“Nope, I’m all good.”
I back out of the hut before we begin to overcrowd it, just in time for Daisy to flash her flirtatious eyes at JJ.
We walk towards the seafront, listening to the waves crash against the shore. I close my eyes for a brief second and enjoy the sound. I’ve missed the calmness of the beach.
I glance down the coastline, there are plenty of other people who have the same idea. Brewing storms give the best waves and perfect weather to practice.
As we reach the ocean, they drop their boards, and I glance at JJ as he takes his T-shirt from the back of his neck and pulls it from his torso. I try not to let my eyeballs fall straight out of my skull at the sight of his rippling abs. I’ve seen thembefore, but I was slightly intoxicated then. Right now, it’s like I’m experiencing it for the first time.
Daisy is practically drooling at the sight of him.
I don’t blame her.
Finn slaps JJ’s shoulder, and they take their boards and head towards the sea. I perch on the buttery sand, and Daisy exhales a sound somewhere between a sigh and a moan.
I draw my legs up to my chest and watch as Finn attempts to show JJ how to surf. The sun gleams down on us, and the water reflects off the light as it glitters across the waves. It’s truly breathtaking. Something I’ll never get bored of admiring.
They both laugh as they fall from their boards, then try again immediately.
It warms my heart to see my brother like this. We’ve adored the beach since we were kids; it’s technically part of our souls.
It is us. It’s our home.
Daisy begins to take off her sundress, revealing her ruby red bikini underneath. I take one glance at her tan and toned body, and that reminds me, I won’t be taking my clothes off today—especially since my best friend is an absolute bombshell.
The boys’ laughter echoes over the breaking waves. Daisy steps closer. “Can I have a go?”
JJ nods. “Sure, take my board. Finn can show you. I need a second out.”
Daisy’s expression falls flat at his words. She flicks her dark hair over her shoulder and walks towards my brother with the board anyway.
I tried to convince her every summer when we were growing up to let me teach her how to surf, but she said it was never for her.
JJ grunts as he lands on the sand beside me, water droplets falling over his sculpted biceps. I glance away, pretending that I didn’t spend three seconds eye-fucking his strong tattooed arms.
Instead, I focus on Finn as he tries to keep Daisy up on the board; she screams when she falls in.
“I think having balance is the key,” JJ hums.
The corner of my lip twitches. “Not so easy, is it?”
He turns to me with a small smile. “Who got into surfing first, you or Finn?”
“Finn convinced me when we were kids,” I shrug before dropping my legs to stretch in front of me. “He was a great teacher, and we’d do it every weekend we could.”
“Why aren’t you out there showing Daisy how it’s done? You won a competition, Ivy.”
I chew on the inside of my lip as I push my blonde hair behind my ear, startled by the fact he remembers my silly competition. “I haven’t done it in a while,” I admit. “Been away from home for too long.”
Because something is holding me back.
For a split second, I stupidly glance back at JJ when he remains silent. He frowns at me, and I take in his handsome features before fixating on his silver nose ring.
“How come?”
I tear my eyes away.
His question runs around my head for a few moments, and I subconsciously pull up the material of my top. It’s already covering my chest, but I do it anyway. I might have taken my clothes off around JJ, but that was the liquid courage talking.
