“Wow. Will she get it back? The pink color?” I asked.
Mom shrugged. “I don’t know. Doesn’t say it on the poster over there.” She smiled at the nesting bird. “Goodbye, sweet Mama,” she chirped. “Time to take my boobies out at the grown-up beach.”
“Sweet Jesus, Ma,” I laughed.
“C’mon, my little chick,” she grinned. “Let’s go.” She linked her arm in mine, and we found ourselves a couple of beach chairs by the water’s edge.
When Beckett arrived, I was on my belly, slurping my second daiquiri of the day while reading my Sophie Cousens book. Mom was enjoying her afternoon nap. We’d opted to have food and drinks delivered to the chairs: a veggie wrap for me and a smoked salmon wrap for Mom, both with fries, and strawberry daiquiris all around. She said that she felt too tired to go all the way to the other beach where the Papagayo’s Grill café was located and that she didn’t want to give up her perfect spot in paradise. I made a mental note that she probably should stop drinking so early in the daytime, since she’d grown extremely weary over the past few days. Between the alcohol, the sunshine, and the relaxing ambience, I could understand floating away into dreamland every afternoon, but she was also getting almost twelve hours of shuteye a night and I didn’t want her to miss out on the whole trip.
Beckett jutted his chin in Mom’s direction. “Asleep again, huh?” he whispered.
I stretched my arms over my head and flipped over. He leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Yeah,” I replied. He reached out a hand to help me up off my chair, set his drawstring bag and towel down, andkicked off his flip-flops. Then, without a word, he pulled his T-shirt over his head, revealing a sculpted chest and defined abs. I looked down and traced my toe through the sand, trying not to ogle him. I’d seen Beckett’s top half before, but it still made my breath catch in my throat. When I finally looked up, he was smirking.
“What?” I asked.
“You’re such a perv,” he said.
I opened my mouth, aghast at his comment, but he laughed quietly and waved for me to follow him into the water.
“Sorry, I didn’t want to wake up Sleeping Beauty over there,” he said, once we were in up to our waists.
“I amnota perv, thank you very much,” I announced.
“You nearly bore a hole into the ground when I took off my shirt, Melody.”
“Ew. Think highly of yourself, do you?”
“Listen. This was advertised as a topless beach. I’m just following protocol.”
“It’s not topless,” I argued. “It’s toptional.”
Beckett laughed. “Is that even a thing? I’ve never heard of it.”
“I have coined the phrase,” I announced.
“Well, I’d certainly like to see you ‘toptional,’” he replied, throwing up air quotes.
I couldn’t hide my surprise at his comment, but my face also erupted into a big, cheesy grin. “Is that so?”
“At least I’m being honest about it,” he replied, shrugging. “But, lest I should offend you, perhaps I’ll restate that differently.” He said this with his chin raised, as if he were talking to a royal figure. Highly dignified-like. “I think you’re stunning, and I appreciate your lovely form.” Cocking his head to one side, he said, “There. How’s that?”
“Fine,” I replied. “And, yes. Ditto. To all this,” I waved at his body.Then I laughed and dove into the water, swimming the front crawl a few strokes away from him.
Beckett followed, catching up quickly, and wrapped his arms around me from behind. His skin was smooth and slippery, and as he pulled me close, I could feel his excitement graze my upper thigh, near my right ass cheek. He surprised himself and maneuvered his lower half backward, then let me go entirely. “Ooh. Sorry. My bad,” he mumbled, embarrassed.
What he didn’t know was my body’s innate reaction to the realization that his firmness had touched me sent my libido into sudden overdrive. It was as if Melody-the-normally-functioning-person had all but vanished and was temporarily replaced by Melody-the-oh-my-god-please-do-that-again-even-if-it-was-an-accident-horndog. I turned around to face him and swam up close. “Nothing to be sorry about,” I replied, sliding my arms around Beckett’s neck.
“I just, um…” I watched his cheeks go red. “It’s been a while. That’s all.”
“Same,” I said, pulling my body closer. Lightweight in the water, I felt Beckett’s hands return to my hips, holding me at an intentional, respectful distance.
But my body did not like that. I allowed my legs to glide up in the water and crossed my ankles behind his lower back. Then I pulled him into me with my calves. He let out a low moan and closed his eyes. “Um…careful, Mel,” he said.
I leaned my face in close to his ear. “I like that,” I purred.
“What?”
“You calling me Mel.” I pressed my body into his.
