Chapter 35
Josephine
The wooden planks are rough and warm under my bare feet as I trail behind my guys. Locke laughed at me when I whipped off my flip-flops as soon as we reached the edge of the parking lot, but I couldn’t wait another second.
The sun is already high in the cloudless sky, the air warm but breezy the closer we get to the ocean.
The ocean.
The actual ocean.
I grin as I take it all in.
Over the side of the boardwalk, there’s water as far as I can see.
The rhythmic sound of the waves crashing against the shore is far louder than the gentle lapping along the edge of Lake Chapel.
Though it’s more intense, it’s surprisingly soothing.
When I lick my lips, I can actually taste the saltiness of the air.
It took us nearly two hours to get here. The last thirty minutes of the drive consisted solely of twists and turns on a winding two-lane road canopied by trees with Spanish moss hanging from the branches.
Now that we’ve reached our destination, I can see why this place is so special.
The sand is pale and the beach looks almost untouched for what feels like miles in both directions.
A few mansions dot the shoreline farther down, and there are several umbrellas set up on the opposite side of the boardwalk.
But just like Kendrick promised, the beach is private, like we’ve got it all to ourselves.
“The ocean’s that way, Hot Girl,” Locke teases as he circles back and comes to stand behind me. “It’s the big blue thing over there.”
With a laugh, I turn to finally take in the expanse of water, only to discover all the guys are waiting for me. Each one is watching me, looking nothing but relaxed and hot as hell in their board shorts and sunglasses with umbrellas, towels, and coolers tucked under their arms.
“I told you; I’ve never been to the beach. I want to soak it all in.”
Locke rests his chin on my shoulder, then plants a soft kiss on my cheek. “I know, baby. You deserve this day. Let’s go have some fun and make the most of it, yeah?”
Nodding, I grab his hand and head toward the rest of the guys, determined to do just that.
Adjusting the strings of my bikini top to ensure everything’s in place, I turn, ready to head back to our spot. I couldn’t wait another second to get down to the water, so I left the boys bickering about umbrella placement and wandered down to the shoreline on my own.
The ocean is colder than I expected, in stark contrast to the warm tide pools carved out of the sand. According to Kylian, we arrived at low tide, so it’s a bit of a jaunt back to my guys.
We’re all alone on this section of the sand, despite the gorgeous weather and the pristine beach. The signs in the parking lot where we left the Suburban boasted public beach access, but I wouldn’t put it past Decker to have had a hand in coordinating all this.
The boys packed a lunch and carted a massive cooler of water and sports drinks out here.
But I eyed a little ice cream shack near the boardwalk on our journey, and that sounds way better than what I can only imagine is a cooler full of health food Decker and Kendrick deemed appropriate for a picnic at the beach.
Kendrick’s the first to notice me as I make my way back toward them.
Two fingers beckon, and that’s all it takes to get me in his lap.
“You wore the pink bikini,” he observes, running his hands up my thighs and gripping my ass through the thin, slinky fabric.
“Wore it just for you,” I tease, shifting so I can straddle him and wrap my arms around his neck.
A hint of a smirk graces his face, then he runs his nose along the length of mine. “You look so damn fine, Jojo. I’ve been dreaming about you in this bathing suit since that day you smacked into me in the hall.”
His lips meet mine in a sultry, unhurried kiss.
“So. Fucking. Fine.” He punctuates each word with a peck, brazenly brushing his hands down my bare stomach and letting his thumbs rest along the juncture where the fabric of my bathing suit meets my thighs.
“Should I point out the double standard here? Why are you still fully clothed?” I tilt my pelvis forward just a bit, grinding against him, and run my fingertips up the sleeves of his tech shirt. Swiping the hat from his head, I place it backward on mine and swivel my hips again.
Big hands clamp down on my thighs. “Behave, Mama,” he scolds, though the fierce look fades as he angles back and supports himself on his elbows.
“The sun and I don’t get along,” he explains, drinking me in slowly. “Never have. UV exposure on a cloudy day is enough to cause a pretty severe rash or even make me nauseous or cause joint pain. A day at the beach could easily turn into a full-blown flare for me if I don’t take precautions.”
“That’s why you always wear sleeves at the games,” I say as the realization hits me.
Sitting up again, he wraps me in a hug, then digs his heels into the sand and lifts his knees. He presses on my shoulders until I lean back against his massive thighs and allow him to prop me up like he’s my personal lounge chair.
“Yep.” He nods, tracing the triangles of my bikini top with one finger. “Better safe than sorry. You’ll find me here under the umbrellas all day.”
Makes sense. And he’ll have plenty of time to just chill out and rest. After yesterday’s game, they all need it.
“I’ll take a nap with you later,” I promise, dropping my head to the side, then letting it loll to the other as I look for each of the guys. “But first, I’m going to make the most of this day. Know what I want to do first?” I ask, biting on my lower lip.
“I can think of a few things,” Kendrick quips, cocking one brow at me and tweaking my peaked nipple through the fabric of my suit.
“Not that,” I insist, rolling my eyes and smacking him playfully in the chest. “At least not right now.”
