Chapter 26
Angela
I don’t know what I expected when Garrett stepped out of the changing booth in his rubber ducky swimsuit, but reality doesn’t sync up.
Not only are the trunks a tad too small, affording me a tantalizing view of a body I am not prepared for—in any way—but the wicked gleam in his eyes and stubborn set of his jaw warns that revenge is incoming.
I can’t wait.
Bring it on, Bucko. Challenge me. I’ll rise to it. I promise.
The glimpses I’ve caught of the man beneath the grump are tantalizing.
While Garrett tugs at the too small trunks, I hold back a laugh, waiting for him to catch on to what I’m wearing. “You look amazing.”
“Amazing is the word I’d choose as well. Though I don’t think we’re using the same definition.” Garrett freezes, his eyes widening while a hint of a smile brightens his scowl. “Is that pizza? Are you wearing a pizza bikini?”
I turn in a slow circle, letting him in on the magnificence that is the pizza bikini.
It’s hideous. Four triangle slices of fabric held together with string, each of them displaying a greasy pepperoni pizza and barely covering my naughty bits.
It’s ridiculous. And embarrassing. And I’m sure to end up indisposed while boogie boarding, but I couldn’t let Garrett be the only one making a fool of himself today.
A low laugh has him shaking his head as his gaze travels my body. “I keep saying it, and I keep meaning it. You are something else.”
“Personally, I think we make quite the pair.”
Garrett’s jaw tightens as he processes my statement. There’s a long moment of eye contact and what I wouldn’t give to read his mind. Or just have a hint of what he’s thinking. By the looks of it, there’s a lot going on in there and I can’t tell if it’s good, bad, or indifferent.
“Let’s get this over with.” He sighs heavily as if to prove how much he’s not looking forward to boogie boarding, but he’s more excited than he wants to let on. I can see it in the gleam of his eyes. In the teeny-tiny almost smile lifting his lips.
Without waiting to see if I’m following, Garrett takes off toward the water, his flip flops flicking sand behind him.
“Hold on now, Bucko,” I say, as I catch up. “I need some sunscreen first. Redheads weren’t made for the sun.” I pull a bottle out of one of the plastic bags. “The spray always gets in my eyes and mouth, so I go for the old-fashioned stuff. Want some?” I jiggle the bottle his way.
Garrett shakes his head. “It’s all yours.”
I squirt some into my hands and rub the lotion into first one arm, then the other. His eyes follow the movement as I rub my belly and breasts and I like the way he looks when he’s looking at me.
I see him want me. The flare of heat in those icy blues. The pulse in his jaw. The jut of his chin. Watching him stare at me like that turns me on, so I drop my gaze to hide my grin.
“Can you get my back?” I ask, my voice low, almost embarrassed.
“Sure.” Garrett seems hesitant as I hand the bottle over. Like the mere thought of touching me is problematic.
I lift my hair and his warm hands pass over my shoulders, rubbing the lotion into my skin. Delicately at first and then with more confidence.
He was right to hesitate. This is problematic.
This is really fucking problematic.
As his hands work down my back toward my waist, his touch grows insistent and my body throbs with want. With desire. With a flare of heat, a pulse in my jaw, and a jut of my chin.
I close my eyes and am greeted with an image of Garrett backing me against the wall last night. His gaze hooded…dark with lust and good God…
…what the hell am I doing?
Clearing my throat, I open my eyes and blink furiously. The stupid swimsuits. The boogie boards. They were all part of my grand plan to focus on fun and not the chemistry that sizzles between us when we’re together. How has it backfired this early in the day?
Garrett’s thumbs graze the skin so low on my back, they brush the inconsequential triangle of fabric covering my ass. I shiver as he steps away.
“All done.” His voice is low, vibrating with tension as he removes his hands and shakes his head. “You are sufficiently protected from the sun.”
If only there was a way to protect me from my hormones hijacking my common sense.
“All right, then.” I pluck the sunscreen from his hand and drop it into my bag. “You ready for this?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
We grab our boogie boards and jog towards the water.
After a few false starts, my body remembers the years I spent running into the waves with Nick and I manage to ride a few like a pro.
Garrett shakes his head while I laugh in delight.
Finally, he joins in and watching his muscles bunch and twist while he churns through the water is a different kind of delight.
He is power and strength. His body is beautiful.
Long, lean muscles tightening in his thighs and hamstrings.
His abs flex, highlighting the delicious V that disappears into his shorts.
Broad shoulders glisten with droplets of water.
This is nothing like playing with Nick after all.
This is something else altogether.