the most. You’re not going to solve this shit in one day Matt so just put it away. I pulled into the almost empty parking lot at the beach. The sun was barely out and there were just a few stragglers, older people it looked like. Probably had the same idea we did. Get there before the crowds and find a nice spot.
I helped lug the million and one things down to the sand and the boys and I set up the umbrella while the girls spread the blankets and sorted the coolers. It had been a while since we’d been to the beach I was beginning to look forward to a nice swim. Throwing my shirt to the blanket and hopping out of my shorts I challenged Josh and Drew to a swim in what I was sure would be cool water. “Come on ladies let’s brave the wild.” “You’re fucked in the head bro, I’m not getting in there until noon, that shit’s cold.” “What do you plan on doing until then Cinderella?” He wiggled his brows at me and looked over at his wife while Drew laughed his ass off. “Come on Matt, I’ll go with you. Your brother’s a wimp.” “Wimp my ass just because I have better things to do with my time.” “You could’ve stayed home for that shit bro, now let’s go I’ll race you.” That ought to do it; he can’t resist a challenge from big brother. He mumbled and cussed a blue streak but in the end he got down to his trunks and the three of us gave the man howl as we ran down to the water and dove in. It wasn’t long before we were splashing each other and trying to drown one another. Carrie came to the edge of the water and with hands on hips scolded us to stop picking on her husband since Andrew and I had teamed up on his ass. That’s what he gets for always talking shit. We stayed in for a while before climbing out; I had a towel over my face rubbing the salt water away when I got a soft thump on my shoulder. “Heads up bro.” I removed the towel and turned to Josh who nodded his head in the opposite direction. And there she was. Fuck I knew they were up to something. She walked towards us at a snail’s pace with her head down and I stood still with the towel clutched tight in my hand. Last night came flooding back in minute detail, the taste the smell the feel of her. I could kill my brother and his meddling wife. She wore some sort of wrap around number and I could see the straps of a swimsuit beneath, my body, already going from memory couldn’t take much more. My trunks were already straining as it is. Thank heavens for the towel but I can’t stand there like a statue for the rest of the damn morning. I gave Josh a good glare as the girls ran to meet her the rest of the way.
“What are you doing here?” Will there ever be a time when I’m not an asshole to this girl? “Matt.” That was Josh’s ‘get your head out your ass tone’. “Sorry.” I turned away under the pretense of drying my hair while trying to keep the bottom of the towel in strategic places. There was some chatter behind me as the girls talked her ear off and then I heard Josh’s softly spoken ‘oh shit’. I turned to see what the hell was his problem now and got blindsided. “Merciful fuck.” I dropped the towel and grabbed my discarded shirt and moved towards her before I could stop myself. She was…I can’t. “What the fuck?” She was fucking half naked, and that jewel in her navel had my head spinning with visions of my mouth on it, biting… I threw my shirt around her shoulders and pushed her arms through the sleeves. The others had gone from open mouth surprise to outright laughing at my ass. I gave a fuck. I looked around to make sure no one else had seen her like that. All this time she hadn’t said a word, not even to stop me from manhandling her. I grabbed her hand and threw a quick “we’ll be right back” over my shoulder before dragging her off down the beach. We’re gonna settle this shit once and for all. That question I had was now null and void. My head was