I toss my phone on the floor and roll over to look up at Ryder. “Impromptu beach trip sound okay with you?”
“You wearing a bathing suit?”
“That’s the plan.”
His finger gets to the hem of my shorts, lazily sliding back and forth along the seam. My leg muscles quiver. He kisses my thigh and moves to stretch over me, and I reach for him.
“Last night meant everything to me,” I tell him, my heels resting on the backs of his calves as I debate if I’m too sore for one more round.
He fans my hair out into a halo around me, his fingers running through my blond and pink strands. “I’m still in disbelief that I’m really here, with you, like this. I’ve wanted this for so long. Part of me thinks I’ll wake up tomorrow and it will all have been a dream.”
“It’s already tomorrow.” My fingers run back and forth across his morning stubble, loving the feel of it against my fingertips.
“Keep looking at me like that and we won’t leave this room for the rest of the day.”
“I can’t help it. You’re so fucking sexy.”
“And you’re the most beautiful girl in the world.”
“I love you, Ryder. I don’t know if I’ll be able to say it enough.”
“Love you too, baby.”
My stomach takes that moment to make a very loud gurgling sound and I wince.
“Come on. Let’s get some food in that belly before the guys get here.”
He lifts my shirt above my stomach and gives me a giant raspberry which causes me to yelp and my legs to flail. In one smooth move, he hefts me up and over his shoulder, smacking my butt. I return the favor of smacking his butt, then grab hold and squeeze. When presented with his delectable ass, my hands have a mind of their own.
Suddenly, I’m besieged with images as a memory pushes its way forward.
“Wait. Isn’t that the new bikini top you bought the other day?”
“How do you know?”
“Oh, princess, I think I need to show you what happens to naughty girlfriends who send sexy pics on their phone.”
Giggling, I ask, “What happens?”
“They get their cute little asses spanked.”
I’m suddenly hoisted up and over a shoulder.It’s not Ryder’s. It’s Jayson’s.
“What are you doing? Let me down right this second!” I exclaim, laughing and wiggling.
He kisses the side of my hip and smacks my butt before marching inside my house to kiss me breathless.
Chapter 19
Julien
“What’s been going on with you lately?” my twin asks me. We’re sitting on towels watching Elijah, Ryder, and Liz pass a frisbee between one another as they run along the small breakers of the shoreline.
Liz seems more relaxed. She’s smiling a lot and has been more talkative, even to Jay. She’s acting more like the old Liz and part of me is so happy to see it. Then there’s the other part of me that really likes the new version of Liz. The bold, strong, cusses-like-a-sailor, can-drink-me-under-the-table, version of her new self. The old Liz belonged to my brother. The new one, however…
“Been busy with practice. The team looks good this year.”
“That’s not what I’m fucking talking about and you know it,” Jayson replies.
