“How about a surf lesson?” Brian asked her. “David’s taking Olivia. I can take you.”
“What about your girlfriend?” she asked with a sniffle.
“She doesn’t want to get wet.” Brian shrugged. “Go figure, we’re at the beach.”
“I’ve taken lessons before, but . . .” She looked at the floor. “Sure. I guess.”
“Atta girl,” Brian said. “Go put on your bathing suit, and I’ll meet you downstairs in ten.”
She smiled with her eyes still downcast and nodded before leaving the room.
“Thank you, Brian,” I said. “I know you two don’t get along, so I really appreciate that.”
“No worries,” he said, then added to himself, “She’s not so bad underneath it all.”
I arched an eyebrow. “What was that?” I asked.
He looked up. “Nothing,” he called over his shoulder as he left.
David sighed and finally entered the room. “I say good riddance.”
I rolled my eyes. “Did you wake Greg up from the couch just to yell at him?”
“Yep.”
“Do you feel macho now that you’ve put him in his place?”
I expected David to defend himself, but his chest just puffed up. “Yep.”
I laughed.
“Brian likes her, you know,” he said. “I can tell.”
“Gretchen?” I crinkled my nose. “I was wondering if he might, but she made a pass at him a while back, and he turned her down.”
“Trust me,” David said, running a hand through his damp hair. “He’s into her.”
“They act like they hate each other,” I said.
“There’s a fine line between love and hate, baby,” he said, rifling through his bag. “And she likes him, too.”
“Nowthatis definitely not true,” I said. “I believe ‘pompous prick’ is how she once described him.”
“You and your dirty mouth again, Miss Germaine.” He glanced up from where he squatted. “I never did give you that spanking.”
My eyes widened. “Give it to me now, then.”
“No, not now.” He pulled out a fresh change of clothes. “We still need to talk. You seduced me into forgetting that I was supposed to be restraining myself.”
“So, let’s talk.”
He stood, shut the bedroom door, and came to sit on the edge of the bed. “Here’s the thing, though,” he said. “I don’t have an answer.”
“I do.” I crawled over and set my hands on his damp swim trunks. “There’s nothing to worry about. I meant what I said. I trust you, and I promise to tell you if it’s too much. Maybe I should’ve said something the other night, but I was confused because I liked what you were doing to me . . . even though it hurt a little.”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said earnestly.
“Your pleasure turns me on—you taking what you need from me drives me wild.” I bit my lip. “I love knowing I can give you that.”
