Summer Sizzle (Accidental Kisses #2) Read online

  “It’s cool. I’m over it.” He looked down at me then. For a second, his gaze looked pained before his smile was back in place. “Besides, we’re here to talk about you.”

  His hand slipped from my shoulder. Disappointment niggled through my belly but then he reached down with both hands and pretended to pick something up. His large hands were maybe six inches apart and brought them up slowly, until they were just over his head, as though he was pantomiming putting on a crown.

  “Welcome to Madame Cosima’s realm of secrets,” he spoke in a Romanian accent. “If you come with me I can tell you what your future holds.”

  “So it wasn’t a crown you were putting on your head?” I giggled a little as he snorted his disapproval.

  “Are you making fun of my turban?” He still had the accent. “Be careful, you don’t want an unfortunate accident to befall you.”

  I gave a tsk and shoved him. “Are you threatening me as we’re about to walk on a deserted beach?” But the truth was, his antics were making me feel better. He was always goofing around and it put me at ease. I loved that about him.

  “Perhaps just a palm reading then.” We reached the end of the wooded path that led from the cabins to the beach. A million stars sparkled above in a breathtaking display as Alex took my hand in both of his.

  For just a moment, I pretended this was something else. That Alex was holding my hand in the moonlight because he liked me and wanted to touch me.

  He seemed to pause, both of his large hands holding my smaller one. He turned toward me and I had this feeling, like there was some connection between us. I looked up into his eyes and he stared down at me with an intensity I had never seen before.

  My breath caught and I found myself leaning closer to him. “Uh,” he said in his regular voice and then he pulled his head back away from mine.

  “What is it?” I asked trying to talk normally but sounding rather breathy.

  Flipping my hand over, his fingers trailed along my palm. “I can see by the lines on your palm,” he’d gone back to his Romanian accent, “that love is in your near future.”

  I didn’t mean to, but my cheeks heated. I’m not sure why but holding hands with him on a starlit beach while discussing love was more than I could handle without embarrassment. “I’ll keep that in mind, Madame Cosima.” I pulled my hand away from his.

  He gave a little chuckle, low and deep. “You didn’t like Madame Cosima’s prediction?”

  “It was fine,” I kicked at the sand a little, my gaze looking out onto the black water.

  “Good, good,” he said in the fortune teller voice. “That will be twenty dollars please.”

  I couldn’t help it. I laughed and my embarrassment seemed to evaporate. “Darn, Madame Cosima. I left all my money in my other bathing suit.” I pretended to pat at the pockets of my jean shorts. “Now, what does Alex Gorski want to do now that we’re on the beach?”

  Alex slung his arm around me again as we started walking toward the water. The warmth of his skin was seeping through my thin T-shirt, making me deliciously warm, despite the cooling air. “Since you’re in a bathing suit, what do you say we go out in the water?”

  I shook my head my nerves jangling again. “I’m not actually in a bathing suit. I was about to go to bed.”

  I felt his shoulder lift since I was tucked under his arm. “We can still go. It will be fun.”

  I choked on the spit in my mouth. Was he suggesting what I think he was suggesting? I had never even kissed a guy there was no way I was skinny-dipping. Not even with Alex.

  Chapter Two

  Alex

  I heard Millie make a choking sound and I scrunched my brow in confusion but I honestly didn’t get why my suggestion to go kayaking was strange. We were at the beach.

  “Alex, I don’t think swimming is a good idea.”

  I laughed, understanding the no-suit comment. And then I wasn’t laughing because I had a sudden image of Millie in her bikini the other day. Which had been hot. Not the beach…Millie.

  I’d always liked Millie. We’d been friends last year for sure. She was sweet and fun, an amazing listener, and she always laughed at my jokes when others rolled their eyes. But this year, she’d grown up, in a big way. She wasn’t just cute, she was gorgeous. I found myself thinking about her more and more often. “I didn’t mean swimming. I meant kayaking.”

  Oh,” she gave a little laugh. “Are you sure that’s safe?”