A quick glance over to Decker confirms he’s watching us—always watching—his onyx eyes hidden behind turquoise-framed Ray-Bans, his tan, muscular legs spread wide where he’s sitting in a low-rise folding chair.
“I want ice cream. I saw a stand near the parking lot.”
“Ice cream?” Locke asks from a few feet away, hopping to his feet like a puppy who’s just found a ball. “I could go for some ice cream. Kylian?”
On the far end of our setup, Kylian’s made camp.
He has two large umbrellas staked in the sand, providing total shade to what looks like a suspension cot hovering six inches off the ground like a mini trampoline.
It’s big enough for one person to stretch out on.
Two, maybe, if the occupants don’t mind cuddling.
I look from the setup to my boyfriend, puzzled. “Did you bring a bed to the beach?”
I don’t care how good my guys look in their swim trunks. There’s no way I’m getting freaky on the beach and risking sand in certain places.
“He doesn’t like sand,” Decker offers, motioning to Kylian’s setup with the dismissive sweep of one hand. “The less contact he makes with it, the less whining he subjects us to.”
“I do not whine,” Kylian counters in a huff. “What’s there to like about sand, anyway? It gets everywhere. It clings to all the wrong places. You find it for days after leaving the beach, even after multiple showers. Sand is the glitter of the sea.”
Locke snorts, and Kendrick snickers, the action jostling me where I’m propped up along his front.
“Does that mean you won’t go swimming with me later?” I fake-pout, crossing my arms over my chest and frowning.
Kendrick will be camping out under the umbrellas. Kylian doesn’t want to touch the sand. I’m not sure I’m prepared to deal with Decker’s vibe today. At least I have Nicky to play with.
“I’ll escort you down to the shore and watch you swim,” Kylian offers.
“You can swim, Hot Girl?” Locke asks, still on his feet and casting a long shadow over me as he edges closer.
Decker snickers under his breath and cocks a sardonic smirk. “Believe me. She can swim.”
My cheeks heat at the recollection of the last time I was submerged in the lake with Decker. He almost kissed me that day… and he really did kiss me last night.
But that’s all that’s happened as of now.
When we got back to the house after the game, Decker disappeared behind his bedroom door. Nicky, Kendrick, and I tried to watch a movie, but we all fell asleep in the media room before it was even halfway through.
I woke up to the warm glow of the rising sun peeking through the blinds and to the smell of Mrs. Lansbury’s Sunday morning feast. Once I checked the time and confirmed it wasn’t too early, I snuck up to the Nest as promised.
Decker and I haven’t had a chance to talk.
Not that I was ready to delve into anything with him after the game.
Even now, I’ve barely had a chance to process what happened between us last night.
Or what should happen next. This could be the perfect opportunity for the two of us to break away from the group and have a few minutes to ourselves.
“What do you say, Cap? Want to buy me an ice cream cone?”
Decker shifts forward, lifting the back of his chair off the sand a couple of inches, and yanks his wallet out of his pocket. Without a word, he slides a black card out of his wallet and holds it out.
“I don’t want your AmEx, Crusade.” I bat at his forearm with the back of my hand. “I wanted you to get off your ass and come with me.”
Peering over the top of his sunglasses, Decker scowls and keeps his hand in the air.
“Take it. I’m good. You guys go.”
Bossy, grumpy, moody man.
“Fine,” I declare, snatching the card out of his hand. “Let’s go, boys.”
I don’t have to turn around to know that Kendrick, Locke, and Kylian will all follow. But I pause and wait for them anyway.
“You’re a dumbass,” Kendrick mutters to Decker, pushing lightly against his shoulder.
Decker sighs. “Tell me something I don’t know. I’m still waiting on that call.” He holds up his phone for emphasis as he slips his wallet back into his shorts.
Kendrick’s face pinches with a twinge of concern as he assesses Decker for a couple of heartbeats. A silent exchange passes between them, then finally, Kendrick nods.
The interaction is another reminder that these men have been caring for each other since long before I ever entered the picture.
At least their conversation confirmed that Decker’s surly attitude and standoffishness isn’t just about me or our kiss. At least not today. That should make me feel better, except now I’m concerned about things I’m not even privy to.
His plate is constantly too full, and I want nothing more than to relieve him of some of his burdens, but in my experience so far, he’s not interested in sharing the load.
“Want anything, Cap?” Locke asks, winding an arm around my midsection as we step out from under the umbrellas.
Decker declines with a succinct shake of his head and unlocks his phone, effectively dismissing us.
The warmth of the sun on my skin melts away the trepidation that’s begun to bubble up as I watch Decker shutter himself again.
The sensation also serves to remind me of the conversation Kendrick and I just had.
I pluck his LCU hat off my head and turn back to hand it to him, but he’s already got a new one on.
This time, he’s rocking a khaki bucket hat with a wide brim all the way around—he looks like a little old man about to go fishing.
“Better safe than sorry,” he repeats when he catches me eyeing his new attire. He snatches the hat from my hands and places it back on my head.
“Let’s go, Boy Genius,” he calls back to Kylian.