A Stone in the Sea(91)

Kallie seemed to warm right up to the guys, and she was busy filling Austin and Zee in on that bounty of information she had about butterflies after one flitted by. Without thought, she grabbed Zee’s hand. Jarred by her forwardness, Zee glanced back, clearly asking for guidance. Shea just smiled and he gave a shrug and let Kallie lead him down the walk, nodding away as she skipped along beside him.

So maybe Kallie being here wasn’t so weird after all.

Shea leaned that warm body into my side and peeked up at me. “This is perfect, Baz. Thank you for inviting us.”

Turning, I framed her face in my hands, whispered close to her mouth. “Don’t want you anywhere else, baby.”

Okay, so maybe there was one other place I wanted her.

In my bed.

Naked.

Under me.

I skimmed my mouth over hers. Once. Twice. By the third time hunger was pulsing through me, and I was wanting more. Just a brush and this girl lit me up.

“Oh, God, seriously, spare me. Don’t tell me we’re going to be subject to this mushy bullshit all the time?” Ash shot us both a mocking smirk.

I reached out and smacked him on the back of the head. “Watch your mouth, man.”

Asshole just laughed. “Kid isn’t even within earshot. You getting protective or somethin’?”

If protective meant willing to skin him alive, then yeah.

He hooked his arm around Shea’s neck. “Come on, darlin’. Your boy here woke my ass up at the crack of dawn to hang out on the beach, and we’re going to hang out on the beach.”

All of us traipsed down the boardwalk, our feet sinking into the warm, coarse sand. Shea unfurled a beach blanket, dumped out a bunch of sand toys for Kallie, and shed her skirt and tee.

Apparently the girl wanted to bring me right to my knees. I knew I was staring, my gaze devouring all that tanned, toned flesh. Really, her black bikini was on the modest side, but it immediately sent my thoughts straying right toward the obscene.

Lyrik patted me on the back of the head just as he clomped down off the steps behind me, voice dropped low and directed toward my ear. “You’re completely fucked, my friend.”

He scratched at his temple as he eyed me over his shoulder, mumbled, “Lucky bastard,” before he shot me a grin filled with a smug You’re welcome, before he tore off his shirt, tossed it aside, and ran toward and dove into the waves behind Ash.

Yes, lucky bastard was right.

I plopped down next to Shea on the blanket. Kallie dug in the sand in front of us, scooping mounds into a bucket before she dumped them right back out onto the ground, the child chattering nonstop as she played.

Both these girls just had something about them. Light. Sweet. Soft. It compelled and eased and soothed.

For hours, we messed around on the beach like we did it every day, tossing the ball around, chasing after Kallie, the guys wrestling in the crashing waves.

Even Austin hung tight, seeming to be just as enamored by these two as the rest of the guys.

Guess I took some kind of satisfaction in that, knowing they approved. Because I knew by bringing these changes into my life, I was bringing it into theirs, as well.

And they fit.

Waist-deep in water, clowning around with Lyrik and Ash, I looked over to where Shea was watching me. It was like with that one glance, she had me tied, tugging me toward her. Slowly I made my way up the bank and toward her. Coming to a stop in front of her, I stretched out my hand. “Let’s go for a walk.”

She squinted against the sun glinting in her eyes. “What about Kallie?”

Zee was half buried in the sand by Kallie, grinning like he’d just discovered how to do it.

I angled my head toward Zee. “Looks like Zee has her occupied.”

“More like she has me occupied,” Zee corrected, trying not to laugh and guard himself when Kallie started banging the little red plastic shovel a little lower than any guy would ever be comfortable with to pack down the sand.

“Are you sure you’re okay with us leaving her?” Shea asked, observing her daughter with all that affection.

“I have her. No worries. Go on.”

Shea let me pull her to stand, and I wove my fingers through hers, strolled along with her at my side. There was hardly a soul on the beach on this end. These houses were privately tucked away from the few resorts and hotels farther up the beach. We walked right at the water’s edge, Shea dipping in her toes, lifting her face to the sky, relishing the breeze.

When we finally got out of sight of the guys and Kallie, I stopped her, quick to turn her in my arms. “I’ve been dying to get you alone.” I let my nose wander down her neck, breathing her in. “Missed you so much,” I murmured, nibbling at the tender flesh of her earlobe.