a smile.

"I like looking at you."

She lifted her eyes to mine. "Is that so?"

"Yeah," I admitted, not playing around. "I like spending time with you too."

I knew I was giving her mixed signals again, with the way I'd been avoiding her before the trip, but I was done with that. I guessed it was about time I told her that too.

I came to a stop on the trail, which forced her to stop too.

"Liam?"

I took a deep breath and braced myself. I had no idea what I was going to say, and knowing me, it was probably not going to go well. I wasn't the most eloquent when it came to speaking my mind.

My hand tightened around hers, and I found the words pouring from my mouth. "My feelings for you...they're...f.u.c.k, I don't even know. They're out of control, to be honest. When I'm with you I feel the happiest I've felt in a long time, like I'm meant to be around you. f.u.c.k," I pinched the bridge of my nose with my freehand, "that sounded corny. I...I feel like I'm myself when I'm with you, and the thought of losing you f.u.c.king scares me. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I think I love you." I shook my head roughly. "No, I know I love you."

Ari blinked. Once. Twice. Three times.

Apparently I'd stunned her into complete and utter silence.

"You...you love me?" She stuttered.

I swallowed thickly and nodded. My fear of rejection was growing, but I stamped it down.

Her pink lips lifted into a small, slow smile. "Truth: I love you too."