An hour later, we’ve all got tired of volleyball and head back to our towels. The girls follow us at a distance and settle down a few yards away from us. It makes me feel kinda uncomfortable – having my every move watched, but the three guys are used to it. They barely notice. Nick heads off for a swim and AJ disappears in search of ice cream.
I lie down on my towel with a sigh. “Man, I’m wiped.”
Brian chuckles. “You need a swim.”
“Nup, no way. I need to lie here.”
“Boring.”
“That’s me.”
He lies next to me for a while and then stands up, blocking my sun. “Well, I’m goin’ for a swim.”
“Ok, just get outta my sun.”
“Hey?” he laughs.
I grin at him cheekily. “You heard, honey.”
“Oh, is that right honey?” he shoots back with a grin. He leans down and takes my hands to pull me up. I don’t put up any resistance and he kisses me. “Sorry Jady.”
“What for?”
“This,” he picks me up and runs into the ocean.
“No! Put me down Brian!”
He pretends not to hear. “What was that?”
“You heard.”
“Ok, honey,” he drops me into the ocean. I surface, spluttering and he chuckles. “You DID say to put you down.”
I stand up. “I did,” I move to kiss him, but at the last moment I jump on him, pushing him underwater and then letting go. He comes up spluttering and I giggle. “Evens.”
“Evens,” he agrees as I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him.
He lifts me up so that my legs are wrapped around his waist and our kisses get deeper and deeper. Until Nick decides that it’d be funny to dunk us. He races over and pushes Brian hard. Brian stumbles and then we both fall into the ocean, coming up spluttering. Nick stands there giggling madly. Brian and I lock eyes and then he nods. We jump on a startled Nick, pushing him underwater. Nick comes up and grabs my leg as I try to swim away. He tries an evil cackle but it sounds more like a schoolboy on helium than a bad guy. Brian launches himself onto Nick’s back and the three of us wrestle in the water until I hear a yell from the beach. It’s AJ and he’s holding up my cell phone.
“Ali!” I yell, making a run for the beach.
“Ali!” Nick yells, following me.
“Jade!” Brian yells, following us. “Nick! AJ! Ali!” I guess he didn’t know what to yell so figured he’d try every name.
I reach AJ and grab the phone. “Hey Ali! You here?”
She giggles. “Yeah. What was all that yelling about?”
“Water fight.”
“Cool,” she laughs. “Ok, I’m out of my car now. I parked by AJ’s. Where do I go?”
“Stay there. I’ll come get you.”
“Ok,” she hangs up and I toss my phone back to AJ.
“I’m gonna go get Ali.” I start off down the beach and reach the parking lot a few minutes later. Ali is leaning against AJ’s car examining her nails. “Hey!”
She grins and joins me on the beach. We start walking. “Good time?”
“Yup,” I nod. “How was the shoot?”
“Excellent. The guys were just great. I think Josh hit on me.”
“You think?!”
She shrugs. “Well, he never came right out with it but I got the feeling.”
“Ah the feeling.” We both nod.
“How’s AJ?”
“He seems ok. We all played volleyball and then he went in search of ice cream. Then he answered your call.”
“Yeah, he sounded quite up.” She laughs as the three boys come into view. They’re surrounded by a group of three girls. “I guess that’s why.”
Before we reach our towels, Nick and Brian notice us. They both run over to us and pick us up in huge hugs, acting like we’d been away for days.
“Oh thank God,” Brian mutters in my ear. “Those girls were SERIOUSLY pissing me off.”
Nick kisses Ali. “You saved me.”
“Well, looks like y’all been having a good time,” I laugh, nodding my head toward the girls.
Brian frowns, and then perks up. “It’s all ok now that you girls are here. Come on, Jade. Let’s go swimming again.” She agrees and lets him lead her out into the water.
Nick turns to me. “So, how was the session?”
“It was lots of fun, the guys were really down to earth, and easy to work with.”
“Who were you shooting?”
“You know Dawson’s Creek, the show on the WB?” I ask, and he nods his head.
“My sister loves the blonde one.”
“Oh, James,” I laugh, reminiscing of him pouring water over Josh. “Yeah, well I did him and Joshua Jackson. It was a lot of fun.” Nick sort of frowns, and looks out into the ocean. “Oh come on,” I say, poking him in the ribs. “You know I would have rather been with you!”
He smiles and puts his arm around me. “Well, since you weren’t I’m gonna have to punish you.”
“Nick, I’m not in my bathing suit!” I whine, knowing he’s going to throw me into the water.
“Good, you don’t need one,” he says, pushing me down into the stand and climbing on top of me, holding himself up by his elbows. He leans down and kisses my neck and works his way up to my lips. He puts his hand under my shirt and moves off me, trying to slip it off.
“Nick! What do you think you are doing! We are kind of in public, you know!”
