“What if he doesn’t?”
“I’ve taken self-defense,” she says, her hand dropping to my shoulder for a squeeze. “I won’t let him catch me off guard ever again.”
“You did?”
Smiling, she says, “Why? Wanna find out if I can kick your ass?”
I take another step up, putting me level with her mouth. “Maybe I do.”
Her lips brush mine and then her car horn blares, causing her to laugh. “Rain check,” she says. “Want to do something with them this weekend? Maybe a movie or something? I feel like we could all use some fun.”
“Actually, I’ve been planning to go down to the beach and was wondering if you’d like to come? Livvie, Ben, and Cole are coming, too. Thought we could all make a day of it. Plus, it’s an excuse to see you all oiled up in a bikini.”
“Sure. What time?”
“We’ll be leaving about eight so we can get there before all the good spots are taken.” I back down the steps toward my truck. “Make sure it’s your skimpiest bathing suit.”
Her laughter follows me to my truck.
A cold shower is definitely the first and last thing on my list of priorities.
A couple days have passed and I’m already itching with the urge to see her again. I end up closing the gym so the contractor can come in during the weekend and give me an estimate for repairs and renovations before I list the place for sale. I’ll be sad to see it go because it’s one of the last things I still have of my father’s, but after what Sofie told me, I can barely stand to be there without it making my skin crawl.
A few sun soaked hours is exactly what we all need. I plan on making it the first fun weekend of many. So we can get to know each other again. So the kids can get used to seeing us together.
The ride to her house is a long one, mostly because I spend it thinking of her in a little suit diving into the water, then what her tan lines will look like framing my favorite parts.
They’re already waiting on the porch when I pull up and the reality of her dressed in nothing but the bathing suit and a skimpy little cover up dress that leaves little to the imagination is just as good as all of my fantasies. I make the prudent decision to drive the truck right up to the front of the house to let the boys climb in the back because getting out right then isn’t an option. Sofie lunges herself into the front seat, grinning at me when I curse at the sight of all of her skin up close.
I lean across the center console to kiss her when I can’t put it off anymore. She smells like coconut tanning lotion and sweet mint gum. The kiss lasts a little longer than I plan and I only pull away when I hear Donnie mutter, “Man, I almost liked it better when they were fighting. At least then they didn’t kiss so much,” in the back seat.
Leveling him with a look I say, “You just wait until you get your own woman, then you’ll understand.”
He makes a face at me and I kiss Sofie one more time before we pull out of the driveway and make our way to the beach.
“The sun feels so good,” Sofie says a few hours later. “I’m never leaving.”
“Best. Idea. Ever.” Livvie’s voice is muffled from laying face down on her arms.
Rafe and Donnie’s excited shouts come from the water, punctuated by the mad giggles from Cole, as they take turns jumping over waves. They both make sure to keep eagle eyes on the younger boy to make sure he doesn’t strain himself too much. Cole was born with a heart condition called Hypoplastic left heart syndrome where the left side of his heart was severely underdeveloped. As a result, we’ve all had to be extra careful to make sure he doesn’t strain himself too much.
“Thank you for this,” Sofie says, her voice slurred and relaxed.
I lean down and kiss her shoulder. “Anytime.”
Livvie lets out a strangled squeak behind me and I don’t even bother turning around. “I knew it,” she whispers to Ben.
“Shut up,” Sofie says without looking up.
“Please let the record state: I told you so.”
“Ben,” I say as I glance back at him reclining by my sister. “Please do me a favor and throw this woman in the water for me.”
“He wouldn’t dare,” Livvie says, but she looks up at him warily anyway. “Don’t you dare!”
Ben snags her by the waist and throws her over his shoulders as she shrieks his name so loud all the families on blankets swivel their heads our way. We hear her all the way down to the waterline until Ben wades in and tosses her into an oncoming wave, her voice cutting off mid-scream.
“What did you do that for?” Sofie asks.
She blinks up at me, her skin shiny with body oil, every single bared inch of it. She’s not especially tall, but I’ve never seen anyone who wears a suit quite like she does. All tanned skin and dangerous curves.
“Wanted to kiss you and not hear any lip about it,” I say. I recline on my own towel next to hers with a pair of sunglasses propped on my nose so I don’t have to feel weird about staring at her all day long.
A smile plays on her lips. “You sure are doing that a lot lately.”