Frayed (Connections, #4)(44)

Chest to board, I paddle in and watch the shore come alive in the early morning hours. As I scan the beach, my eye catches a reflection of sorts in the sand. I strain to see what it is and that’s when I see her. Cupping the water faster, I pick up speed and hit shallow water. I can’t help grinning at the sight of her. Last night I was pissed as hell at her, but now seeing her—it all just slides away because the sexy, sassy, and funny-as-hell girl that won’t let me call her mine is waiting for me. Waving a hand in the air, I shake the water from my hair and tuck my board under my arm.

“You made it,” I yell as I emerge from the water.

“I did,” she says, shading her eyes with her hand.

“Where’s your board?”

She shrugs. “I don’t have one.”

“All right, then—it looks like we’ll be taking turns.”

My gaze sweeps the length of her and once my body stops humming in desire, I curl my fingers over my mouth to stifle my laughter at what she wore to surf in—a flowered green bikini with gold strings at the neck and hipbones, earrings, and even a necklace. She looks f*cking beautiful, like Miss America. She’s even wearing sparkly sandals. And even though today isn’t about winning a beauty pageant, I can’t help approaching the unrivaled winner with a cheerful smirk.

As I close the distance I feel something shifting between us. It’s in the way she’s looking at me. Her alluring features come clearly into focus—the long strands of her red hair blowing in the wind, her full breasts popping out from beneath her tiny top, the curvy shape of her hips, and f*ck me, she has a belly button ring. I try to tame the thudding of my pulse, but it isn’t easy. It’s been hard enough keeping my hands off her, well, semi off her, with her clothes on—this is going to be hell.

Kicking the sand up beneath my feet, I lift my gaze upward, where I notice the sparkle in her emerald green eyes. A slight sense of pride overtakes me because her eyes are shimmering. I think they might even be dancing with anticipation. It thrills me that she’s here this early to surf and happy about it. Just a few short weeks ago I wasn’t sure what I saw when I looked into her eyes. At first I thought maybe hate, anger, disgust—or possibly a combination of just about every negative emotion. But it was fear and I’ve been taking the time to make it clear that she’s mine. I’ve been doing it subtly, but I will do it.

When a cool breeze presents itself on the shoreline, I stop on my heels and dig my board into the sand. I move a little closer but know I should keep a healthy distance between us. Although it doesn’t seem to matter how close or far away she is, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. She bends down to rub some sunscreen on. When she does her breasts spill out farther from her top and I have to suppress a groan. I take a deep breath and sure enough, it’s there—that lemony citrus smell that’s everywhere when she’s around.

I lean down and reach for the bottle. “Here, let me help you.”

My guess is she’ll say no, so when she hands me the bottle I’m shocked.

She stands straight and turns around, lifting her hair as she does. “You can do my back.”

“I was thinking I’d start with the front,” I say, my voice going deep all on its own.

I notice her stiffen before she hands me the sunscreen over her shoulder. It’s cool in my hands and I rub my palms together to warm it. My fingers cover her shoulders and the back of her neck. I knead her skin ever so slightly and slide down under the strings in the front a little. She gasps and I’m pretty sure it’s not from the chill of the lotion. Her skin is soft and I notice a few faint freckles I never knew she had on her shoulders—they’re sexy as hell. Her head drops as I rub down her back. When I get midway I caress the skin spilling out from the sides of her tiny top, and again a slight shiver rocks her shoulders. I grin to myself like a Cheshire cat.

“You’re full of tension. You could use a massage,” I whisper in her ear, moving down her back a little more until my fingertips rest on the fabric of her bottoms. I let them slip inside teasingly and pull them back out.

She jumps and turns around. “I’m good. That’s enough,” she says, sounding a little flustered.

I grin and hand her back the bottle. “If you say so. I just didn’t want you to burn.”

“I won’t,” she says. “It’s not that hot today anyway.”

As the words leave her lips and I’m just about to tell her the temperature has nothing to do with the strength of the sun’s rays, I notice she’s wearing makeup and I have to try hard to suppress my laughter.

Squinting, she puts her hands on her hips. “What is so funny?”

I shake my head. “Nothing.”

She purses her lips and narrows her eyes.

I just smile at her and pull her sunglasses from atop her silky soft hair and place them on her face. I let my thumbs linger for a few short seconds and caress her cheek.

“There, now you don’t have to squint.”

She touches their sides. “Thank you,” she says, and I can see her nipples protruding in hard nubs.

I’m not sure if it’s from the water I dripped on her or my touch, but I’m going with the latter. I’ve behaved myself for much longer than I ever thought I could. But I know she wants me and if she won’t admit it, I’m going to have to push her along a little. The old me would already have done that. Hell, the old me would never have allowed a girl to call the shots.