Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Liza

This summer has been the best I've ever had. Yes, I know I'm not living in a reality that will last forever since I'm not in school and I don't have a job, but this will be the last true summer I have before I have to be a full-blown adult, and I am planning on enjoying every last second of it.

Eli wasn't kidding when he said he traveled a lot for baseball, so every second he's home, we've been together. It's probably best that he's gone because while he is, I'm able to look for a job and try to get my life settled here. When he's home though, none of that exists, and I don't have a care in the world but him.

With him still living with his parents and me with my aunt and uncle, every moment we've spent has been outside, which I've loved, but getting intimate hasn't been too convenient.

We've messed around in his truck a little, but nothing's gone further than that. Tonight, we're going camping up at the lake, so I'm hoping this will be our time together.

"Do you have everything you need?" Aunt Heidi asks as she stands in my doorway.

"He told me to just bring clothes or anything that I'll need. He'll take care of the rest, so I think I'm good."

"You two sure have been spending a lot of time together. Seems like you really like this guy."

I sit down on my bed with a gleeful sigh. "I really do. Everything is so peaceful when I'm with him. I don't know how to explain it."

She comes and sits down next to me. "That's when you know it's real. When you don't have to question anything."

"Exactly," I respond with too much enthusiasm because she truly hit the nail on the head when it comes to how I feel. "I really don't question anything when I'm with him. With other guys I dated, there was always these lingering questions of where it was going, what he was doing. It's not that way with Eli. We have just as much fun talking on the phone as we do when we just hang out with each other."

"That's how your uncle and I are. When it clicks, it clicks." She places her hand on my thigh in a motherly way. "You two have fun."

I grin, and we stand up. I pick up my backpack and head out of my room to the living room, where I see Eli pulling up in front of the house. Just seeing he's here fills me with a joy I didn't know was possible.

For six days, he was in Georgia, playing, and I couldn't wait for him to come back. We were only able to talk and FaceTime a few times due to him always being with his teammates, but we texted as often as he could. He has three days off before he leaves again, and we plan on taking full advantage of our time together.

I watch as he hops out of his truck and walks toward the house.

I didn't realize Aunt Heidi was watching me until she pats my shoulder with a slight chuckle. "It's great, seeing you so happy."

I grin in her direction, then open the door and run out to meet him. He instantly picks me up and crashes his lips to mine. I wrap my legs around him, and he holds me with ease as we kiss hello.

"God, I missed you," he whispers as I slide down his body, back to my feet.

"I missed you too. It was fun, being able to watch the games though!"

He set up their live feed so I was able to stream it to my phone. It was the coolest thing when my uncle showed me how to send it to the big TV so we all could watch together.

I've never been a huge sports fan, but I'm starting to understand it now. The excitement I got when he hit the ball, bringing in the go-ahead run, was exhilarating. They won two games and lost two games, but even the ones they lost were down to the wire and super close.

I honestly didn't think I could feel that much anxiety over a baseball game!

"Are you ready to go?" he asks.

"Yep! My bag is inside. Let me grab it."

He follows me in to say hello to my aunt. "Morning, Mrs. Samson."

"Morning, Eli. It sure was fun, getting to watch you play," she responds.

"Thank you for watching. Bummed we lost those two games, but that's baseball."

"It sure is. We've learned a lot from Matthew, Tucker's son, over the last few years. Only having Justine, we never got into the Little League baseball world around here. He's teaching Emily to play though, and I bet she'll be keeping us busy here very soon."

Eli gives her a big smile. "That she will. It really is the best game!"

I wrap my arm around his waist. "So, you're thinking it's your favorite now?"

He nods slowly. "I am. I think baseball is going to be the direction for me."

"Well, after watching you play, I can see why," Aunt Heidi says.

"Okay, let's hit the road." I grab my bag off the floor, wanting to change the topic of conversation.

We haven't discussed what next year will look like, and honestly, I've been avoiding the topic because I want to live in my lust-filled summer bubble for as long as possible. I don't want to think about what will happen when he goes back to school. I have no idea if he'll even be able to come back to Leighton River often, but right now, I don't want to know. I want to act like we'll stay in this summer forever and reality will never come.

