Drowning in the Waves.

Black nikes hit the pavement as the stroller in front of her acted as a weighted sled. She could hear the little girl sitting inside giggle as the air rushed through her hair. It was a crisp morning, Mr. Roberts had been away on a business trip for sometime now and Mrs. Roberts had to leave early morning for LA.
Her chest heaved as she pushed her way up the massive hill that led to the park. There was a slick layer of sweat that covered most of her body and the water she had was running low. "P-au-uk." She heard Lucy scream. The green gates were in the distance and she was finally able to slow her pace. There was a few moms with their kids but mostly it was other nannies. The scene always sort of resembled Stepford Wives in a way and it made her laugh. Reese unstrapped the baby from her seat, grabbing her hand, and walking her up the playground steps.
Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her. He was tall, dressed in black basket ball shorts and a white muscle t with fuck cancer splashed across it.
"Okay, now you're really stalking me," she said jokingly and whipped around to see Matt.
"I wouldn't call it stalking," he smirked and grabbed Lucy's hand. He pulled her onto his lap and pushed as hard as he could to speed down the slide. She screeched out in joy and giggled as they came to a halt. "Maybe I could take you two out for lunch? I saw you running, I just figured you would end up here."
"I have a stroller Matt."
"And I have a truck, Reese." He winked at her. "There is nothing stopping you."
"I have to pick up Jason from school in three hours."
"Jesus Christ," Matt breathed, "Stop making excuses, stop being so stubborn. Drop the act and get in the car."
She was at a loss for words, no one had ever spoken to her like that before. Her heart raced, she wasn't sure if she should be mad or turned on. His domineering personality came out and she liked it enough to collapse the stroller and stick it in the bed of his truck.
"Well have to stop by the house to pick up a car seat." She mumbled and pulled Lucy on to her lap.

The restaurant he picked was quaint, a little far away but Matt didn't mind driving. The place sat on the cliffs of laguna, aptly named The Cliff. It was open air, no inside seating and the weather was perfect. They took their seats and strapped Lucy into a high chair. He smiled at Reese from across the table, she barely even looked up at him. She was a little nervous. The prices weren't high, a little less than 15, but still enough to make her empty wallet sweat. The nervousness also stemmed from that intense stare that fell upon her.
"Get whatever you want," he said softly.
"You're paying?" It was a question held with caution.
"I said I would take you out, Reese. That means I got it."
Reese relaxed a little. She hadn't been out to eat in an extremely long time. Matter of fact, she barely remembered the last time she was really wined and dined. Although she wouldn't put this under that category.
The two sat without conversation for a while. The soft swelling and crashing of the waves against the sand danced between their silence.
Reese fed Lucy a cheese stick and finally spoke up.
"Thank you," she said.
The mid summer sun burned down, reflecting beautifully off the deep blue ocean. Main Beach Laguna was crowded with tourists and the streets were jammed with cars. It was a typical vacation weekend for Orange County, almost anyone you ran into, especially in Laguna, was a tourist. But Reese wasn't paying attention to any of that. She was reveling in the beauty of the day and the warmth that hugged her whole body. She cozier up into the padded chair and sighed, looking out into the ocean at the sail boats in the distance.
"You're welcome," Matt smiled and placed a his large hand on her knee.
"I had drinks with your uncle."
"Oh did you now?" She smiled and took a bite of the burger in front of her.

Matt sat at Johnny's every other Saturday as if it was a scheduled job. One of the double doors flung open and in walked a grey haired man. Tattoos splattered his body almost all the way up to his ears and a straw fedora was dawned on his head. He had a tooth pick between his lips and a cigarette behind his ear. "Sanders, how are ya?" His voice was raspy from the years of smoking and the gold wedding ring on his left hand fit snuggly.
"Tom," Matt shook his hand and ordered him a beer.
"What's wrong?" He gave Matt a serious look. "You never call me, usually we just run into each other. Is everything alright? You in trouble?"
"No, not at all Tom." Matt sipped. Tom was always like a father to the group of boys that ran through Huntington like a hurricane, especially since his two sons were a few of their best friends. "Your niece is Reese Berry right?"
"That's my girl," he smiled. "You know my boys, the one of the two favorite women in my life. She practically my daughter." He raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. "Why?"
"You know how I just moved? Well I moved next to the family she nannies for. She's beautiful-"
"Outstandingly beautiful." Tom interjected.
"I've kind of taken an interest in her."
"She's got a lot going on Sanders. With your track record, I'm not sure she needs the drama." Matt shook his head and laughed.
"Drama? I just got rid of all the drama in my life. If anything, I NEED someone who is drama free."
"You found your girl then. She may chew you up and spit you out though Sanders, she's strong, maybe too strong for her own good."
Matt stepped off the bar stool, beer in hand, and both walked to the pool tables.
"I just wanted to tell you that I was interested. That I would probably try to pursue her."
"I salute you," Tom laughed. "That girl is my blood, she's practically my daughter and I swear to god Sanders," he breathed, "if you do anything, your ass is mine. Got it?"


