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get a couple of folding chairs?” Ty said, as he headed out the bedroom door.
Half an hour later Ty found them a spot in the sand. There were few people sharing the area with them as the beach was mostly used by the owners of the cottages. Occasionally people walked by along the ocean edge. Ty placed the two chairs side by side and put an umbrella up between them.
He had changed into swimming trunks that were navy blue with a yellow stripe running down each thigh and wore no shirt. He’d pulled on a baseball cap that controlled his hair but left his irresistible curls gathered along the back of his neck. Dark glasses covered his eyes. He could have been a lifeguard with all his tanned, honed muscles and good looks. She couldn’t take her eyes off him.
He didn’t even look in her direction when he said in a hoarse voice, “You know, if you don’t stop looking at me like that I’m going to forget about spending time on the beach and take you back inside to the nearest bed.”
Warmth that had nothing to do with the temperature filled her. “I wasn’t looking at you.”
He flipped up his glasses and gave her a direct look. “Yes, you were,” he said with amusement in his voice.
“Are you calling me a liar?”
“If the shoe fits,” he quipped as he adjusted his chair closer to hers and sat. “You can maybe make it up to me by going for a swim with me.”
Michelle pulled the large T-shirt she was using for a beach covering off. She’d not worn a bikini, as Ty had requested, but she did feel like she looked good in the aqua one-piece. His low whistle didn’t disappoint.
“I think you might look far sexier in that than in a two-piece. It makes me imagine all that beautiful creamy skin beneath.” He threw his hat into the chair and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the waves. “Let’s go. I need to cool off.”
They ran into the water hand in hand, laughing as it splashed against their chests. When a larger wave came toward them, Ty lifted her up to prevent her from being swamped. He let her slide down his wet slick body and stole a kiss.
Ty swam with strong, sure strokes through the surf, dove under and returned to where she trod water. He surfaced with a splash and shook his head, sending salt water into her face.
Michelle retaliated by shoving a handful of water in his direction.
“So you want to play that game,” Ty said, his face a mask of mock evil, before he sent water her way. She shot some more back and war was on. Finally Ty plunged under the water, wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her under. She came up sputtering and him laughing. Michelle turned her back to him as if she was mad.
Ty moved closer. “Hey, I didn’t mean to make you—”
Michelle rounded on him and propelled two handfuls of water into his face.
“You sneak.” He grabbed her around the waist again, pulled up and fell into the next wave.
This time when they came up, Ty didn’t let go. Instead, his lips found hers. He requested entrance to her mouth and she gladly opened it. Her arms circled his neck and her legs looped his waist. He tasted of salt and life. When Ty broke the contact Michelle didn’t immediately let go. His hands moved to cup her bottom under the water. She looked into his stunning eyes that so confidently returned her look and knew she was hopelessly in love. The pure, clear and forever kind of love.
Fear filled her. She let go of him and pushed away. “I’m worn out. I could use some sun time.”
Ty didn’t argue. He took her hand and helped her stand as the tide washed the sand beneath their feet away. Had she ever had more fun being with someone? But he wouldn’t be there much longer. Her heart would break when he left. She slipped and his strong arms supported her, not unlike the way he had done over the last few weeks. He’d been there when she’d needed someone. It had become so easy to depend on him.
She plopped into her chair and he followed suit after picking up his hat. Ty shifted the umbrella so that most of their bodies were in the shade.
“We’re both going to need some sunscreen,” he said, pushing his wet hair back and pulling on his hat.
Michelle dug through her bag and came out with a bottle. She squirted a blob into Ty’s outstretched hand. Planning to do the same in her own, it was forgotten when she got caught up in watching Ty apply the lotion across his chest.
“Hey, you’d better get that sunscreen on. With your fair skin you’ll be red in no time.”
Michelle refocused, burying a shard of hurt deep down, and started spreading the liquid over her skin. She glanced at Ty again, this time noticing how he pulled his hat low to shade his eyes. “I’ve been meaning to ask you where you get those ridiculous surgical caps you wear all the time. They’re certainly not the usual ones offered in the supply magazines.”
“You don’t like them?”
“They suit you.”
