Nick and I had been sitting on the deck of the boat, catching up on old times since he had been away on tour, and it was roasting outside.
“I know you’ve got to be hot in those jeans!” I exclaimed, taking off my shirt, revealing part of my one-piece bathing suit.
“Yeah, I am a bit,” Nick said not taking his eyes off of me.
“What?” I asked looking down at my bathing suit to make sure nothing was on it.
“Oh um…nothing,” he stammered, looking out toward the water. I carefully studied my best friend’s face. The breeze was gently blowing his blonde hair ocassionally causing a few pieces to fly into his crystal blue eyes. I noticed the small lines by his eyes and mouth that became evident whenever he smiled or laughed. His lips were pouty and cherry red and ever so slightly parted. I never really noticed before how good he looked now. I always thought of Nick as this skinny, clumsy little boy that I grew up with. This was the first time I had actually taken a good look at his face and payed any attention to what he really looked like now that he was 19 years old.
“What?” Nick asked, turning to face me, smiling slightly.
“Oh, uh…nothin’,” I blurted out, jerking my head in the opposite direction.
“You were checkin’ me out weren’t you?” Nick asked, smiling broadly, half serious, half joking.
“Man this whole Backstreet Boys thing has gone to your head, hasn’t it? Me…check you out?? I don’t think so, babe!” I replied, trying my best to sound as normal as possible and to play it down.
“Yeah you were. C’mon, admit it….you were checkin’ me out!” Nick persisted.
I blushed slightly and bit my lower lip, avoiding looking him straight in the eyes.
“Yes, you were. You always bite your lip when you’re lying,” he grinned, lifting my chin up so that I was looking him in the eye. “Look me in the eye and tell me that you weren’t checking me out.”
“Nick!!!” I whined.
“I knew it, you were,” he said proudly as if in triumph.
“So? Nick, you’re a very attractive guy. Any girl would be very lucky to have you,” I smiled, staring into his eyes.
“You’re pretty attractive yourself,” he replied, looking at me intently.
“Thanks and I’m also very taken!!” I laughed. “Actually, there’s this girl that I work with that you should meet. Her name is Anne, and she is so sweet! You would really like her.”
“I dunno Lexi. I sort of already had someone in mind…” he trailed off.
“Really?! Well, tell me!! Details!” I said, pushing his arm slightly in excitement.
“She’s beautiful! It’s like everytime I see her, she takes my breath away. Her eyes sparkle, her hair is so soft, and her smile…” he sat there with a goofy love-struck grin on his face.
“Well, who is she? Do I know her?” I looked at him amazed. I had never heard Nick talk about a girl like this before.
“Yeah, you know her. That’s all I’m saying,” he smiled slyly at me.
I gave him a questioning look, but for some reason didn’t push the issue. I figured after Nick and “Mrs. Take-My-Breath-Away” started going out, I would be one of the first people to meet her.
“Ya know Nick we’ve been out here for a while. Maybe we should go back in, to dry land,” I suggested changing the subject.
“But we haven’t gone swimming yet…” Nick pouted.
“You’re wearing jeans! Besides, you have a pool…we can at least see the bottom of it,” I commented, reminding Nick of my fear of the ocean. I loved to look at it, but I didn’t like to swim in the ocean…you never know what’s really in there…
“So do you want to go swimming at my house?” he asked, getting up to turn the boat around.
“Yeah, if AJ isn’t home yet,” I said, watching Nick’s every move.
“So if he’s home you’re gonna ditch me?” he asked, exaggerating.
“Don’t worry, I seriously doubt he’s home. He probably won’t get home until sometime tonight,” I said wishing I could be with him and at the same time thankful for the time that I got to spend with Nick.
A little bit later, Nick and I arrived outside of his house.
“Nick, I can’t tie this! Will you help me please?” I called, struggling to tie the boat to the dock near his backyard.
“Yeah, here, I got it,” he said, taking the ropes from me and tying the ropes. “There ya go!” he said raising his eyebrows.
“Thanks!” I replied, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear that I fallen from my ponytail.
“Be careful coming off. It’s slippery. Here, take my hand,” he reached out his hand to me and gently helped me off of the boat.
I smiled shyly up at his angelic face and we stood there for a brief moment just staring into each other’s eyes in complete silence.
“Well, are you ready to go swimming?” Nick broke the silence leading me into the house.
“I guess so. I’m gonna go call AJ while you’re changing, ok?” I said, not really paying attention to what Nick said after that. I phoned AJ and told him that I would be swimming with Nick and would be home later that night.
“Okay, ya ready?” Nick called, practically skipping down the stairs in his aqua blue swimming trunks.
“Yeah!” I laughed at his bubbliness. “Let’s go swimming!”
Nick took my hand and lead me outside to the pool…
