washed ashore. My heart picked up speed.
Grace leaned over and whispered, “This is why your parents were out here. This is what has them spooked.”
“What’s going on?” Reece asked.
I shook it off. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell you later.” I reached for his hand and stepped in so that our toes were touching. “Are you coming?”
Again his eyes darted to Mike and Grace before he pulled his shirt over his head.
Seeing Reece’s bare chest, I inhaled as if I couldn’t get enough oxygen into my lungs. I took in the sight before me, bronze skin, six pack abs, smooth and hairless up to his navel. I froze, unable to do anything but stare at him, his gorgeous face, his perfect body, the warmth and fire of his eyes. I wanted to run my hands over his warm, taut skin. I had to stop myself from reaching out and touching him.
Coming back to my senses, I glanced at Mike and Grace just in time to see Mike glaring at me. I pulled myself up taller, straighter. I had nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of.
I contemplated telling Mike to go to hell. He had no right to look at me like that. After all I didn’t make his life in high school hell. And now for the sake of my best friend and boyfriend I invite him over, try to be nice, and he has the nerve to glare at me! No, I wouldn’t allow him to get the best of me anymore, especially when he didn’t deserve for me to give him the time of day.
I pushed Mike from the foreground of my mind and pulled Reece by the hand toward the shallow end of the pool. I went down the first two steps and then took a seat while getting used the temperature of the water. It felt cold against my overheated skin.
Reece sat next to me and gave me a sideward smile, full of mischief. I couldn’t help but notice how his eyes ran up and down my body checking me out. I felt flattered rather than self-conscious. But I didn’t understand why he kept himself so distant. Usually Reece tried to bridge any gap between us. Now that I wanted his hands all over me, it almost seemed like he avoided contact.
“So how much did you overhear last night?” He finally asked his face hard and serious.
Now I understood.
“Enough.” I smiled and shifted toward him, a sign everything was okay.
“I am so sorry,” he said, his voice full of emotion.
“It’s fine.”
He shook his head. “I had no idea.”
“I know.”
I leaned in poised to kiss his delicious lips when a shrill scream caught my attention. I looked up just in time to see Mike scoop Grace into his arms and jump in the deep end of the pool with her.
Grace popped up where the bottom of the pool slopes down and wiped the water from her eyes. Mike left her for the moment and headed toward us. He swam over, reaching and pulling like he wanted to win a race, splashing as much as any one person could.
“C’mon,” he stood in front of us, “break it up and get in.”
“We’re getting used to the water,” I snapped at him.
“I could help with that.” He picked me up and slung me over his shoulder.
“Mike, stop!” I yelled at the top of my lungs while pounding on his chest. “I mean it, Mike, Put me down!”
I heard him hoot “I’ll put you down alright.”
“Reece!” I called for help, but got none. I couldn’t understand why he allowed this Neanderthal to torment me. And then Mike plunged me down in the deep water.
I recovered and splashed a large wave at Mike who happened to be using Grace as a human shield. Reece came to fight on my side and we were all involved in an attempt to splash the other couple out of the pool. I hadn’t had that much fun in the water in years. For about twenty minutes I even forgot how much I loathed Mike.
Chapter 15
After the pool, we snacked on the chips and pretzels at the table and played Monopoly. Every once in a while I’d look up and notice that same angry glare in Mike’s eyes. At first I let it go, but after a while it really
Grace leaned over and whispered, “This is why your parents were out here. This is what has them spooked.”
“What’s going on?” Reece asked.
I shook it off. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell you later.” I reached for his hand and stepped in so that our toes were touching. “Are you coming?”
Again his eyes darted to Mike and Grace before he pulled his shirt over his head.
Seeing Reece’s bare chest, I inhaled as if I couldn’t get enough oxygen into my lungs. I took in the sight before me, bronze skin, six pack abs, smooth and hairless up to his navel. I froze, unable to do anything but stare at him, his gorgeous face, his perfect body, the warmth and fire of his eyes. I wanted to run my hands over his warm, taut skin. I had to stop myself from reaching out and touching him.
Coming back to my senses, I glanced at Mike and Grace just in time to see Mike glaring at me. I pulled myself up taller, straighter. I had nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of.
I contemplated telling Mike to go to hell. He had no right to look at me like that. After all I didn’t make his life in high school hell. And now for the sake of my best friend and boyfriend I invite him over, try to be nice, and he has the nerve to glare at me! No, I wouldn’t allow him to get the best of me anymore, especially when he didn’t deserve for me to give him the time of day.
I pushed Mike from the foreground of my mind and pulled Reece by the hand toward the shallow end of the pool. I went down the first two steps and then took a seat while getting used the temperature of the water. It felt cold against my overheated skin.
Reece sat next to me and gave me a sideward smile, full of mischief. I couldn’t help but notice how his eyes ran up and down my body checking me out. I felt flattered rather than self-conscious. But I didn’t understand why he kept himself so distant. Usually Reece tried to bridge any gap between us. Now that I wanted his hands all over me, it almost seemed like he avoided contact.
“So how much did you overhear last night?” He finally asked his face hard and serious.
Now I understood.
“Enough.” I smiled and shifted toward him, a sign everything was okay.
“I am so sorry,” he said, his voice full of emotion.
“It’s fine.”
He shook his head. “I had no idea.”
“I know.”
I leaned in poised to kiss his delicious lips when a shrill scream caught my attention. I looked up just in time to see Mike scoop Grace into his arms and jump in the deep end of the pool with her.
Grace popped up where the bottom of the pool slopes down and wiped the water from her eyes. Mike left her for the moment and headed toward us. He swam over, reaching and pulling like he wanted to win a race, splashing as much as any one person could.
“C’mon,” he stood in front of us, “break it up and get in.”
“We’re getting used to the water,” I snapped at him.
“I could help with that.” He picked me up and slung me over his shoulder.
“Mike, stop!” I yelled at the top of my lungs while pounding on his chest. “I mean it, Mike, Put me down!”
I heard him hoot “I’ll put you down alright.”
“Reece!” I called for help, but got none. I couldn’t understand why he allowed this Neanderthal to torment me. And then Mike plunged me down in the deep water.
I recovered and splashed a large wave at Mike who happened to be using Grace as a human shield. Reece came to fight on my side and we were all involved in an attempt to splash the other couple out of the pool. I hadn’t had that much fun in the water in years. For about twenty minutes I even forgot how much I loathed Mike.
Chapter 15
After the pool, we snacked on the chips and pretzels at the table and played Monopoly. Every once in a while I’d look up and notice that same angry glare in Mike’s eyes. At first I let it go, but after a while it really
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