Head on Collision

Jack’s POV

I lay on my back, on my towel. The sun was beating down on me; my whole body warm on the outside. I absorbed the heat willingly, taking in all I can before the weather turned sour as we went into winter. I rubbed my stomach absent-mindedly. I was so full from the chicken. I couldn’t remember how many pieces I had eaten, but I'm sure I would never eat again. I breathed deeply; my eyes closed despite my sunglasses on my face.

I turned my head on the side; in the direction of Alex. I opened my eyes and smiled; taking in the sight beside me. I rolled onto my side; lying my head on my bent arm. Alex lay on his stomach. His arms were crossed on the towel and his head was lying on his arms. He had his eyes closed; I could only see one of them because his fringe had fallen down slightly; covering most of his face. He had the smallest of smiles on his face; the corners of his lips curved up ever so slightly. The sun brought out the softest of highlights in his recently died brown hair. My eyes traveled downwards; stopping to take in his broad but feminine shoulders and how the skin looked pulled tight over his bones but soft at the same time. As I gazed down his back, I noticed the small hairs all over that were made noticeable by the way the sun was hitting them. I continued south; his board shorts riding a little low on his waist and not sitting flat against his back. They were still damp from our swim; sticking to the back of his thighs. His legs lay relaxed and his toes were dug into the sand.

I can’t believe I had almost kissed him. I was holding his hands, looking into his eyes in the fucking ocean. Can you get anymore corny Barakat? No. I don’t think so. He was just so... I don’t even know how to describe it. But now, looking at him, watching him, admiring him how am right now, I know why I wanted to kiss him. I like him. I do. I know I do. And what's strange is that, I don’t care that I do. It thrills me, excites me and makes me happy. There’s only one problem though; does Alex feel the same? He seemed relieved that we got interrupted in the ocean, but his flirty little smile when we came back to the beach tells me otherwise. I don’t know. Maybe I should just ask him out, or tell him how I feel first and see how he reacts. There’s really only two outcomes possible. Either he says yes and we date. Or, he says no and we fall into one of the most awkward friendships ever. I'm hoping the first option appeals to him more.

I focused back on Alex and my overwhelming desire to run my hand down his back; from the perfect shoulder blade to his waist and to lie beside him, with my arm draped over said waist; my head lying beside his on his arms. He would open his eyes and smile and say a simple “hey,” and my butterflies would take flight in my stomach. Is it wrong that I'm thinking this? Is it wrong that I want.....?

“Are you staring at me Jack?” Alex’s voice said; a little mumbled by half his face being squished into his arm. It made me jump and blush. Oh boy did I blush.

“Um, n-no,” I stuttered. “I was just thinking that you are going to get, um, sunburned. Yeah really badly sunburned. You know. Because you’re so pale.”

“Mhm, of course you were,” he replied.

I could have sworn I saw him smirk. He kept his eyes closed.

“There’s a simple solution Jack,” he told me.

“What?” I answered.

“Put sunscreen on me,” he said.

I felt the color drain from my face. Had he heard my thoughts? Had he heard my desire to touch that perfectly sculpted back of his? He was psychic. He had to be.

“Um,” I swallowed. "Are you serious?"

“Unless, you want me to get really badly burned,” he opened his eyes now; that smirk most definitely aimed right at me.

“Of course not,” I admitted. “I’ll do it.”

“Good,” Alex replied.

He didn’t move; staying lying exactly the way he was. I pulled the sunscreen from my bag. I sat up on my knees and popped the cap on the sunscreen. I looked around. Most of the crowd were either back in the water, or playing volley ball again. A few girls were sunbathing not so far away; but no one was paying attention to us. I swallowed and exhaled. I held the tube over Alex’s back; squeezing it gently and creating a line of sunscreen down the center of his back, from in between his shoulder blades, down to the band of his board shorts. He shivered.

“That’s cold,” he complained.

“You asked for it,” I told him slyly; smirking myself.

I dropped the sunscreen back into my bag and turned back to Alex. I started at the bottom of his back; spreading the sunscreen across skin. I was right; his skin was soft. I scooted closer not moving my hands from his back. I spread the sunscreen evenly; rubbing it in, in small circles on his back. I moved up a bit, repeating the process up his back to his shoulder blades. I spread the sunscreen onto the tops of his arms a little, before running out. I reached for my sunscreen again; squeezing some into my palm.

“This will probably me cold again,” I warned him.

I smeared the sunscreen onto one of his arms and reached across to the other; leaning into the sunscreen myself and getting it on my chest. I frowned but saw an obvious solution to this problem. I stood up; stepping one foot over Alex. I looked around again; noticing even those girls had escaped into the ocean now. I slowly lowered myself down onto my knees; resting my butt onto the small of Alex’s back. He laughed gently as I got comfortable.

“You comfy Jack?” he asked.

“Yep,” I smirked.

I rubbed the sunscreen in on his arms before moving to his shoulders. I picked up my sunscreen again, squeezing a line across the top of his back. I dropped the sunscreen down beside me and shifted upwards a little on Alex’s back.

“You ready?” I inquired.

“Ready for what?” he replied.

I leaned down slightly; the heels of my palms kneading into his shoulders. I could have sworn I heard him moan a little. Using my fingers, I worked the knots in his shoulders; my palms spreading the sunscreen across the skin I was craving to touch not 5 minutes ago. How things change. I worked upwards a little, using my thumbs to massage the bottom of his neck. I was careful not to get the sunscreen in his hair. I smiled to myself when he tilted his head, allowing me proper access to his neck. I moved a little up on his back; letting me sit on the crook of his back, my knees bent at Alex’s sides. I worked my thumbs into the muscles of his neck; Alex emitting the same noise as before, a soft moan type sound in the back of his throat. I was glad he was enjoying this. Truth be told, it was making me enjoy it too. That noise went straight to my pants and I tried to keep those thoughts at bay. I massaged until the sunscreen was rubbed in; his skin shiny in the sun. I slowly and reluctantly climbed off him and lay back down on my towel, closer to him then before.

“I am going to say something completely fucking cliché right now,” Alex breathed; opening his eyes to look at me. “But that felt so good, Jack.”

“You’re welcome,” I smiled at him.

“Seriously, it was so relaxing,” he sighed; happily.

“Well, my hands are good for other things beside playing guitar, Lex,” I told him; realizing how suggestive the statement was after I said it.

Alex tilted his head more; I could see his whole face. I smirk was so evident on his face that I thought I was going to blush myself to death.

“What?” I said, biting down on my lip.

“You’re just going to have to prove that to me one time, Jack,” Alex said seductively.

I licked my lips nervously and Alex smiled for real.

“Come on, you loser,” Alex laughed; getting up on his knees and then standing up. “Let’s go swimming.”

He started to walk away and I got up quickly; following him down to the water. Thank god he had suggested that. The cool water is exactly where I have to be; if you get my drift.