  “It will be fine,” I puffed out my chest a little. Admittedly, I was letting the testosterone do the talking but I couldn’t seem to help myself. I had this beautiful girl tucked under my arm, leaning into me. I had to confess, I had a thing for redheads. And Millie’s auburn color, with her vulnerable green eyes, hit me where it hurt. She had the most stunning shell-pink lips I’d ever seen and don’t get me started on her creamy skin and killer body. “I’ll be with you, we’ll take the double kayak.” I slid my hand from her shoulder to the small of her back as I headed toward the rack of boats. As my palm pressed into the natural curve everything in me tightened.

  “I don’t know,” Millie looked at me, worry creasing her brow. I had the crazy urge to wipe her worry away with the stroke of my thumb.

  I gave her my signature grin, instead. It had been called the “Alex grin” in high school. I know, super original. I think a lot of people thought that I just didn’t know what I was doing with that smile but I did. When I used that toothy smirk, I frequently got my way. “We’ll stick close to the shore. It’ll be fun.”

  She stopped and stared for a moment before she gave me a hesitant nod. My grin was working. “If you think’s its safe…”

  “It will be fine,” I showed more teeth. It did occur to me that maybe we should just walk. That perhaps Millie was hesitating because she had a bunch more sense than me. Most people did. Somehow, though, I wanted to show her a fun time. Different and exciting. She’d had a problem and she’d called me. If I could distract her than I’d be a good friend at least.

  I often wondered if I was good at much else. I wasn’t in a band, I didn’t excel at a ton of sports. My grades were only all right. I was one of the few second-year counselors who was still on craft duty. Most everyone else had specialized. And, worst of all, I had epically failed at being a boyfriend. But I wouldn’t fail Millie tonight. I’d distract her from her worries.

  I heard her give a little sigh. “Okay, if you think it’s safe, I’ll do it.”

  I gave my free fist a little pump. “Nice.” We reached the rack and I unthread my arm from her waist. The lack of heat under my hand made me want to reach for her again, but that would be weird. Instead, I grabbed one of the kayaks off the rack and started carrying it down to the water. I actually loved boating on the ocean. It felt endless and vast. I was this small thing surrounded by greatness.

  Millie trotted next to me and I gave her a wink as I tossed the kayak in the sand at the water’s edge. She quirked her eyebrow at me as her hands rested lightly on her hips. Millie was so quiet with everyone else, I loved that I got to see this sassy side of her. “Um, doesn’t the kayak go in the water?”

  I imitated her pose. “Someone was worried about safety so I thought I would make sure she was super safe.”

  She leaned over the kayak and gave my shoulder a shove. “Very funny,” she said but I saw her press her lips together to keep from smiling.

  “Just kidding.” I gave her best impression of a gallant bow, putting one arm in front of my stomach and the other behind my back. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.” Then I reached out my hand across the kayak and helped her climb in. “If you sit in the front, I’ll push us into the water so not even a drop of water touches your delicate skin.”

  She gave me a regal nod and pretended to fluff her nonexistent skirts as she sat. It made my heart beat faster to watch. I had this memory of Tiffani. Every time I’d gotten a little silly, she’d made her ick face, like I was the most annoying person on the planet. I’d hated that. What was worse, for a while, I’d tried to change. Be more serious and stoic. But honestly, it just wasn’t me.

  “I’m ready, my lord,” she smoothed her jean shorts and crossed her legs in the front of the boat placing her hands primly in her lap.

  Giving her a wink, I moved to the back of the kayak and pushed it in the water. Once it was afloat, I carefully climbed in. My legs settled on either side of her so my bare legs were pressing to her hips and outer thighs. I sucked in my breath, trying to ignore the feelings she was stirring up. I didn’t want to date. I was no good at it.

  I was here to be her friend. I started paddling and it forced her to lean into my body so I could reach around her. I wasn’t complaining. “What shall we go see?”

  “I don’t care,” she said over her shoulder. The sight of her profile nearly undid me.

  Here’s the thing, she was gorgeous. Millie was knocking me out. Her red hair blew softly behind her in the breeze, tickling my chest and neck. Her eyes sparkled in the starlight and her smile was soft and sweet. It made me ache.

