Chapter 2: On The Coast

It was only ten in the morning when they pulled up at the beach house. Carlos stared moodily out the window of the limo to the car parked in the beach house to the left of theirs. He watched Kaia climb out of the back seat. She slung her backpack onto her shoulder and waited while her best friend, Jodie, climbed out of the back seat as well. The two of them couldn’t really be more different. Jodie’s red hair was long, down to the middle of her back, and she had a full, curvy figure. She was short, too, perhaps five-two.

Kaia was tall and slender. She probably could have been a model, except she didn’t starve herself. There was a very healthy look about her, and he found it compelling. Despite being tall, she had femininely wide hips. And she had great breasts, too, small but full and perky. And legs for days, Carlos thought, a smile curving the corners of his mouth. Kaia was also the sweetest person he’d ever met. She always had a smile for him, no matter what, and she was a very good listener.

“Come on, Carlos.”

He blinked, startled. His mother was outside the limo, waiting for him to get out. With a sigh, he dragged himself out of the nice, air-conditioned limo and into the stifling summer heat. It was a little bit cooler on the coast, but not by much, and Carlos hated the heat. On the upside, he thought, turning to gaze out over the beach, it doesn’t get much more romantic than this. Of course, he needed to get his libido under control, first.

Beyond where Kaia and her family were unloading the car, Parker and his family were climbing out of theirs. And Xadrian’s old rust bucket had just pulled up. Carlos bit his lip so he wouldn’t laugh aloud as he watched Xadrian trying to wedge his gigantic mother out of the front seat. What a loser, he thought, turning to follow his parents into the beach house. He had all summer to win over Kaia; right now, he wanted to be where it was cool and shady.

Xadrian shoved his hands into the pocket of his army shorts as he slunk out of the open screen door. He’d put on a black wifebeater and pulled his hair back in concession to the hot sun, but that was all. Parker had already gone—not that he cared—and he could see all of them down on the beach, setting up a volleyball net. Hmm, Xadrian thought, I could avoid them and have some peace and quiet, or go over there and at least see a couple of girls in bathing suits. He might find Kaia and her friend Jodie annoying, but that didn’t stop them from being physically attractive.

Xadrian’s gaze was drawn to Kaia. The bathing suit she wore was a halter-style top and shorts, in a flower print of dark blue, pale blue, and white. She has great legs, he thought, smiling to himself. Boring as hell to talk to, but great legs. And the sound of her laughter was so sweet. It drifted to him on the sea breeze. She was trying to hook the net onto the metal pole, but Parker kept creeping up and tickling her. Asshole, Xadrian thought, rolling his eyes. She’s only said a million times that she hates being tickled.

If nothing else, watching Kaia the Klutz attempt to play volleyball would prove for an interesting afternoon. Xadrian settled himself on one of the folding beach chairs nearby, taking the time to shove Parker’s sunglasses off the chair and into the sand. He folded his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, waiting for them to finish putting up the net. Least they won’t ask me to play, Xadrian thought.

“Aren’t you warm?”

Surprised, he opened his eyes. Kaia was standing over him, clutching the volleyball. He knew she didn’t like him, but she always smiled at him and it always seemed genuine. What’s gotten into me all of a sudden? Xadrian wondered, frowning. One bikini and Kaia the Boring becomes Kaia the Interesting? Maybe I need to get laid. He straightened and shrugged.

“Why should I be?” Xadrian grumbled.

“I guess you’re not,” Kaia said quietly. “Um ... you want to come play with us?”

Xadrian snorted. “Not if you’re only asking to be polite.”

“I’m not,” Kaia said, frowning now. “If you don’t want to play, you can just say so.”

She turned and walked away, leaving him feeling like a jerk. Kaia had always had that effect on him. He watched Parker and Carlos squabble over who would be on Kaia’s team, until she declared she’d team up with Jodie. Unfortunately, a guys-against-girls game didn’t make for an interesting match. Hilarious, though, Xadrian thought, watching Kaia try to hit the volleyball. She stumbled and fell, and the ball bounced away. He stifled his laughter behind his hand; no need to cause himself trouble, after all.