“That was a nice dodging of the question. They’re made by the sister of a guy I worked with over in Virginia. His niece has cancer. A group makes and sells them as a way to raise awareness and make some money for his niece’s treatments.”
Michelle’s mother was the one with cancer and Ty was doing more to speed the need for research than she was. “I see.”
He reached over and squeezed her hand. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”
“I’m fine,” she murmured, and closed her eyes.
A few minutes later she turned her head and opened one eye to find Ty with his eyes closed and breathing deeply. She shut hers and joined him in sleep with a soul-deep rightness that came with knowing he was near.
* * *
Ty woke to find Michelle still resting beside him. She looked peaceful, content for the first time since he’d met her. He’d not allowed her much sleep the night before. It had been so good to have her in his arms again.
She’d amazed him on the drive over with the aggressiveness and confidence she’d shown as she’d driven. He hadn’t been sure she’d like the sports car, worried that she’d consider it frivolous and unsafe. Instead, she’d embraced it. He normally liked to do all the driving but he had to admit he found it nice to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Michelle took advantage of the limits of the car without overstepping the bounds of the law.
His stomach growled. It had been a long time since their rushed drive through breakfast.
“Is that you making all that noise over there?”
He rolled his head towards Michelle. Her eyes were still closed but there was a hint of a smile at the corners of her lips.
“As a matter of fact it is, smartypants.”
She opened her eyes and grinned. “I’m hungry too.”
“Then I’d say it’s time for some food.” He pulled the cooler toward him. Opening it, he removed a clear plastic-wrapped sandwich and handed it to her. “Ham and cheese on wheat or if you prefer it ham and provolone on a Kaiser.”
“Ham and cheese on wheat sounds great.”
He handed her the sandwich along with a small bag of chips and a can of drink. Then chose his own. They ate in silence for a few minutes.
“Ty?”
“Hmm?” he said around a bite of sandwich.
“Will you tell me why you got so upset earlier about me asking about you staying here?”
The food stuck in his throat. He had to force it down in a gulp. He should have known she’d ask. Michelle wasn’t the type to pretend a problem didn’t exist. “My family lived here during the summer sometimes.” He heard her shift but he focused on the waves hitting the beach.
“So what was bad about that?”
“When I say lived here, I mean in a tent under a pier or in a vacant house.’
“Why? Did your father lose his job?”
Ty chuckled, the sound dry and bitter. “I’ve never known my father to have a job in the traditional sense of the word.”
He’d told few people about his parents. In fact, he’d found it easier when he’d been in college and med school just to say they had died. But it felt good to be telling Michelle the truth. Saying it,
having it out in the open was cleansing. Also he was sure the information wouldn’t go beyond Michelle. Even if it did, did it matter any more?
“Something like that. My dad took seasonal jobs and occasionally my mother would also.”
“So you’ve never live in a house of your own?”
“Not really. I stayed with my grandparents for a couple of years while I was finishing high school and after that there were dorms and a mattress on the floor, whatever I could find.”
“I didn’t know people still lived like that.”
“You’d be surprised by the number of people that live their whole life as transients,” Ty said as he watched a seagull work himself closer for some food.
“Do your parents still move from place to place?”
This was harder than he’d thought it would be. “I guess. I’ve not seen them in seven years. They showed up when my grandfather died. I don’t know how anyone got in touch with them but there they were.”
“You don’t get along?” she asked in a low voice.
“It’s not so much that we don’t get along as it is that we don’t share the same beliefs.” Even though he answered Michelle’s questions he still wasn’t being as forthcoming as he could be, but he needed to say it and she needed to hear it.
“As in religion?”
“No, it’s more that they don’t believe in traditional medicine and I’m a doctor. They are not impressed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Hey, it really doesn’t matter.”
“I think by your tone of voice that it does matter. It would matter to me. What my mother thinks is important to me.” She said nothing for a few minutes. “So you decided at sixteen that you would become a doctor and went to live with your grandparents?”
“Something like that,” he murmured.
“What’re you not telling me?”
Michelle had gotten to know him so well, but he couldn’t tell her about Joey. Couldn’t admit that he’d let his brother die. “Nothing.”
