Chapter 6
Emi woke up before the sun to get an early start to her day. Shutting off her phone, memories of the previous day flooded her mind, especially of last night. It felt like a dream, although she knew it wasn't. It was real, and she hoped life would never be the same again. Everything changed in a moment, like love at first sight.
As for her, as far back as she could remember, it actually was love at first sight. Embarrassingly, she was recalling again how when she was little, she would follow Kamran around pestering him until someone intervened. At this, she forced herself to get out of bed and start her rounds.
Later that morning, Emi was walking back from the stables when she saw a white 1969 Mustang convertible sitting outside her house. With its red leather interior, she could recognize that car anywhere. As she got closer, she saw Kamran open the door and climb out in slow motion like it was a bad 80s movie. Excited for their first date, Emi hollered a bit frantically, "I'm sorry I'm running late."
Leaning against the car door, he nonchalantly replied, "Oh, no, I just pulled up."
"I just need a couple minutes to clean up before we go out." Noticing he's wearing a fitted T-shirt, cargo shorts and a pair of sneakers, she asked, "So, I take it the dress attire is casual?"
"Beachwear is just fine." Kamran answered as he watched her cute, naked, little ass run past him and up the single step of the porch.
Emi stopped just before the door and turned back questioningly. "You
know
what I wear to the beach, don't you?"
He smiled in a way that conveyed he was satisfied with himself. "Yeah, I know. Oh, but you better bring your tennis shoes."
Smiling at his arrogance, she walked inside and took her boots off before running upstairs to rinse off in the shower. When she crossed the landing to come back down, she could see her dad and Kamran talking intensely. He is a good two inches shorter than Kamran, but it looked like her dad was towering over her date. This concerned her a little as she quickly walked downstairs. Just then, her dad spotted his naked, little princess and met her gaze with a look of apprehension. Kamran turned to see her and smiled in a way that made him look like he wasn't sure about this anymore.
"Do you have your phone?"
"Yes Daddy." She said as she pulled her phone out of one of the shoes she was carrying. She moved to her father and rose up on her tippy toes to give him a kiss and reassure him. "I'm in good hands." She stepped back next to Kamran and tried to find his left hand while looking at her father expectantly.
He brightened his face and said, "Yes, of course." Reaching out to grab Kamran by the opposite shoulder, he continued, "I'm sure he wouldn't let anything happen to you."
"Okay, I love you." Emi pleaded while she pulled on Kamran's hand and led him to the door.
When they got back to the car and Kamran pulled away from the house, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Your dad can be intense. I've known him my whole life, and I've only been truly scared of him a couple of times. But that was.... Phew"
"I'm sorry about that."
"Don't be. He loves you. But man, I can still feel his hand on my shoulder." Kamran adjusted his arm as if it had been aching all day.
She laughed. "I'm sorry. I just realized what he was doing."
"Yeah, threatening my life." The car fell silent, and in an effort to lighten the mood he asked, "So you two still kiss on the mouth, huh?"
"Don't say it like that." Emi said while playfully slapping him on the shoulder.
"Ouch. That still hurts." He exaggerated.
"Well you deserved that one."
Smiling, he looked over to check the expression on her face. "I just thought you woulda grown outta that by now. It's just that you don't see that kind of affection with teen girls and their fathers."
"Sorry. I guess I'm used to thinking I need to be on the defense about that. I donno... I know other girls stop doing that at some point, but I'm glad I never did."
"Sure, I get it." He said while not sounding convinced."
Eager to change the subject, she said, "I'm glad we're doing this." She wanted to say something like 'It'll give us time to work through our awkwardness and see where this relationship takes us.' However, she couldn't say that. "It's been awhile since I've been to the beach," is all she could manage.
"Oh, we're not going to the beach."
"But you said..."
Enjoying his little game, he interrupted her. "Nuh-uh. I said beachwear. We're going to Buccaneer Bay."
"Are you kidding me!? That's a family park." She said in a panicky voice.
"Of course." He laughed. "But it was funny."
"No it wasn't." Pouting, but clearly a little amused.
"No, but seriously. We're going somewhere secluded. It'll be fine. You're 'in good hands,' remember?" He reached out his hand, and when she reciprocated, he weaved his fingers in-between hers.
Turning onto a dirt road, she knew she'd never been out this way. They parked in a dirt parking lot surrounded by a lush, green forest. Emi turned to Kamran after seeing the other cars in the lot, and she demanded in her wispy voice, "You said no one would be here."
"I said secluded, not deserted." He deadpanned, which made her feel a little silly. "In the summer, this place has a fair amount of visitors, but there are two cars here. We should be fine."
The more she thought about it, the more she knew he was right. 'What, is someone gonna call the cops? Let'em.' With a new eagerness to get outside, Emi slipped her shoes on without untying them while Kamran took her phone and sunscreen to put in his pockets. When she popped her head up, Kamran was there to open her door. "Oh, thank you." Emi took his hand and heard the squeak from the leather on her bare butt as she turned and rose. Standing there for a minute, she took in the sounds of all the birds, the rustling of the trees, and the burbles of a creek. "So, we're going on a nature hike?"
"For starters, yeah. But there's more."
Excited, she kept hold of his hand and followed him down a trail. It led to the small creek she heard earlier. They followed alongside the creek for about a mile before it joined a larger river. Eventually, she heard rushing water ahead of her and they found themselves at the top of a waterfall. When she looked over the edge, she was in awe at the sight of all the pools below her. The main body of water under the falls spilled into two more and so on and so forth. They circled natural rock formations with some of the watering holes being blue-green and others crystal clear.
"Oh Kamran, I had no idea this was here. It's gorgeous."
"Yes, you are."
Emi turned and gave him a half-smile for his cheesiness. Taking off his shirt, he said, "I've got one more surprise." He stepped out of his shoes and socks and then removed his shorts to reveal a pair of swimming trunks that stopped at mid thigh. He gathered his clothes and hid them, along with Emi's shoes.
She was conflicted. On one hand, she was a little baffled. She could assume they were going to swim after seeing the water, but what else is there to reveal. On the other, his beautiful, long torso ending at that muscular 'V' was catching her breath. Kamran swam competitively throughout high school and college, and his body shows it.
"I don't get it." She managed to ask, regaining her composure as he cupped her hand.
In a mischievous voice he answered. "Well there's nothing else per se, except how we're getting down the waterfall."
Sarcastically she tried, "You mean by using that perfectly good path over there, right?"
"Noooo no no. That wouldn't be any fun."
"That 'fall' looks like it's a hundred feet down. What would be fun is to
not