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I am not in the mood to be around people.
I am tired from not sleeping last night, and it just seems easier to lay down, close my eyes, and try to drift off than it does to deal right now.
Laying my heads in my hands, I sneak a quick glimpse of the guys in the ocean and then close my eyes.
I am woken up by cold, damp drops of water touching my skin, and something is suddenly blocking the sun. Cracking open my eyes and twisting my head to the side, I have to wait a few seconds for Brady to come into focus.
He looks like a golden god sitting next to me. Tanned and toned, his face is a little red from the sun and exertion. He has water droplets dripping down those perfectly carved abs and cut arms. Royal blue board shorts with white piping running down the sides are covering muscular thighs. His warm brown hair is still dripping wet, with fat droplets sticking to his face and lashes. He looks like sex on a stick and his presence puts me strangely at ease.
“You’re blocking the sun, Quarterback.”
“Your back is getting red, Sweetheart. You may wanna flip over.” He runs his cold, wet fingers down my spine, sending a tingle straight through me.
Instead of flipping over, I reach to my left and into my beach bag. After a minute, I pull out my can of sunscreen spray and hand it to him. “Could you please put more sunscreen on me?”
“Gotta say, Nat, in my fantasy, this sunscreen is a lotion I get to rub all over your body, not just a spray touching your skin.” He shakes the can and sprays. Internally I’m cheering, and I’m brought back to what he said last night about talking to Cooper and being ready to hear what he wants to say.
I flip over and sit up next to Brady. Taking the sunscreen can back, I spray the front of my body myself, then situate my straps. Looking around, I can see the guys throwing a football out in the ocean. Chloe is standing waist-deep in the water next to a pretty girl with light blondish brown hair and a turquoise print bikini that is so well filled out I can’t help but be envious.
“Who’s with Chloe?”
“That’s Sabrina. I think you’ll like her if you get a chance to know her. She may be the busiest person I know. Her schedule puts mine to shame.” He leans back on his elbows and tips half his mouth up in a devious smile.
Good lord, am I drooling again?
“See something you like, Nat?”
Oh, my God. Did he just ask me that?
“Seriously? Did you throw that cheesy ass line out there?” I stand up and slowly adjust my bikini top, then run my fingers under my bottoms, making sure everything is in place. I may do it a little slower and more exaggerated than necessary, but two can play at this game. “I may have seen something I liked. But, if I recall correctly, you feel like you need permission from my brother before you are willing to do anything about that. Just in case you weren’t aware, Brady, I am not an object that someone needs to ask permission to use. I decide if, and how, I get played with.”
“Nattie, your brother is my teammate and has become one of my best friends. I’m not asking for permission, but I don’t want to feel like I am doing anything behind his back, either. Because, I don’t plan on hiding how I feel about you for anyone’s sake. Not once you realize you’re already mine. And, make no mistake, Sweetheart. You are mine.
“Last night should never have happened, and I won’t let it ever happen again. I will keep you safe.” He stands up next to me. “Now, I think it’s time for you to cool off.”
His words are a balm to my soul.
I want to be his.
I feel bad for the mini tantrum I just threw, for about five seconds. Then I’m six feet off the ground, with my ass in the air as Brady throws me over his shoulder and runs into the ocean with me screaming the whole way.
19
Brady
It has been one of those days that I know I will look back on years from now and remember. We played beach volleyball for half the day. Threw the football around then surfed until the sun started to dip behind the warm, orange-hued horizon.
It’s just Cooper and me out here now. The two of us sitting on our boards in the ocean as we watch the hazy sun start to go down past the end of the sea. He keeps teasing me that these waves suck compared to California, but we make do with what we’ve got.
Bash was with us earlier, but he and Murphy went back to the house with the girls a while ago.
We’re going to head in soon.
They’ll be starting the bonfires a few hours after the sun sets.
This has always been my favorite time of the day on my board. My dad taught Chloe and me to surf as little kids. Before he got too busy to have fun and was still willing to spend his time with us enjoying life instead of always focusing on furthering the Ryan empire.
I think it’s time for me to start enjoying life too.
