“What a good idea.”
Beckett stripped out of his coat. Shit. That wind was cold.
“Hold this for me?” he said.
“Happily.”
Beckett handed his coat over, winked at Jack, and ran for Arden with a whoop.
Arden went rigid, let out a startled laugh, and darted away.
He was fast, yes. Beckett’s legs were longer, though, and he’d?—
Arden zigged left.
Any minute, Beckett would catch?—
Arden dummied right, continued left, and began to swing around in an arc towards Jack.
Fuck, he was fast when he had space to run.
“Come back here,” Beckett bellowed.
Arden turned to skip backwards a few steps. He shook his head, smiling. It was a little nervous, and he checked in on Jack’s expression, but he was game.
“I’ll catch you eventually,” Beckett called. “May as well give in now!”
“You’re not fast enough!” Arden shouted.
All unaware that Jack had dropped Beckett’s coat, shrugged off his own, and was coming up behind Arden.
“Come here and say that,” Beckett said, stopping.
Arden assessed the distance between them, then strode a bold few steps closer. “You’re not fast enough!”
“Hmm.” Beckett put his hands on his hips. “Maybe you’re right.”
Arden tossed his hair out of his eyes.
Beckett must have given it away, because Arden suddenly looked over his shoulder and caught sight of Jack.
“Oh no!” he gasped in delight, and that was all the distraction Beckett needed. He put on a burst of speed, snagged Arden around the waist, and snatched him clean off the ground.
“Got you,” he said in triumph.
Arden laughed down at Beckett. “Cheater!”
“Winner,” Beckett said, letting Arden slide down to the sand, arching over him.
“I can’t believe you teamed up against me,” Arden complained to Jack.
“Get used to it,” Jack said. Beckett turned Arden in his arms, putting his back to Beckett’s chest. Jack leaned down and dropped a kiss on Arden’s smiling mouth. He then lifted up, dropped a matching kiss on Beckett’s smiling mouth, and sauntered off.
Arden twisted to look up into Beckett’s face, eyes wide. “Oh,” he said.
That was a happyoh. That was an intriguedoh.
Beckett snatched him up again, strode down to the water’s edge, and nearly got his ears pierced when he threatened to toss Arden into the shallow surf.