Nick blushes, and backs away. “I’m sorry, I guess I just got caught up in the moment. I’m really sorry.”
I smile, putting a hand on his face. “Well, if you don’t feel like waiting we can always go back to my house.”
He grins devilishly and pulls me up with both hands.
Over Brian’s shoulder I notice Ali and Nick running down the beach. I point them out to Brian and he chuckles.
“Somebody got impatient!”
I laugh. “Looks like it.” I look over at AJ on the beach, surrounded by girls. “Do you think AJ is ok?”
Brian doesn’t even look. “Sure he is.” He starts kissing my neck. “You know AJ.”
“Yeah… I think we should go join him.”
“Oh, why?!”
I pull away from him and start swimming back to shore. “You know why.” When I reach the beach I turn around, Brian is still out where I left him. I sigh and walk towards AJ. I just couldn’t win with those two. Whatever I did, I’d end up pissing one of them off. “Hey AJ. How’s it goin’?”
He smiles at me. “Just fine Jady.”
I sit next to him and endure several dagger stares from the girls. AJ’s signing pieces of paper for them. “I noticed Ali and Nick doin’ a disappearing act.”
“They did? Like a sex-driven one?” I nod. “Man, that boy better treat her good.”
“Oh he will. Ali’s not the type to get walked over.”
He grins. “I know. She’s got sass.”
“Hey you.” I look up at the girl who has spoken. She looks about 15 and has blonde hair, too much make-up on and a real low-cut bikini top. “You AJ’s girlfriend?”
I throw an amused look at AJ. “Well, I’m a girl and I’m his friend… So yup.”
AJ laughs. “I haven’t heard that since high school!”
The girl looks confused. “So, you guys are dating?”
I shake my head. “Nup, just friends.”
AJ pulls a face. “Unfortunately.”
“Hey AJ…” I slip an arm around him around him.
“It’s ok, Jady. I’m dealing.” He grins at me, “I’m movin’ on.” I smile back at him but don’t remove my arm.
Brian stomps out of the ocean and over to us. He grabs his towel and wraps it around his shoulders. The girls congregate around him for autographs. He plasters on a bright smile and obliges.
AJ gives a low whistle, “He’s pissed.”
I nod. “I think he’s feeling threatened.”
“By me?” I nod. “Figures.” He nudges me, “Go rescue him. I’m fine. Honestly.”
I look at him. “You sure?”
“Yeah. I’m kinda ready to go now anyway. I said I’d meet Howie at the mall later.”
“Ok,” I stand up with him and we both join the group around Brian.
Brian finishes signing the last autograph. “There ya go. Thanks.”
“I’m gonna go, Bri. Laters.”
Brian nods. “Sure AJ.”
“Bye Jade,” AJ gives me a quick hug and heads off to his car, closely followed by the girls.
I look at Brian. “You really gotta stop doing that.”
He looks at me innocently. “Doin’ what?”
“Getting’ all pissed when I spend time with AJ.”
He shrugs. “It’s kinda weird… I mean the guy has a major thing for you.”
“So?” I slip my arms around his waist and kiss him. “I have a major thing for YOU.”
He smiles and puts his arms around me. “Really?”
“Of course.”
“Only I got the impression that you weren’t interested when we first met.”
I grimace slightly. “The phone call, right?” He nods. “I wasn’t thinking straight Brian. I thought you might think I was easy or something.”
He looks at me seriously. “I have NEVER thought anything like that about you Jade.” I smile at him and rest my head against his chest. He kisses my hair. “I know I’ve only known you a few days, but I already don’t want to be without you.”
I smile up at him. “Let’s go.”
“Where? Your place?”
I pull a face. “Nick and Ali’ll be there.”
“Oh yeah… My place then.”
“Yours?”
“Yup. It’s about time you checked it out.”
I laugh and we grab our towels. We head to the parking lot and then stop short. “Oops.”
Brian giggles. “I forgot we came in AJ’s car.”
“Do you live far?”
“Miles,” he says with a laugh.
I pull out my cell phone and dial AJ’s number. Hopefully he wouldn’t have got far. After a few rings, he picks up.
“Yo.”
“Hey AJ. We’re kinda stranded at the beach.”
“You are?”
“Yeah, we came in your car.”
“Oh yeah,” he laughs. “I’m about five minutes away, I’ll do a u-turn.” I hear a screeching as he turns the car around violently. “Where you goin’?”
“Brian’s place.”
“Oh that’s cool. I’m pickin’ Howie up and he lives in that direction. Be there in two.”
He hangs up and pretty soon we see his black Expedition roar into the parking lot. We climb in gratefully. Brian’s in the back and I’m up front. AJ guns the car and we shoot onto the highway.
“Thanks AJ.”
He grins. “Anything for you guys. I kinda forgot you didn’t have wheels.”
Brian laughs. “So did we.”