We say our goodbyes and head toward the truck that I can see is packed to the brim.

"Did you bring enough stuff?" I tease.

"I don't mess around with camping. You'll see." He kisses the top of my head before opening the truck door for me to climb in.

We drive to the lake with the windows down and the music on. As I rest my head against the seat, all I can think about is how peaceful everything is right now. My life back in Stockton was chaotic. I was constantly on the go, whether it be at school or work as a waitress, where I had to pick up any shift I could get to help pay for my school.

I felt like I was a chicken with its head cut off, racing around. I never knew where it'd all lead me or if it all was even worth it, and like said chicken, many times, I felt like I was running myself straight into the grave.

The stress I felt on a daily basis was so strong that I would give myself panic attacks. I knew something had to change, or I was going to drive myself crazy.

The vast difference I feel while living here tells me this is exactly where I'm destined to be.

I keep my head leaning back, but turn to face Eli, take a deep breath, and smile, thanking God for leading me on a path to him.

He returns my expression of gratitude and reaches for my hand, bringing it to his leg and keeping it there, wrapped in his.

We arrive at the lake, and he pulls off on a side road that leads us down to the water where he says he likes to camp. It's all open land out here, so without structured campsites, there's no one else around us.

He puts the truck in park and squeezes my hand. "Welcome to your home for the next two nights."

I look out to see nothing but wilderness, lake, and God's beauty surrounding us.

Excitement doesn't begin to explain the emotions running through me when I think of getting to spend two days alone with this man. He's only home for three days before he has to fly out again, and when he suggested camping so we could spend every second together, I was over the moon. Now, seeing just how secluded it is, with just the two of us, I know it truly is heaven on earth to be here with him.

He hops out of the truck, and I follow his lead, helping him remove everything from the truck bed.

It takes us a little over an hour to get everything set up, including our tent, a cooking station with a table and small camp stove, chairs, and even a hammock that he tied between two trees. When we're all done, he wraps his arms around me, holding me tight to him.

"I'm so happy to be here with you," he says with a pleased sigh.

I hug him tighter. "Me too."

"Let's get in the water," he says playfully. "I'll race you."

He takes off running toward the lake, kicking his shoes off and removing his shirt, throwing it all to the side.

"No fair. You already have your swim trunks on. I have to remove my shorts," I yell as I'm hopping on one foot, trying to get my leg out of the hole.

He stops abruptly, then turns to face me, making me run straight into him like a brick wall. "I can help you remove those."

Heat races through me as I look up at him. All that comes out of my mouth is, "Please," barely above a whisper, meaning so much more than just physically removing my shorts so I can get in the water.

He squats down, sliding his fingers down my legs until he gets to my shorts that are around my knees. Shivers race down my spine as he moves them down to my feet and motions for me to lift my foot.

I place my hands on his bare shoulders and lift one foot, then the other. Once I'm completely out of them, he drops them to the ground, then runs his hands up my legs until he gets to my waist, then my stomach and my back. When his lips meet mine, I lose all movement in my body, and I melt into his arms.

When he pulls away, I lose my balance, and he responds by holding me tighter.

"I swear I could lay you down right here, but sand and bodies don't mix that well," he whispers into my ear.

I can't help the loud laugh that escapes my lips, grateful that it took me out of my lust-filled haze.

"Do you know from personal experience?" I ask.

He gives me a quick peck on my lips. "No, but I know what it does to the area between my toes. That is not something I want to feel there."

I slap his arm as he gives me a sexy grin and begins to run back to the water.

"I'm going to beat you!"

"No fair again! Now, my legs are Jell-O after that kiss!"

He laughs as his feet meet the lake, and he turns around to kick up water back at me.

I race directly into his arms, only for him to pick me up and drop back to dunk us both in the lake. After we get our bearings about us and stand again, I look into his eyes and know that even though we've only been here for a short time, I already know this is going to be a time I remember for the rest of my life.