AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Blaire enters wearing a white sundress over her bikini and a pair of brown Birkenstocks. Her long, dark-honey hair is sectioned into two braids that fall over her chest. “Aw, you look cute, Emmy.”
I look down at my loose jean shorts and neon-green tank top that is covering my tie-dye bathing two-piece. My hair is tossed up in a messy bun, and my face is void of any makeup.
“Thanks,” I tell her with a smile. “You’re looking hot as ever in that little number. You know you’re going to have to fight Camden off the entire time we’re at the beach, right?”
She blushes and the color is clear as day, even from across the room with how fair her skin is. “Stop. Don’t give him any ideas either.” She smiles and I know she’s thinking about her hot-as-hell boyfriend. “You ready to go? The boys are going to meet us at the pier.”
Grabbing my tote off the bed, I slide the sunglasses I have sitting next to it onto my face and smile at my best friend. “Let’s go get some fresh sea air and show off these hot bods.”
As we make our way out of the apartment and to Blaire’s car, I check that my phone is on silent and continue to ignore the text message from the one man I want out of my mind but who seems to remain a permanent resident.
* * *
Growing up in Florida,I’m no stranger to the beach scene. The smell of salt water, sunscreen, and sunshine surrounds me while the sound of seagulls, waves, and people’s chatter breaks through my own music playing through a small speaker I brought. It feels like home, and I think back to all the times my mom would drive us out to the beach on the weekends because it was one of the free activities to take a young kid to.
We’ve been at the beach for over an hour now, and I’ve been baking in the sun since we set up our spot. Camden brought a large umbrella for Blaire since that girl can’t even be saved by the highest SPF sunscreen. She’s been reading one of her books under there, oblivious to anything going on around her. The guys have gone back and forth from kicking a soccer ball around to playing a makeshift game of volleyball in the water.
Flipping over onto my back, I apply a light layer of tanning oil to my front and lie out in a position to make sure all my parts are tanned evenly. The sun has been in my favor today and there have been minimum clouds covering the sky, providing me with a perfect amount of sunshine for an even tan.
With my glasses protecting my eyes, I inhale a deep breath and savor the fresh, salty air. A shadow casts over my face, and I snap my eyes open, wondering where this obstruction is coming from since there hasn’t been a cloud in the sky.
Lifting my sunglasses up, my line of sight trails up a tall, tanned boy. When I get to the face, my stomach clenches at who is above me. He was supposed to be out of town and nowhere near this beach.
“You didn’t answer my text,” Conrad states, his tone void of all pleasantries. He crosses his arms over his chest, stretching out the sleeves of his shirt.
I reposition my eyewear and close my eyes. “Not in the mood to talk to you today.”
Conrad’s shadow moves from my face to my torso and I imagine him walking around so that he isn’t looking at me from upside down. Even though I’m trying to ignore him, my body hums, knowing the man it so dreadfully wants is near.
“Listen, Em, it’s been a long fucking twenty-four hours for me. I’ve dealt with conversations that were less than pleasant, had a few realizations about people who should love you unconditionally, and had the worst journey back with three layovers on what should have been a four-hour flight.” He rests his hands on his hips and lets out an exhausted breath. “Please, just talk to me. I have some important things I need to tell you.”
Sitting up, I lift my sunglasses to rest on my head and look up at Conrad. This time I notice the dark circles under his eyes, the unkempt hair, and the clothes that are so wrinkled they look like they’ve been on his body for days. He’s wearing jeans, a dark-gray T-shirt, and white sneakers, which makes me wonder if he came here straight after his flight since he isn’t dressed for the beach in the least bit.
“Fine.” Waving my hand out, I gesture to the towel beside mine. “Have a seat.”
Conrad looks at the towel and then at me. “Can we go for a drive? Or back to my place? I’m exhausted, Em, and it’s too damn hot here to sit around in jeans.”
Being alone with him is never a good idea, seeing as how I have no restraint the moment he touches me. Conrad looks enormously uncomfortable and while I know I shouldn’t go off alone with him, I don’t want him to sit here with how he feels.
Sighing, I make my decision. “You have one hour.”
Conrad stands in the same spot, wordlessly watching me pull on my clothes and gather my belongings in the tote I brought. Blaire still hasn’t looked up from her book to notice that Conrad is here and the guys are down in the water.
Walking over to my best friend, I clear my throat loud enough to get her attention.
“Oh, hey. Everything okay?”
Turning my head over my shoulder, I look at Conrad, who is standing about fifteen feet away, and then back at my best friend. “Okay is a relative term at this point. He’s insisting we need to talk and by the looks of him, I don’t think he’s going to make it sitting out in the sun that long.”
Blaire worries her lip as she looks between the two of us. “Will you text me if anything happens? And don’t let him smooth-talk you, Emmy. He’s too good at that, and you deserve someone who chooses you. Remember that.”
Smiling, I lean down and hug her before following Conrad to his car. The walk through the sand is quiet, neither of us saying a word and me making sure that we don’t touch. Even just the brush of a shoulder is enough to ignite something in me.
Conrad’s car is at the far end of the parking lot at the pier, and we pass several cars doing laps around, looking for a spot and people cleaning off sand as they get into their cars. Conrad’s BMW comes into view, and I worry about sitting in the expensive leather seat with my oiled-up body and sandy feet.
He goes to the passenger side of his car and opens the door for me. I stand by the back, looking down at my sandy feet, then back up at him. “Are you sure you want me in your fancy car? I’m kind of oily and sandy.”
The side of his mouth perks up, and his tired eyes are brighter than they have been since he arrived at the beach. “Don’t give a shit about the car, Em. Come get your ass in.”
