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"Are you defending him?" I snickered, shoving him again.
"Never," he laughed, drawing the word out and flexing his arm. "I'm Team Coconut all the way."
"You better be."
"Or what?"
My smile was hurting my face, and my feet stopped moving. When I looked up at him, the sun shining behind his head nearly blinded me. His eyes were wide, full of good-natured humor, and he crossed his arms, waiting for my reply.
"Or I'll attack you."
That was laughable because of our size difference, but I flexed my arm the same way he had, not backing down. His laugh made everyone around us look our way, and he started nodding, almost taking that challenge.
"I promise I'm Team Coconut. I've never met this guy, and I already hate his guts. But," he stepped closer and leaned down to my ear. "I'd love to see you in attack mode."
There was no way he didn't notice the way my body shook—his words, his deep voice, and how serious he was all of a sudden. Tripp Maddux was making me weak whether he liked it or not, and at a rate that would have made Superman look like a snail.
When he stood back to his full height and we were again looking into each other's eyes, I reached out and touched his chest, not even considering what the contact would do to me. "You really are a bad idea."
He smiled again, a hint of something naughty in his eyes. Before I could take my hand away and regain my sanity, he lunged forward and scooped me up. Throwing me over his shoulder, he made his way into the water as I kicked and screamed.
When he was waist-deep, he sank into the water, taking me with him. My feet could touch, so I wasn't panicking, but it took me several minutes to catch my breath.
"Are you crazy?"
"No, you are, remember?"
"Tripp!" I whined and laughed at the same time. "I already told you I'm not a strong swimmer."
"I didn't take you deep, Coconut. But we both know that we need to cool off a little."
His words hit me right between the legs, in my core, when I imagined him taking me deep. Oh my God, who was I? His words alone were making me think and feel things I hadn't in so damn long.
Wading until the water was up to my shoulders, we again stared into each other's eyes. It was all I could do when it was so hard to think of words. Be strong, not weak, I reminded myself.
"I'm about to make another assumption about you," my voice was quiet compared to the sounds of the waves crashing after passing us.
"Go ahead, I can take it."
"I think you want to kiss me right now."
"I told you to be strong."
"Saying that out loud is being strong. You made me this way, Tripp Maddux. Now tell me if I'm right or not."
His soft smile was almost more endearing than if he had said the word yes. The way he was looking at me left no room for misinterpretation. Would he at least give me that?
"Again, that is a pretty easy assumption considering I already told you I wanted you."
"Wanting to fuck me and wanting to kiss me isn't the same thing."
"True."
"So am I right?"
"If you weren't celebrating a breakup, then you would be correct."
"So you're charming and noble?"
