Between Us: Sex on the Beach by Jen McLaughlin Page A

juvenile criminal record either.
    And I needed to remember that before it was too late.
    “Yeah.” I pushed off her, not quite meeting her eyes. “I kind of figured that.”
    “Hey,” she said, sitting up and fixing her bikini bottoms. I did the same with my trunks, the cold wetness making me shiver. “You okay?”
    I looked at her. “Yeah. Of course.”
    “O…kay.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, peeking up at me. “You just got all stiff and withdrawn or something.”
    I shrugged. “Nah. But we should probably get out of here before we get caught.”
    “Yeah, probably.” She leaned in and rested her palm against my cheek, her thumb sliding down to my dimple. “Today was really special. Thank you.”
    I swallowed hard. The feelings rolling through me had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with the forbidden. I couldn’t want her. Couldn’t want more.
    But I also couldn’t pull away.
    She leaned closer, hesitating briefly with her lips hovering close to mine. Giving me a chance to reject her, I supposed. Maybe I should have, but I didn’t. Her eyes lit up, and then she kissed me tenderly. This kiss felt different. It wasn’t about arousal or sex.
    And I loved every second of it.

 
    T HANKS TO the fact that Rachel was spending the night at a friend’s house, Mackenzie and I had spent the last few hours talking and snuggling in the privacy of her hotel room. And now we were at a restaurant I’d never taken another girl to besides Rachel. I couldn’t help but notice I kept bringing Mac to my favorites. As if I was trying to show her a part of me I didn’t normally show girls.
    I tried to ignore this fact, too.
    “You come here a lot?” she asked, looking over her shoulder. “I love the décor. Very modern yet elegant.”
    I looked around, trying to see what she saw. Crystal chandeliers hung over all the tables, and candles flickered on each one. Soft music played in the background, and everyone spoke quietly amongst themselves. Everyone was chill and relaxed. No one rushed or hurried through their meals. That’s why I loved it here. In a life of hectic-ness and bar music, the understated peacefulness of this restaurant called to me.
    “Yeah. It’s nice.” I lifted a shoulder. “And tourists don’t come here, so it’s not overcrowded.”
    She nodded. “It’s perfect for a girl like me.”
    “Right.” I met her eyes. “No cameras.”
    “Exactly.”
    We fell silent, and she picked up her glass and gulped some wine down. I watched her, loving the way the candlelight flickered across her face. “Are you having fun down here in Florida? Doing all the things you wanted to do? Seeing it all?” I picked up my beer. “If there’s something else you’d like to do besides see me naked, maybe I could take you sightseeing.”
    She smiled at me, soft and sweet. “You’d do touristy stuff with me?”
    It sounded like pure hell, but I’d be with her—which was as close to heaven as I’d ever get. “Sure. Why not?”
    “Nothing. It’s just…” She entwined her ankle with mine underneath the table. “It’s just sweet is all.”
    I snorted. There she went using inappropriate words to describe me again. I almost pulled my ankle away from hers to protest her descriptors, but it felt too damn good. “I’m not fucking sweet.”
    “What’s the matter?” Her smile widened. “Does that not fit the bad boy image you try so hard to put out there?”
    She was teasing me. Actually fucking teasing me. Two can play at that game.
    “Oh, you can call me ‘sweet’ if it makes you happy. As a matter of fact…” I leaned in and motioned for her to do the same. She moved closer, and her lower lip was caught between her teeth, as if she was nervous or turned on—or both. “I’ll show you how sweet I can be when I bend you over the trunk of my car and fuck you until you scream. How’s that sound?”
    Her eyes flared. “It sounds perfect.” She released her lower lip, and I