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“Nothing.” My head slowly tics side to side with disbelief. “You’re even more stunning than I realized.”
She rolls her eyes. “You don’t need to lay it on that thick.”
Catching her chin between my fingers, I turn her face, forcing her to look at me. “I’ve never been anything but honest with you, and I promise I always will be. Understand?”
“Yes,” she whispers. I release her chin only to grab hold of her hand and tug her along with me toward the water. “No. No. No,” she says, her voice growing louder and more panicked. But I don’t slow down, forcing her to keep running or risk face planting. I’ve always been the type of person to plunge right into the freezing water. Never mind any of this toe dipping shit. That only prolongs the inevitable and makes it more excruciating.
Our knees raise as we high step through the water. With every splash, she squeals, but I keep going until I finally drag her under, letting a sizable wave wash over the top of us. I come out of the water grinning while she breaks free, chanting, “Oh my God. Oh my God.”
“Wasn’t that refreshing?” I ask, dropping hold of her hand.
She wipes the water from her face. “If refreshing feels like taking an ice plunge in the winter.”
I chuckle. “It’s not that cold.”
“Tell that to my… parts.” She covers her chest with an arm.
I bark out a laugh. “Your parts? We’re adults here. I think you can say tits without offending me.”
She wrinkles her nose. “I’m not worried about offending you. Besides, is that even possible?”
“No, not unless you say something negative about my family.”
“That’s the line for you?”
“Yep.”
“I like that you’re so loyal to them. It’s sweet.”
“We should swim for a bit and get used to the water,” I suggest.
“Or we could get out and take a walk.”
“Let’s compromise. We can walk through thigh-high water, which is great exercise and we won’t get overheated.”
“Okay,” she agrees.
“Which way do you want to go?”
Turning her head from one side to the other, she points to the left. “That way.”
We start trudging through the surf, the water providing resistance with every step we take.
“Do you do this for exercise often?” she asks.
“I wouldn’t say often but I have a few times. And I’m always surprised by how much work it is.”
“Oh, good,” she pants. “Knowing a professional athlete thinks it’s hard work makes me feel better.”
“The best thing is it’s a fun way to work out,” I say.
“Yeah, that’s the kind of exercise I like. Distract me from the pain I’m in.”
“That’s what football does for me. It feels like I’m having too much fun at my job.”
“It’s obvious how much you love it. Anyone who watches you play can tell.”
“Really?”
