Valiant

“Oh, my gosh,” I say, stepping into the massive three-story home. “This is ... incredible.”

“Yeah,” Jack says, stepping up beside me. “My dad and mom bought it when I was little as a holiday home. They rent it out mostly, but we always book a trip each year and we get to stay here for nothing. The only rule is we don’t destroy anything, and if we do, we have to replace it.”

“It’s such a beautiful home,” I breathe, walking in further.

Polished wooden floors line the amazing home. It boasts modern furniture, and a massive white wooden kitchen. The lights are warm, giving it a homely feel. A spiral staircase leads up to the other two stories. It’s the biggest, most amazing home I’ve ever had the pleasure of stepping into. Jack takes my hand, leading me through the house, and out onto the back deck.

Huge, wooden, with a built-in spa and barbeque off to the left. A massive table and chairs sits in the middle, and to the right there is a large outdoor couch in the corner. That’s not what makes it incredible though, no, it’s the fact that the house is backed right onto the beach. The beach. My heart skips a beat as I look out over the golden sand, and the water lapping against it.

“Oh,” I breathe. “Oh, my gosh!”

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Jack says, tugging my hand and leading me down off the porch and onto the sand.

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Jack, it’s perfect.”

“We hire a sail boat for the weekend, and we launch it from there—” he points to a massive wooden platform going out onto the ocean. “It’s heaps of fun.”

“Wow, I don’t know why your parents don’t live here. I’d never be able to leave this place.”

“Yeah, I used to think that, too, but then I realised coming here just once a year keeps its meaning. I think if you lived here every day, you wouldn’t look at it the way you’re looking at it right now.”

“I see your point,” I say distractedly, staring at the water. “Can we go in?”

“The water?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

“Of course. You got a swim suit?”

I nod. I can only wear a full swim suit. No bikinis here. I lose my smile at the thought, especially when Molly and Matilda skip past in their bikinis. They have beautiful bodies. Perfect. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

“Hey,” Jack says, snapping me out of my thoughts. “You okay?”

I look to him. “Yeah, maybe we can go for a swim later? I think I’d like to take a walk right now.”

“Mind if I join you?”

I smile. “I’d love that.”

We start walking down the beach, occasionally his arm brushes mine, and electricity shoots through my body. I don’t know what this feeling is that I have when I’m around Jack, but it penetrates deep, deeper than my heart. It’s an affection that I can feel in the deepest parts of me. I know I can trust him. I know it, but I hold myself back.

Fear has a funny way of doing that.

It warps even the best, most beautiful things and turns them into insecurities, anger, frustration, terror, and pain.

“Have you spent much time on the beach?” Jack asks.

“Honestly, not a great deal. I’ve been inland more than on the coast. So, when I come here and smell the sea air, I really love it.”

“I’m the same. I look forward to this trip every year. It’s my favourite thing to do.”

“Have you brought many girls with you?”

Why the hell did I just ask that?

Dammit.

My cheeks grow warm, and I move away from him a little, but if he notices he doesn’t say anything. He just answers without hesitation. He holds nothing back.

“No, I haven’t. You’re the first.”

“I’m flattered.”

He grins at me. “Don’t get too excited. One weekend with that feral bunch back there and you might be wishing you never came.”

“I like them,” I admit warmly. “I really love their kind of crazy. I wish I had siblings growing up. Honestly, I’d do anything to have that around.”

“Well, you can have mine. I’m happy to share.”

I laugh softly. “I’ll be sure to tell them you sold them so easily.”

He chuckles. “At least take Phoenix and Quinn off my hands. I feel like life will be a whole lot easier if they’re a little less ... involved.”

I smile. “They’re not so bad. Crazy, sure, but not so bad.”

“Just you wait.”

I feel warm inside. I’m happy to see whatever it is they show me. I want it all. The laughs. The crazy. The safety of a family. Hell, even all the pain and drama that can come with it. I want it all, so badly it hurts. The scar on my stomach burns, as if it’s reminding me that’ll never happen. A painful truth that has my heart plummeting in my chest.

“We should get back,” Jack says, studying me with those intense eyes. “We’ll do some dinner and have a few drinks by a bonfire. It’s tradition for the first night.”

“Sounds amazing,” I beam.

“Oh, there is one other tradition that got passed down from our parents.”

“Oh?” I ask as we turn around.

Jack grins at me. “Yeah, truth or dare. It gets messy. There has been a loss of clothes more than once.”

My mouth drops open.

He winks at me.

Sounds like we’re in for a long, somewhat wild night.

~*~*~*~

“Truth or dare!” Molly cries, pointing her finger at Roman, who is sitting beside her, beer in his hand, his brown eyes dancing with laughter.

“Truth. I don’t trust you one single bit.”

She rolls her eyes. “You’re such a pussy. You never give me dare. There should be a rule that you can’t pick the same thing twice.”

“Nice try.” He laughs. “Now, hit me with a wild truth. Don’t ask about my incredible love life, and all the ladies that have thrown themselves at me, I don’t want everyone else to get embarrassed.”

Molly snorts, thumps his arm, and then says, “Truth. Have you ever peed on someone?”

“Sweet Jesus,” Matilda groans, wiggling closer to TJ. “I’m really not sure I want to know the answer to that.”