They reached Cassidy’s room and AJ sat down on the couch. He was nervous, he didn’t know why.
“You want a drink?” Cassidy asked making herself a Rum and Coke.
“No thanks,” he said getting up and walking over to her. He took the glass out of her hand, setting it back on the bar. “I don’t want anything to cloud our judgement.”
He smiled at her and leaned in to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss. They pulled apart and looked into each other’s eyes. AJ caressed her cheek.
“Cassidy...” he whispered.
“Ssshh,” she whispered, placing her finger against his lips.
“No, I need to know something.”
“What’s that?”
“I need to know what you want from me.”
“I don’t want anything from you, Alex.”
He was silent for a minute as he stared at her. She was so beautiful, so perfect. She was everything he wanted, everything he was looking for but didn’t know...until now.
“I want to give you everything.”
“Everything I need is right here,” she whispered as she traced his goatee with her finger.
“It’s just that, you’re leaving tomorrow...”
She reached up and tenderly kissed his lips. He tried to fight it, he didn’t want to make love to her then her be gone in the morning. He couldn’t handle that.
He ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer to him. He was so overwhelmed with emotion, he didn’t know what to do, how to express himself. He felt tears start to come to his eyes, but he fought them back. He couldn’t let Cassidy see how much he cared.
He thought she was different, but it was obvious what she wanted from him. The same thing all the other women wanted from him.
He felt her gently run her tongue down his neck. Suddenly, he pulled away from her.
“I’m sorry. I just...I can’t do this.”
“What’s wrong?” Cassidy asked, puzzled.
“I just..I have to go.”
He turned and walked out the door, leaving her standing there, confused.
He kept walking, not knowing where he was going until he reached the beach. He walked along the shore, all alone with his thoughts.
“What is wrong with me?” he said to himself as he sat down in the sand. “What was I thinking?”
He couldn’t think of anything but Cassidy, how she smelled, how her eyes sparkled when she laughed, her smile..
“Why does this always happen to me? Why does everyone want something from me?”
He couldn’t believe that he had been so wrong about Cassidy.
“I was falling in love with that girl. How could I be so stupid? And with a fan!” he cursed at himself. "I should have known better".
He couldn’t hold it in any longer. Suddenly, tears were burning his cheeks. He buried his face in his arm and cried.

Cassidy searched the beach for AJ. She knew he must he there. She couldn’t let him leave like that. She had to find out what was wrong.
She saw a shadow standing off to the side of the boardwalk, as she approached it, she realized it was Marcus.
“Where’s Alex?” she asked him.
“Down there,” he motioned with his head to a figure sitting in the sand down on the beach.
"Do you know what’s wrong with him?”
He shook his head. “I’ve known that boy too long, he loves you, Cassidy. He’s just hurting..and scared.”
She looked over at AJ sitting in the sand. Suddenly she felt tears well up in her eyes.
“Go get him,” Marcus smiled. “He needs you.”
She smiled back at him and headed towards AJ.
As he sat in the sand, all his emotions pouring put of him, he felt a gentle hand on his back. He quickly turned around to see Cassidy kneeling in the sand next to him. Their eyes met and he couldn’t turn away from her. She pulled him into her arms and held him while he cried. She couldn’t help but cry herself.
She stroked his hair and rocked him, trying to comfort him. She didn’t know what had upset him so much. All she wanted to do was love him. She just had to convince him of that.


Chapter 13
Back