What have I done to piss off the turtle guy so much?
It’s starting to frustrate me, especially when my body reacts so strongly just being near him. There is none of that same chemistry with Gavin. He seems simple and attainable and therefore completely uninteresting, in the nicest way possible.
“Junie? You there?” Eva asks, apparently not for the first time.
I shake myself, mortified to be caught staring at Scuba Steve again. Why do I have it so bad for a guy who clearly isn’t interested? Is this some delayed reaction to the break up—lusting after a man I can’t have?
Gavin is looking at me with wide eyes as if waiting for my answer to something important.
“What’s up?” I ask, unable to hide that I haven’t been listening.
“The guys asked if we wanted to grab dinner after this.” I can tell she’s resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She pushes closer to me, leaning her head in so that Jake and Gavin can’t hear. “It’s completely up to you. I understand if you have other ideas.” Her gaze follows mine to Steven’s muscular back and the tight board shorts clinging to what is probably a fantastic ass.
My mouth waters just thinking about it.
Down girl, I chide myself. No more chasing emotionally unavailable men. The guys are young, sweet, and their arms are full of trash we’ve cleaned off the beach. If I want to bang one out of my system, Gavin is clearly more than willing.
“Yeah, dinner. Sounds great.” I paste a smile on my face, like it’s the best idea I’ve ever heard.
When Gavin throws his arm around me again, I don’t immediately pull away, using his body like an anchor to hold me in the moment. I push away the lusty daydreams of Steven throwing me down on the sand and taking me in front of everyone.
Get it together, Junie. You’re a newly single woman, not a horny teenager.
Eva shrieks, jarring me out of my fantasy.
She’d bent over to grab a plastic bag when a lizard the length of my hand scampered out from beneath it. He’s nearly the same color as the sand, with brown markings, and flicks his little tongue as he eyes us warily from a rock.
“Aww it’s just a tokeh,” Jake says, wrapping his arms around Eva. “There’s got to be hundreds of them around. They eat mosquitos and other bugs, they won’t hurt you.”
“I’m not scared, it just surprised me!” Eva hugs her body, displaying none of her usual zen.
“He is kind of cute.” I take a step closer, grabbing the trash Eva spotted while keeping one eye on the lizard. He blinks and scuttles under the rock.
“We hear them every night outside our hostel,” Gavin says. “They’re so loud.”
“Don’t worry girls, we’ll protect you.” As if they planned it, Jake throws Eva over his shoulder at the same time that I’m launched off my feet. Gavin carries me in his arms as the boys jog across the sand toward the huddle of sanctuary volunteers, making us squeal with laughter. Sand flies from my kicking feet and I’m simultaneously annoyed and amused.Somebodyfinds me attractive, at least.
Gavin spins me around so that I can deposit my trash into the bag. My red face and crazy hair are suddenly inches away from Steven’s massive biceps and his painfully neutral expression.
“Thanks,” I grin manically at him before being whisked away in a race back to the tiki bar.
“Ugh, I need a beer after that,” Jake groans, placing Eva back on her feet as Gavin plops me unceremoniously onto a lounge chair.
“Yes please,” Eva sighs, dropping beside me. The boys disappear into the crowd at the bar jostling for cocktails and Bintang. “Gavin seems nice,” she says with no preamble.
“He is nice,” I agree.
“But?”
“But nothing. I think he’s been to more countries than you have, which is saying something.”
“But he’s not one night stand material?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“It’s written all over your face.” Eva frowns. I follow her gaze to where Jake and Gavin have their elbows on the bar, preparing to arm wrestle.
“Okay, so he’s a little immature,” I say. “But that doesn’t matter. Maybe he’s amazing in bed. Oh shit.” I frown, realizing something. “But where would we do it? He’s sharing a room with like 20 other people.”
