Chapter 9 #2
“Uht uhn,” I panted lowly before I caught it and reminded myself about my surroundings.
Highland had me forgetting my home training today on this beach.
I cleared my throat before I shook my head.
“We can’t. The kids will be mad if we don’t participate with the other kids.
We’re going to be together tomorrow anyway, remember Splash Mountain,” I said as I regrettably pulled away and made my way over to round up the kids.
Twenty minutes later, I didn’t realize my forward approach would have even the grown people looking at me for answers.
We had moved on to building a sandcastle with the group after losing to another team in the scavenger hunt.
“Hey Ms. Liv, is this right?” another parent asked as they tapped on the top of the pail to loosen the sand from its hold.
I shrugged before I shook my head frantically. I had no idea how to build a sandcastle and wasn’t sure who told these people to call on me.
“You have to hit the sides not the top, then slowly remove it.” That was Highland, who was deep into his activity as he dug a moat around our masterpiece.
I didn’t even know he was paying attention to me and the other dad who asked until I caught his heavy ass gaze on me.
When I felt his eyes lowering down my body, I quickly placed a hand over my burgeoning titties that were doing far too much on Friday in the daytime.
I tried to pick out a less revealing swimsuit for today’s festivities, especially since I knew the kiddos would be around.
“Oh, sorry,” I apologized, which had him smirking at me as he smiled.
“No worries, mamas. Even though you are gorgeous, you and the ladies are not on my menu. Besides, I don’t think your boyfriend is the sharing type,” he said as he tossed his head toward Highland, making me chuckle lowly.
I went to correct him on the boyfriend title but felt Highland still staring at me which had me looking over and blushing at him before I put my attention back on the task at hand.
“I just want to know how we got tricked into doing all the work yet this is their little project. Like damn, I wanna be splashing around all smiles and giggles too,” I said as I dumped the bucket of sand and added it to the sculpture Highland had us building.
I needed a strong topic to try to lighten my cheeks as I changed the subject.
I glanced over at Tunk who had the kids in the group completely occupied near the shoreline running through the water yelling out old pirate sayings.
A couple of the other parents chuckled while mumbling their agreement with me.
“Girl, I’m already a step ahead of you. Right after the camp dismisses these kids, we’re hitting The Hut.
I’m getting their biggest margarita with an extra shot.
Y’all should come along.” That was another chaperone who had had four kids at the camp, two sets of twins the same ages as Cece and Neela.
“As good as that sounds, I still have to drive back to the mainland after this and I’m already doing more labor than I’m used to.
Adding any amount of alcohol at this point would have me renting a room at the hotel, telling Jo-Jo we’re on vacation.
Oh, but what I wouldn’t do for one of those fruity drinks with a little cute umbrella straw.
” I tossed my head back and let out an overly dramatic sigh as the sun soaked into my pores.
There were a couple of amens and laughs that followed before Highland’s rough tone came out low but I heard him loud and clear.
“No need to rent a room, we have a house close by.” I snapped my head up and turned to see him still staring at me, which I had to admit I was starting to love.
Especially the way he looked at me. His deep brown smoldering eyes had me feeling weak in my knees which could’ve given out if I weren’t already on them.
Even the sly grin now plastered on his face as if he knew I was publicly lusting after him.
My mouth opened slightly when he got up, walking toward me with his massive print in direct eye contact.
He kept going though, headed for the water with a bucket in hand.
Liv, stop being weird.
I cleared my throat as I swiped the nonexistent sweat from my forehead.
God, it’s me again.
The sound of a voice near my ear had me cutting my selfish prayer short. I looked over to see the same chaperone who’d caught Highland staring before.
Why do y’all keep getting caught! Are they looking that hard?
No, you and Highland are just making everything blatantly obvious.
“Now for me, I’m game for the show between you and mister man, but the kids present will make this very grown, very hot scene a hell no mamas.
I can see why you need the drink though; the man is fine as hell.
” That was the same mom who extended the drink offer at The Hut.
She whispered in my ear while we both admired Highland’s physique as he poured some of the water on himself, wetting his white T-shirt in the process.
He knows you’re watching him, Liv.
That part was obvious to me once he looked at me, giving me a wink that matched his sly smirk. I couldn’t believe Highland had me out here actually blushing like a girl who wasn’t used to having a crush.
To flirt back, I blew him a kiss without using my hands of course, since they were completely covered in sand.
“Damn, Liv, I don’t know who's worse, you or him. Y’all ain’t gotta do all that in front of the kids.
” Tunk’s voice caught me off guard as I looked up to see him and the group of kids now hovering over me as he playfully attempted to cover all the kids’ eyes, making them burst into even more giggles.
How did you miss them walking from the shoreline, Liv.
I asked myself the question and immediately knew the answer when Highland was making his way back over to us.
Tunk’s chuckles had me looking up at him with my lips pressed together, trying my best to hide my amusement.
“Clearly, it’s him. I’m busy building this amazing sandcastle while he’s playing in the water, trying to set literal thirst traps. Somebody should remind him that it’s kids out here,” I said just as Highland reached us.
I knew he heard me by the raise in his eyebrows and the narrowing of his lips. He was missing half of the conversation so the hesitation in his body language made sense.
“You can play too, Liv.” I shook my head.
“Uh uhn, didn—”
My sentence was cut short by Highland pouring some of the water down my back, causing me to gasp and my back to arch from the coolness.
You would think my temperature would’ve dropped once he did that, but it only seemed to increase from his act.
It was yet another innocent one between us, but my body had me thinking all kinds of nasty things.
“Oh my gosh, Highland, you’re going to pay for that.
” I was up and moving quickly and so was Highland who had now backed up back toward the water.
As soon as I reached Highland, he changed his stance, now moving forward, bending his knees before lifting me into the air, carrying me into the water.
I wasn’t prepared for this as I was now fighting through my own uncontrollable giggles, begging him not to do what I thought he was going to do.
“Wait, Highland, I didn’t come prepared to get my hair wet.
” Of course, he ignored me as he took us both under the water.
Somehow, my legs wrapped around his waist while his hands did the same, making sure I was secure by holding my mine.
Even though we were only under the water for a minute, I swear, in that split second, my heart beat in sync with Highland, blending us together so beautifully.
I was sure the waves of the ocean could tell our love story from beginning to end as it anchored us together.
It seemed so easy, getting lost in time with Highland as we stayed connected, just staring at each other until Cece’s little cries caught my attention.
I quickly tapped Highland to let me down, then looked around and caught more than just her gaze upon us, making me cringe as I remembered we were at a camp function and how wildly inappropriate we just were.
Great, Liv, now you’re going to have these people thinking you’re some type of hoe or something.
I did my best to ignore Highland’s eyes as I practically leapt from his arms and put as much distance as I could between us.
“Ms. Liv, can you take me to the bathroom, please?” Cece came wiggling over to us, doing a little dance, letting me know this was a rush emergency. I looked around for the nearest bathroom.
“Umm… of course, let’s go, pretty girl. Neela didn’t have to go?
” I asked, not even looking back at Highland.
I made my way over to the group and collected a couple of the other girls, including Neela too.
The time plus the distance would be enough to cool me down and put my attention back on the kids, the reason why we were here.