“Excellent. Let’s get moving.” The woman bearing the clipboard gave me a halfhearted smile and spread her arms for the group at large. “If you’ll follow me. It’s about a fifteen-minute walk up the beach.”
“We meet again,” Brad said as I neared.
I couldn’t contain a beaming smile, not at all playing it cool. “Hi. Are you stalking me? Because that is creepy. Just so we’re clear.”
He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m a stowaway.”
It was then I noticed two of Brad’s friends, the COO and Clive. “Oh. Is this a…business function?”
Brad glanced back before corralling me in front of him so I could follow the others. Teddy scowled at me, but let me pass before falling in. I wasn’t overly comfortable having him at my back, but a moment later I heard him address one of Brad’s friends, asking if he knew…some random person. Probably some business guy.
“It’s a schmooze cruise,” Brad said. “Lucas wants to get more information about your company and operations as a whole. I don’t think he was overly impressed with the presentation.”
I sighed and glanced back. My boss had fallen in with Teddy, one on either side of Lucas, the bearded friend. “I hope he doesn’t tell them that. They’ll blame it on me.”
“I gave him a heads-up,” Brad said softly. “I have the inside track, after all. You kicked sand on the right guy.”
“Do you work with him, or…”
“He’s a good friend of mine. Was before he got the job. Clive, too. He doesn’t work with Lucas, but he knows his way around business. He’s got a good ear for ferreting out bullshit. Excuse my language.”
“I’m deeply offended.”
“Please be careful up here,” the leader said, raising her voice to be heard. “The tide is high. We’ll have to walk through the water.”
“Ah crap.” I looked down at my Chucks with the socks peeking out. “I didn’t have time to find another pair of flip-flops. I didn’t think we’d be going through water.”
“I wondered why you were wearing sneakers. How’d you think we’d get on the catamaran?”
“Sneakers? What are you, eighty?”
“What do you call them?”
“Well, Converse are Chucks, obviously. Because that’s a thing, and I’m cool enough to know it. Normally, I’d call them runners.”
“Since when are you British?”
“Whatever, old man. Call them sneakers. See if you get any dates.” I bit my lip and stared out at the water. “It’s a catamaran?” The sun glistened on the cresting waves. “So…does that mean there won’t be dinner? Or food?”
Brad’s touch found my mid-back. Tingles spread across my skin, and memories from last night washed over me. The heat of his body. The softness of his lips.
Water charged toward a stone wall in front of us, washing over the sand. Above us people sat and ate, staring out at the ocean. There was no way around without getting wet.
“I think we get chips.” I could hear the laughter in his voice. “Does this mean there’s risk of you pitching over the side?”
“Probably,” I grumbled as I saw the water reaching for my Converse. “I should go barefoot. At least the beach is sandy.”
“As opposed to…?” Brad asked. He slowed with me, his hand still on my back. The people in front of us splashed through the shin-deep water.
“The beaches in Northern California are rocky,” I said. “They aren’t drool-worthy, I can tell you that.”
“Here, wait a minute.” Brad looked behind him.
“What’s up?” Lucas asked.
“Go ahead. She has to fix her shoes.” Brad waved everyone else on.
Teddy didn’t disappoint, giving me a scowl as he passed. He liked to dish one out every time he neared. I’d long ago started to look forward to them. It meant all was right in the universe.
Quickly, I stripped off my shoes and then stuffed my socks inside. When the others had disappeared around the corner, Brad turned to me. He looked down at my face, his eyes rooted to my mouth. “Ready?”
Holy shit, was he going to kiss me?
My insides felt like Pop Rocks that had been doused in soda. My breath sped up as he bent. My lips opened, wanting the contact.
His arms came around me. I closed my eyes.
And then squealed.
I was airborne!
I clutched his muscular shoulders as my legs swung into the air. My body hit his hard chest.
“What’s happening?” I asked, out of breath.
He cradled me in his arms, carrying me with no visible effort. He reached the corner and looked around it before walking forward. Water washed over his flip-flop-clad feet.
“We’ll keep your feet dry this time around. There’s another corner up there so your coworks won’t see you being carried.” He laughed, probably because of the “coworks” poke.
“Have you done this before?” I asked as heat infused my body. His broad back felt delicious under my palms. His smell, cologne mixed with spice, delighted my senses. Without meaning to, I leaned in, my face now close to his. Our lips nearing.