  “I just like looking at the stars.” Her smile widened as she looked back at me again. “This was a good idea. Thanks, Alex.”

  “Sure thing,” I said. And then immediately wondered why I was such an idiot. I couldn’t come up with anything better than that? I had Aphrodite on the ocean and all I could say was sure thing.

  Though, I couldn’t think of anything better to say, either. Instead, I paddled. I stuck close to the shore but I started heading for the east side of the cove. The camp was tucked in a National Sea Shore reserve, which meant developers couldn’t touch it but just on the other side of us was a huge boardwalk that half the state vacationed at for the summer. We ended up with a lot of random people walking through the camp’s beach, even though it was private, which was a security nightmare for the counselors.

  “We’re headed for the boardwalk?” she asked as she turned back to me again. “Do you think it’s open?”

  ‘We’ll turn around before that.” It wasn’t that I wanted to take Millie there. But if I stayed to the east, we’d be sheltered from waves and she would be free to just enjoy the view.

  For about ten minutes we paddled on like this. I could see the lights of the boardwalk up ahead and started making a wide circle to turn. I didn’t want to interrupt Millie’s stargazing.

  Just as I’d turned starboard, I heard the rumble of an engine, by the sound it was likely a speedboat, coming near us at full speed.

  I craned my neck looking everywhere but the other boat didn’t have on a light. Which sucked, because I didn’t have one either. This was bad. Not only could the boat hit us, but depending on the direction, a wave could tip the kayak.

  Not know what else to do, I turned toward the shore.

  The boat was coming up quick, its engine open to full throttle. “Millie, hang on,” I called over the noise.

  Her hands, having nothing else to grab, clutched my legs. I wanted to grab her up and protect her but instead, I paddled toward the shore as fast as I could. The boat screamed by us, so close I felt the breeze. I relaxed for one second, glad it hadn’t rammed us, before the wave hit the boat. The angle sent the kayak, up and then it toppled over the wave.

  “Alex,” I heard Millie scream a second before it dumped us into the cold, black ocean.

  The thing about dark water is that it can be disorienting. It’s hard to know which way is up and down without light guiding you. As I dunked under, I felt my feet hit the sand, and I shot myself up toward the surface. I bumped into a warm body and without thinking, I grabbed and pulled.

  As my head broke the surface, I gasped in a breath, and heard Millie do the same. Swiping the water from my eyes, I pulled her close to me. We were kicking in the water but as her body came up against mine, I immediately started swimming us both to shore. Her arms thread around my neck and I pulled her tighter. I’d gotten her into this, and I’d get her out.

  I would not be distracted by the feel of her body pressed against mine or the sound of her breath against my ear. As another wave rolled over us, the kayak came with it. I grabbed onto it and after a few more kicks, I could touch the bottom. “We got this,” I didn’t mean to, but I brushed my lips against her temple. “Are you all right?”

  I felt, rather than saw, her nod. “I’m okay. Are you?” And that was Millie. Concerned about me. She should have yelled at me. I had gotten her into this. Practically dragged her out on the kayak. But as I hauled her up on the shore, she clung tighter to me.

  “I’m fine,” I said. I collapsed onto the sand, the kayak on one side, Millie on the other. “Please tell me what a jerk I am so that I can stop saying it to myself.”

  “It’s not your fault he was driving a million miles an hour at night in the pitch dark.” She was still pressed against me but she lifted her head as she spoke so she was looking in my eyes. “Thanks for grabbing me in the water and pulling me out. I totally froze…I…” she stopped but not before I heard the tears.

  “It’s my fault, Millie.” My voice rose in anger. “I shouldn’t have brought you out there.” I never got angry. Ever. But Millie should have given me the what for and I was angry on her behalf. No one should put her in danger. Especially not me.

  Even in this light, I could see the tears shimmering in her eyes. She didn’t say another word as she picked herself up and stumbled away.

