Page 6 of The Right Guy
“I’ll hardly drop you, Ada.” He effortlessly strutted down the path with our facesinches apart. “I’ll give your glasses back when I set you down.”
When we approached the pale sand, he tipped forward and lowered me down, holding my shoulders, so I didn’t topple over on the uneven surface. He’s very considerate, so I decided to tell him.
“You’re so good to me, Theo.” I beamed.
With a featherlight touch, he swiped a solitary strand of hair away from my lashes. The simple contact excited me, charging every muscle so they quivered. Electricity surged, setting off a chain reaction of delightful sparks. A soft giggle bubbled from my throat, and my gaze dropped to my sandals.
Why was I acting awkward around him? And why the heck was I shy? I mean, the deadly ocean was just in reach, and I had no notion of what the big guy had in mind. Regardless, my body had never reacted to him this way. Perhaps it was just the fear jitters.
Theo’s arm snaked my shoulder, and he shunted his hip into my side. “Come on, princess, let’s walk along the shore as the sun rises.”
I feigned a smile, still unsure if my pulse throbbed wildly because of the rolling ocean or becauseI was snuggledinto his firm physique like a girlfriend.
My back stiffened. A cool morning breeze danced with my curls, and the salty sea air filled my lungs. The ocean was dangerous, and we were getting too close. “Only a little closer, Theo.”
“If I got any closer to you, Ada, I’d be inside you.” My stomach flipped, and a sudden heat blazed across my cheeks.
“I… I mean to the water,” I muttered, gulping back the idea that my best friend had a dick. I hadn’t given it that much thought until right that second, and the realization hit me with a tingling buzz between my legs.
Hard and thick, long and satisfying? It wouldn’t matter what stats he packed down there because he’d know exactly what to do with it. Theo always knew what to do. I rolled my eyes and chased the image of him starkers out of my thoughts. How could I betray our friendship like that?
“We’ll walk to where the waves meet the sand. I’ll not take you any further. We won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
“Okay,” I squeaked. He couldn’t learn the crazy thoughts running through my head like an X-rated movie.
Then I realized the problem. His scent—a spicy, sensual essence that weakened my knees. A combination of leather, beard oil, and him. Whatever his natural aroma was, it was scrummy and delicious and wafting up my nostrils with a taunting allure. Or was it the strength of his protective arm holding me against the powerful beat of his heart? Either way, I was horny as hell and corrupted with sin. I’d never risk losing his friendship or joining the long list of women who ‘just weren’t right’ for him.
He led me to the lapping water. I concentrated on the blue waves teasing the shore with a crystal-clear caress, only to retreat, leaving it damp and cold. That’s exactly how I suffered in Ro’s company. His presence excited and stirred a warmth in my body, then he’d leave, and I’d be all damp and unsatisfied begging for him to return. Ro had my hormones on high alert. He was the reason for my twisted knots and wet knickers, not Theo. I wanted Ro to be my first boyfriend.
And there was the truth. I fancied Ro, and Theo was just my adorable BMF. Every girl should have a best male friend. I feel sorry for them if they don’t.
Theo jerked me toward to the darker sand. Waves washed over my toes. A rapid crescendo of dread weaved around my ribs so my lungs couldn’t expand.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’ve got you.” His hoarse voice whispered into my irrational mind and soothed the crazy thoughts with comfort and safety. “Will you ever tell me why you’re so scared of the water, Ada? I think we’ve been friends long enough. I feel cheated.”
Only my parents knew the reason. I didn’t talk about it because they wereguilt-ridden, and I relived the whole ordeal most nights. Why drag it into the open? I guess in the grand scheme ofthings,it wasn’t a big deal. I’m still here to tell the tale, even ifthe worry is rootedin my psyche.
The pad of his forefinger tipped my chin upward until our eyes met. Seagulls squawked overhead with a loud squall. The nagging tension in my muscles eased when I gazed into his aqua blue eyes and pressed closer into him. My bottom lip dented, thwarting the maddening impulse to taste peppermint laced with Theo.
Why was there an improper excitement throbbing in my panties? I should be drooling over Ro—the guy I’vebeen infatuated with since he strolled into my dorm room.
“You can tell me. I’d like to learn what makes Ada so special.” His voice burst through my filth confusion.
“Special?” I tittered.
“Yeah, special,” he repeated with a wink.
Now wasdefinitelya good time to bring it up, rather than overthink the unforeseen crush that was unsettling and peculiar.
I inhaled a courageous breath and began. “I was ten. My father accepted an invitation to spend a weekend on a yacht in Monte Carlo. Just some business thing.” I left out the fact that the boat belonged to a famous celeb who wanted a unique and priceless stone made into a pendant for his wife. We never spoke about how I funded university. If he had asked, I would’ve come clean, but for now, I was happy to pretend I was normal, just like him. He understood my parents were jewelry designers, but he didn't suspect they were the owners of Rarity.
A visible wrinkle burrowed in his forehead as he listened. I loved that about him. I could tell him anything and he always listened. “My father brought me along. It should have been fun. They had jet-skis and party food. However, once we boarded, the adults launched into a lengthy and uninteresting debate. I became brain drained by their dull chat. That’s when I noticed a pod of dolphins cutting through the dark water like razor blades. They were so free. The sun glittered on the open water, reflecting light like twinkling stars—it was magical. I climbed down onto a ledge, but being Ada The Clumsy, I lost my footing and toppled overboard. I smacked my head on the side of the yacht, splitting it open. Thankfully, when I hit the water, I was still conscious. I panicked when my blood blended with the surrounding water. In my mind, I’d become a snack for the Great Whites. It didn’t help that I‘d watched the old movie, Jaws, months before. The captain wasn’t aware I’d fallen overboard. No one came to my rescue even though I screamed. My only saving grace was the anchor—they lowered it so we could use the skis.
“I was frozen and flailing like shark bait. My father assured me I had only been in the ocean for a few minutes, but it felt like a lifetime to me. I’d snorted water between screams and struggled to inhale.” I expanded my lungs slowly, deeply, purposefully. “Like seriously, none of us truly realize what’s down there, under the surface.” I paused, tapping my lip. “Do you know there are more parts of the ocean undiscovered than on land?”
His arms surrounded me, and the warmth of his lips pressed to my forehead. All the worry and tension dwindled from my body, flowing freely into his.
“I’m glad the sharks were picky.” Theo patted me on the head and broke away. “I’m sure you would have been the tastiest snack they’d ever had.”
