Chapter 279

You, Gemma and Ollie ended up heading down to the water with Corey and Victoria, while Paul and Sabrina stayed up by the towels waiting for the results of the Great Pickup Bet. Sabrina and Paul had been in a couple of the same lectures last year just like you and she had, so they were able to trade some notes on which Profs they liked and some of the weirdos in the classes.

The water was almost as crowded as the beach because of the heat so the five of you didn’t have free reign or anything, but at the water’s edge you turned and surprised Gemma by picking her up in a cradle and carrying her into the ocean as she laughed.

“Don’t you dare drop me,” she said, wrapping her hands around the back of your neck. “I love the water, but I don’t want to get my hair wet today.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” you promised, then pretended to drop her. That made her whoop and then laugh. You set her down when she would be waist deep, and Gemma hugged you tightly. Her skin was warm from the sun and the water was cool without being cold, making a sensual moment between the two of you despite the crowds and shouting kids.

“I love the feel of wet sand under my feet,” she said, grinning up at you as she lowered her sunglasses over her eyes.

“Do you get to spend a lot of time at the beach back home?” you asked.

“Not nearly as much as I’d like,” she said. “I’m not a beach bum or anything.”

“I dunno,” you teased her. “This is a beach, and you have a very nice bum.”

“Ahem,” Ollie cleared her throat from almost right next to the two of you. “John, I’m happy for you and all, but come on. There are people around and you two are pretty much sucking face.”

“Sorry,” you laughed, letting go of Gemma except for a hand on the small of her back.

“Ollie was telling me stories about you,” Gemma grinned as she shifted slightly to more properly include your friend in the conversation.

“Uh oh,” you said.

“Uh oh is right, Buster,” Ollie laughed. “I know all the dark, embarrassing secrets.”

“Hey, I know secrets about you too, remember,” you pointed out.

“Yeah, but I’m not trying to impress my girlfriends,” Ollie said.

“Oh, I know some secrets too,” Gemma said with a sly little smile directed at you. “Ollie, do you know about Lucy?”

“Oh, God,” you groaned.

“No,” Ollie said with a big, happy smile as she hooked her arm in Gemma’s and started pulling her away from me. “No, I do not know about someone named Lucy. Please, do tell.”

Gemma shot you a glance over her shoulder with a teasing smile as they started wading through the water together, reaching back with her free hand for yours to join them. “Well, while I’m in the city for the summer I’m rooming with these three girls...”

By the time you went back to the towels Ollie had a whole new bundle of ammunition to use to tease you between your history with Lucy and the events with Joy. It was a good thing she was your friend, or else you’d be worried.

Well, you were still a little worried.

Corey and Victoria were still down enjoying the water, and when you got back Brent and Edgar had returned as well.