  Great, I managed to yell at the one person who should be angry at me. Not only had I messed this whole night up, I’d probably lost someone whom I actually cared about. Unlike most of the people I was constantly surrounded by. I considered chasing after Millie, but I needed to find the paddle and get the boat back to the rack. Besides, what did I say? Please still be my friend? Somehow, I didn’t think that would fly. But where did that leave me and Millie?

  Chapter Three

  Millie

  I ran back to my cabin. I was scared, I guess. Mostly of what had just happened but also, honestly, the tension that seemed to be building between me and Alex, which I didn’t understand at all. I had watched Tiffani publicly humiliate Alex when she had broken up with him.

  She’d screamed at him in front of everyone that he was a complete clown who’d never amount to anything. He hadn’t said a word back. Not a word. In fact, I had never heard him raise his voice to anyone. Ever.

  So why me? But I knew the answer. I was so timid and weak, I’d finally driven him insane.

  I know that sounds crazy but he honestly wouldn’t be the first person to take his angst out on me because I didn’t fight back. He wasn’t even the second or the third. I thought back to Kyle last year. He’d been crying over another girl and I’d been comforting him.

  As I thought back the similarities were so strong it made me shiver. I was soaking wet. But Kyle had asked this other girl, Amber, to prom. When she’d said no, he came to me to pour his heart out. We were standing in front of my locker between classes. As I’d hugged him, I’d said something so stupid. I can’t remember the exact words, it was such a blur, but it went something like, I’ll go with you. We can be dateless together like a non-date date.

  He’d pulled back and looked at me, blinking. Then his lip had curled a little and he’d responded in front of like twenty people that I wasn’t his type. But he hadn’t stopped there. He’d gone on to say that I was too mousy, too artsy. He liked girls with a little spice.

  I’d heard people laugh and I’d completely frozen. I hadn’t even asked him, not really. I’d said a non-date. And I knew I wasn’t his type. He liked leggy blondes who were uber popular. I knew that. But did he have to humiliate me in front of everyone?

  I finally reached my cabin, stripping off my soaked clothes and slipping into my pajamas before crawling into bed. I should shower but I was suddenly exhausted. I knew better than to mess with the Alexes of the world. Guys like that might flirt. They might even ask a girl out, but when it came down to it, they were always going to be too cool for a girl like me.

  My alarm went off way too early the next morning and I groaned as I hit the snooze button. I did not want to face the day. I hadn’t gotten nearly enough sleep and I had to face Alex at work all day today. We were running Monday crafts together.

  In fact, our schedules put as together all the time. It had been fun, but that had changed. Today was going to be awful.

  Finally getting up, I dragged myself to the shower and stood under the spray for a really long time. Not being able to delay leaving any longer, I tossed on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt as I headed to the cafeteria for breakfast. I’d considered skipping, knowing Alex would be there, but I needed fuel.

  As I made my way up the path, I realized I had dallied longer than I should have and I was in danger of missing breakfast altogether. I picked up speed as I made my way into the cafeteria, thinking I had to make a mad dash for the line.

  As soon as I entered, I caught sight of Alex at a table alone. How strange. I tried to duck my head. I didn’t want to see him and I didn’t want him to see me. “Millie,” he called. Darn.

  I tucked my head lower and tried to say something unintelligible that would keep him guessing. But it didn’t work and in a second he was in front of me.

  “Hey,” he said, blocking my path.

  “Hey,” I didn’t look up at him. I was too much of a coward. “I gotta get breakfast.”

  “I already did.” He waved toward his seat. “Get breakfast for you. Coffee even, I bet you’re tired.”

  My mouth hung open as I looked up at him. I didn’t drink coffee every day but I needed a cup now. “You didn’t have to do that—” I started.

  He put up his hands in a show of surrender. “Cream, two sugars?”

  “Yeah,” I didn’t know what else to say as he laced his fingers with mine and led me to the table. In fact, all my favorites were on the tray. A Danish, scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon along with a glass of orange juice. I sat down, and knowing I only had ten minutes, dug into the food. I gulped several bites before I looked up at him. “Thanks for this. How did you know which foods to get? These are all my favorites.”