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The second we arrive at the family, Lexi strips out of her white sundress to show off her bright pink bikini.
She looks great, of course. Tan, curvy, totally comfortable in her skin. Even though she’s wearing one of those cheeky bottoms with about an inch more fabric than a thong.
She bends to grab the sunscreen, offering a view of her assets to all the guys on the sand. “Could you help with my back?” She peels herself up slowly and shoots River a serene smile.
“Oh, I’ve got it.” Fern volunteers before River has a chance to say a word. “Do you need help, too, Dee?” She motions to her brother. “River. Help Dee with her sunscreen. If she needs it.”
Is she trying to push us together? Or is she simply on the same keep-River-away-from-Lexi mission?
Fern gets to work on Lexi’s back. After a brief pout, Lexi sinks into their conversation. She and Fern laugh about one of the guys who used to live on our block, the one who always did push-ups in the park.
River dressed the part of the gentleman in a button-up linen shirt and European-style swim shorts. (They’reshortin the best, most deliciously thigh-baring way. Thighs. Who knew?)
He tries to play the gentleman, too, by not staring at Lexi’s ass, but he doesn’t quite get there.
Until he looks at me.
Then, all at once, his attention is strictly on me.
He doesn’t stare the way he stares at Lexi, but I feel an intensity to his gaze all the same. A heat.
Or maybe that’s the bright sun.
Why is he staring like that?
Right. Sunscreen. I pull an extra bottle from the beach bag and hold it up.
“Here?” he asks.
I lead him a few feet away. Far enough that we’re out of earshot of Lexi and Fern and Ida.
“You’ll have to take this off.” His fingers skim the back line of my black cover-up.
It’s strange. The fabric is sheer, almost transparent, but I don’t want to remove it. I want to keep it as a shield.
Why do I need a shield from him?
He only has eyes for Lexi.
Only he’s looking at me.
I take a deep breath and let out a steady exhale. This is good. If he wants me, even if it’s strictly physical, he might realize his feelings for Lexi aren’t the love he sees them as.
Maybe he’ll want me enough to get caught up in the moment.
That’s another way to keep him away from Lexi.
To keep him busy, with me.
I can take one for the team. Really, it’s not an altogether unpleasant mental image. What would his tattooed arm look like on my hips anyway?
Or between my legs?
On my throat?
Ahem.
I blink and focus on my surroundings. The warm sand, the spray of salt water, the crash of waves, the blue-green ocean bleeding into the bright yet cloudy sky.
