Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(31)

“Tell me,” I said, moving closer as I shoved a branch away from my head.

“She said that I turned out better than anyone expected, as if I should have been a train wreck and it’s such a pleasant surprise that I actually made something of myself.” A tear rolled down her cheek, and I swiped it away with the pad of my thumb.

“Fuck her. What did Kline say?”

“He agreed with her!” she shouted. She turned and marched toward the little beach entry beside the water. The tide was coming in, and the waves lapped against the shore. “As if he knew what a shitshow my childhood was and couldn’t jump on the bandwagon fast enough.”

I followed her down the path, my voice calm and even. “Hey.”

She came to an abrupt stop and whipped around. “What?”

“The way they’re saying it sounds like a backhanded compliment, but the truth is, they’re right, Snow.”

She placed her hands on her hips, her mouth hanging open. “So, you expected me to be a failure, too?”

I chuckled. “No. Don’t put words in my mouth. Someone’s being a little dramatic now, yeah?”

“Dramatic? How? Do you know how it feels to know that everyone expected you to fail? How exhausting it is to prove that you’re worthy? And then when you finally prove yourself, everyone tells you how shocking it is?”

“Stop overthinking it. It has nothing to do with what happened in your childhood. The shit you’ve accomplished is fucking badass. You’re a national champion, Lila. The best collegiate female distance runner out there. That’s fucking amazing. And I don’t give a shit if your dad was drunk or sober or if your childhood was messed up or perfect. You’ve accomplished shit most people couldn’t dream of. Not to mention, being a straight A student at one of the most competitive universities in the country. Own that shit. You’ve got nothing more to prove. Just hold your head up, look them in the eyes, and say, Damn straight, asshole.”

Her eyes widened, and she shrugged. “Never thought about it like that.”

“You’re always going to have people who aren’t happy for your success, but only you control how you respond to it.”

“Fair point. But Kline jumped on that train so fast like he knew my whole story. No one knows my whole story outside of you and Travis and maybe Brax. Just the stuff they’ve heard. They don’t know what a good man my father is or all that he’s been through.”

“It’s no one’s fucking business. And I told you Kline wasn’t the guy for you. So, if you kick his ass to the curb, I’ll be fine with it.” I smirked.

“I bet you will, Bear. Fine. I’ve got to get into my birthday suit and march into the tide. The least I can do is check something off the damn list today.”

I chuckled. “Why is this so important to you?”

“Because I just want to feel normal for once in my life. I’ve been so busy trying to prove I have it together that I stopped living somewhere along the way. And fear has been driving me for a long time. I just got drunk for the first time in my life recently; I haven’t had sex yet or showered with a man. I’ve been so focused on achieving things that I’ve been missing out. I haven’t had a ton of fun in my life.” She shrugged. “So, I’m changing that now.”

“You sure are.” I smirked.

“So, are you just going to watch me or join me?” she asked as she unzipped her jean shorts and started sliding them down her legs as a little white lace peeked out.

Good Christ.

I let out a long sigh before turning around so I had my back to her. “You do know your brother will cut off my fucking balls and disown me for skinny dipping with you, right?”

She broke out in hysterical laughter. “Come on, Bear. Aren’t you the one who just told me not to listen to what other people think? Why don’t you just look him in the eyes and say, Damn straight, asshole.” She chuckled, throwing my words back at me. “And it’s not like I haven’t seen a naked man before. I just haven’t had sex with one. Don’t be a baby.”

“I’m not being a baby. I’m trying to be respectful, for fuck’s sake.” I’d seen more naked women than the average man. But this was Lila.

“Well, stop. We’re friends. Come on. I’ll go in first so you don’t have to see me if it’s that horrifying for you,” she said over a fit of giggles, and I knew she was moving toward the water because the leaves rustled beneath her feet, so I turned around.

To make sure she was safe, of course.

The moonlight caught her back side as it hovered above us. I was definitely being tested because the woman had the most beautiful body I’d ever seen. Like a work of fucking art.

Petite.

Lean.

Feminine.

She walked into the water and yelped. “It’s so cold. Remind me why doing this naked is better than wearing a bathing suit? Because my lady parts seem to be the most sensitive to this temperature.”

Did she really just say that?

I tugged my tee over my head and set it on the ground beside her clothing. Her bra and panties were on top, and I tried like hell to keep my dick from responding to the knowledge that she was wearing nothing only a few feet away, but clearly, he had a mind of his own because he throbbed against my zipper. I kicked off my boots before shoving my pants and briefs down my legs. I’d dove into the water naked more times than I could count. But doing this with Travis’s little sister definitely felt like I was crossing a line.