Page 29 of All at Once

After breakfast, we meet Luca in the lobby. And of course he can’t help himself. “You’recoming?”

I roll my eyes at his tone. “Good morning to you too.”

“That’s not a disaster waiting to happen,” he mutters.

“What did you say?” But I heard exactly what he said. I’m just wondering if he has the guts to say it louder than he did.

Luca adjusts his posture, purposely faking excitement, “I said how great is it that you’re going to be surfing with us.”

“That’s what I thought,” I say, my eyes squinting at him.

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This is the earliest I’ve ever been to the beach. I can’t believe how many people are here. Everyone is so active. While I’m still struggling to keepmy eyes open.

Then suddenly I’ve never feltmoreawake—

Luca and Enrique are removing their shirts, and I’m trying to act like I’m distracted by anythingbutthem. Though I don’t think I’m doing a very good job at it.

Enrique’s defined torso gets my attention first. I have to remind myself to blink again as he stretches, revealing all the muscles in his back and leaving little to the imagination.

But when I glance away, I almost choke on air at Luca’s prominent v-lines. His toned abs and long legs distract me long enough until I’m drawn to how the veins near his forearms are flexing as he’s putting on his sunscreen.

For a second I forget how I’m daydreaming instead of changing out of my own clothes. I decided on my lime green string bikini for today, one of two swimsuits I brought with me and definitely the sturdier of the two. I’m guessing it’s not the most ideal choice for this activity, but in my defense, surfing was never on my itinerary for this vacation.

When I’m left in just my bikini, I feel so exposed. I’ve worn one in public a number of times. But this feelsdifferent.

I’m in front of a guy that I’m trying to impress along with his friend group. It doesn’t help that I find all of them attractive as well. It’s actually pretty unsettling wondering what they’re all thinking about me, especially since I’m the only girl here with them today.

Now I wonder if my swimsuit is actually a littletoorevealing when I feel Enrique give me a slow once-over. “Wow,” he says. “I don’t think I’ll be able to keep my focus now.”

I feel my heart jump, blushing at the most suggestive comment I’ve ever received. My eyes shift toward the shore, simply not knowing how to respond to said comment. Then my throatimmediately tightens when I catch Luca looking at me from my periphery.

Is he checking me out?It looks like it.

I glance over at Luca, but as soon as he sees me notice that I saw him, he looks away, taking in a breath as if that’s his way of brushing off that I saw him look. Suddenly, my confidence builds a little, knowing they werebothlooking at me.

“You ready?” Enrique asks me.

“Uh, I’ll join you guys in a second. I have to put on some sunscreen.”So I might be stalling…

“Okay, I’ll see you in a bit.” Enrique smiles, not questioning anything for even a second.

Before Luca has a chance to follow him into the ocean, I ask, “Are you going in now too?” I continue to stare at the giant abyss of water, my nerves escalating.

“I know it might sound shocking to you, but surfing is usuallyinthe water. Not on land,” he mocks.

I flip him off in my head. I’mterrifiedof the ocean.Why did I agree to this?

“I don’t know how to surf,” I confess, still focused on the water.

“And?” he says.

I explain, “And I may have told Enrique that I’ve gone once or twice, but left out how I kind of left the water before I really went in it.”

“And you’re telling me this and not him because?”

I sigh. “Do you mind helping me?”

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