Matt and Jason Berry were Reese's cousins. She never really saw much of them throughout high school and they sure as hell weren't home all day like herself. She would walk passed their room and hear metal music blasting but they never invited her in. She was almost like an outcast, sure they loved her like a sister but they never really let her in. She was a girl, and at the time, they really didn't want a chick hanging around them. As they got older, all of the Berry kids moved out. Reese went to Costa Mesa with a few friends and the Berry boys were on tour a majority of the time. The kids never really made time for each other.

Matt, Reese, and Lucy had found themselves down on the sand after they finished their meal. Matt was swinging Lucy around like she was an airplane and would pretend to throw her into the ocean. Sometimes she would cry, other times she giggled. He was so sweet, Reese thought as she dug her toes in the warm sand. His hazel green eyes were brilliant in the sun and those dimples, oh those dimples, only made his smile more heartbreaking.
"All passengers please fasten your seat belts and close your trays, we are now landing!" He acted as a pilot and landed Lucy into her stroller. He strapped her in and sat next to Reese on the sand. Their knees were touching, warmth against warmth, Reese's heart rate quickened. He smiled at her...those dimples. His tongue trailed over his bottom lip for a second and he ran a cool hand throughout his hair.
"You know," He said softly, just barely above a whisper. "I think you're absolutely beautiful."
Reese wanted so badly to just squeal out in pure joy kiss his perfect lips. She was getting ahead of her self. She took a breath and averted her eyes to the sand. Nothing came from her mouth.
Matt scooted closer, their thighs were now flush against each other. He let his hand trail cautiously up her shin to her knee. He could feel the goosebumps form beneath his fingers and he smirked to himself.
"You're perfect." He breathed into her ear, letting his lips brushed ever so gently across the lobe. She inhaled sharply and tried to keep her cool. Still she said nothing. Matt pressed onward. "I want to see you again." He let his head drop to her shoulder and his lips landed seductively on her bare shoulder. "Alone," he almost groaned.
Reese had it. The fire between her legs was out of control, the desire to touch him was stronger than her strength to fight it. She let her hand fall to his knee and slowly inched her fingers up his thigh.
Her cell phone began to ring loudly, startling the two.
"Reese, I'm out!" Jason said over the phone.
"We have to get J. He's out of school already." Reese said quickly, she removed her hand and stood without looking Matt in the eye. Neither said a word the whole trip back into Huntington.

"MATT!" Jason screamed and threw his army green backpack in the back seat. "What are you doing here?" The navy blue polo and tan kaki pants her wore were just a little bigger than normal but he would eventually grow into them. Matt had pulled up to the front of the private school with music blaring. His blacked out truck was startling next to all the BMW's and Audi's. But Jason loved the attention, all the older boys stared at him with envy.
"We came to pick you up kid."
"Did you want to play some basket ball with me when we get back home? I'm getting tired of playing with Reese all the time!" Reese pulled her self forward and looked in the back seat.
"It's because I'm so good." She seethed and winked at him casually. These winks were becoming contagious.
"It's because you're a girl and I don't have any brothers and Matt's awesome!"
Matt just laughed, "Sure thing kid, well play when we get home. As long as you help Reese clean the house, okay? Once you're done you can come over."
Reese smiled at him, her heart fluttered at he turned the ignition on and headed for home. His hand crept onto Reese's thigh and he squeezed just enough to let her know he was actually there.

Jason burst from the car and ran into the house. Reese had never seen someone so excited to clean before.
"J loves you." She turned to Matt as her pulled the passenger side door open for her. He reached into the back seat as well and removed Lucy from her car seat. Her followed Reese back into the house and set the seat onto the floor by the door.
"He's pretty damn cool." Matt chuckled and let a heavy hand fall on to her shoulder. "Zack is having a barbecue in a few days, he said I should invite you." Hie smile was cheeky, his eyes were playful. "If you're not working that is."
"I'm off around one." She breathed.
"Good, then you can just walk over and I'll take us."
Reese grinned as she felt that hand on her shoulder snake around her back and pull her into his chest. He let his lips fall on the the crown of her head and he inhaled the sweet strawberry scent. "I'll be in the garage when Jason is done."