Read Online Back to the Beach (Hunt Family Book 4) by Brooke St. James - Free Book Online
Authors: Brooke St. James
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"Yeah, but it's still funny that they both said the same thing," Paige said.
Cody reached down and picked up his daughter, throwing her into the air and catching her as she plunged into the water in a fit of giggles.
This ended the conversation about meaningless coincidences, and gave Nico the chance to walk away without having to figure out what else to say.
Logan and Rachel were on the beach near the place where Nico went to pick up his towel, and he talked to them for a few minutes before heading to the house to take a shower.
He was on the sandy path halfway between the beach and the house when he looked up and saw Mia coming down the stairs with Charlotte and Cub right behind her. He thought the physical exertion had been enough to calm him down, but the sight of her had his heart racing again. He felt angry that he had been forbidden to pursue her, but quickly reminded himself that her brothers had been justified in their concern. He wasn't good enough for her, and he kept reminding himself of that fact as the space closed between them.
Chapter 8
I hadn't seen Nico all morning, and my heart skipped a beat when I realized he was the figure approaching from the distance as I was headed to the beach with Charlotte and Cub. I had the urge to make an excuse to turn back toward the house since I knew that's where Nico was headed, but I knew my intentions would be obvious, so I opted to stay on the path.
I could see from far off that he didn't have on a shirt, and I reminded myself not to stare (or even look for that matter) when we got closer.
"Where'd you go?" Charlotte called from behind me, obviously talking to Nico.
He held up a hand to his ear, indicating that he hadn't heard her over the sounds of the waves.
"Where'd you go?" she repeated once he got a little closer. "You were gone forever."
He smiled, and my heart melted. His face totally changed when he smiled, and the sight of it was irresistible. I glanced at the ground since looking at his shirtless body or his face were both out of the question at the moment.
"I went for a swim," he said once we were close enough to hear each other without yelling.
"We were about to send the coast guard out, you were gone so long," she said.
He let out a quiet laugh that made me look at him. I sort of expected that he would be looking at me when I made eye contact with him, but he wasn't. He was smiling right at Charlotte, who had come to stand next to me. His hair was wet, which made it appear even darker than it already was. It was basically black when it was wet. I couldn't help myself; I just stared at him.
He was smiling, but it was somewhat guarded. "I swam for a while, and then I got out and took a breather before heading back," he said, never taking his eyes off of Charlotte.
"You two are making me feel like a lazy bum," Cub said.
"Mia went for a run," Charlotte explained.
Even at the mention of my name, he still did not look at me.
"I've never been much of a runner," Nico said.
"Aww, bull," Charlotte said. "You and Logan have been racing each other since you were little kids." She laughed and looked at Cub and me. "You'd think they were still thirteen," she said. "They raced each other just last week; I saw them." She paused and reached out to fake a punch at Nico's shoulder even though she couldn't quite reach him from where she was standing. "I won't tell them who always wins because my brother will get mad at me."
Nico let out another little laugh that seemed like a gesture of courtesy. "He beat me the other day," he said.
She laughed. "You weren't happy about it, either. It's because he's preparing for a movie, and his trainer has him doing sprints."
Nico took the towel that was thrown over his shoulder and used it to dry his face and hair. "I'm heading up for a shower," he said. It was clear by the way he phrased it that those were his parting words.
My stomach dropped as I realized that the conversation was over, and he
"Yeah, but it's still funny that they both said the same thing," Paige said.
Cody reached down and picked up his daughter, throwing her into the air and catching her as she plunged into the water in a fit of giggles.
This ended the conversation about meaningless coincidences, and gave Nico the chance to walk away without having to figure out what else to say.
Logan and Rachel were on the beach near the place where Nico went to pick up his towel, and he talked to them for a few minutes before heading to the house to take a shower.
He was on the sandy path halfway between the beach and the house when he looked up and saw Mia coming down the stairs with Charlotte and Cub right behind her. He thought the physical exertion had been enough to calm him down, but the sight of her had his heart racing again. He felt angry that he had been forbidden to pursue her, but quickly reminded himself that her brothers had been justified in their concern. He wasn't good enough for her, and he kept reminding himself of that fact as the space closed between them.
Chapter 8
I hadn't seen Nico all morning, and my heart skipped a beat when I realized he was the figure approaching from the distance as I was headed to the beach with Charlotte and Cub. I had the urge to make an excuse to turn back toward the house since I knew that's where Nico was headed, but I knew my intentions would be obvious, so I opted to stay on the path.
I could see from far off that he didn't have on a shirt, and I reminded myself not to stare (or even look for that matter) when we got closer.
"Where'd you go?" Charlotte called from behind me, obviously talking to Nico.
He held up a hand to his ear, indicating that he hadn't heard her over the sounds of the waves.
"Where'd you go?" she repeated once he got a little closer. "You were gone forever."
He smiled, and my heart melted. His face totally changed when he smiled, and the sight of it was irresistible. I glanced at the ground since looking at his shirtless body or his face were both out of the question at the moment.
"I went for a swim," he said once we were close enough to hear each other without yelling.
"We were about to send the coast guard out, you were gone so long," she said.
He let out a quiet laugh that made me look at him. I sort of expected that he would be looking at me when I made eye contact with him, but he wasn't. He was smiling right at Charlotte, who had come to stand next to me. His hair was wet, which made it appear even darker than it already was. It was basically black when it was wet. I couldn't help myself; I just stared at him.
He was smiling, but it was somewhat guarded. "I swam for a while, and then I got out and took a breather before heading back," he said, never taking his eyes off of Charlotte.
"You two are making me feel like a lazy bum," Cub said.
"Mia went for a run," Charlotte explained.
Even at the mention of my name, he still did not look at me.
"I've never been much of a runner," Nico said.
"Aww, bull," Charlotte said. "You and Logan have been racing each other since you were little kids." She laughed and looked at Cub and me. "You'd think they were still thirteen," she said. "They raced each other just last week; I saw them." She paused and reached out to fake a punch at Nico's shoulder even though she couldn't quite reach him from where she was standing. "I won't tell them who always wins because my brother will get mad at me."
Nico let out another little laugh that seemed like a gesture of courtesy. "He beat me the other day," he said.
She laughed. "You weren't happy about it, either. It's because he's preparing for a movie, and his trainer has him doing sprints."
Nico took the towel that was thrown over his shoulder and used it to dry his face and hair. "I'm heading up for a shower," he said. It was clear by the way he phrased it that those were his parting words.
My stomach dropped as I realized that the conversation was over, and he
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