That Sexy Librarian and Me

21st

                                                                                                Sand in all 

                                                                          twenty one s  h  o  e  s

Athenia absolutely adored the brittleness of the sand under her feet as she walked on the sandy beach alone before breaking into a run.

"I love the beach!"

"Wow, she really loves the beach."

"She does," Maddie looked at him with thoughtful eyes. "How's everything going?'

"Everything's going fine."

"Hmm,"

"Will you stop that?" he told her as he locked the car and brought out the luggage. "I'm not going to act on it. You know that."

"I know. That's what bothers me."

"That I'm not going to let my feelings kill our friendship?" he rolled his eyes at her. "You're one fucking weird woman, you know that?"

"I'd like an award with that title."

"You would, wouldn't you?"

"Do you like the beach?" she asked him as they entered the beach house, the door all too flimsy the insides all too informal. It was as wonderful as always, smelt of fish and sand and salt.

"I didn't realize how much till just now," till I watched that roommate of mine run off to the water like she's lost her mind.

"Well, last one in the water buys dinner!"

And that's how they settled on the beach with the water just barely touching their feet a little after sunset, eating the hot dogs Remy bought from a nearby street vendor for Thanksgiving dinner.

"I'm thankful for the beach."

"Me for junk food."

"I'm..." thankful for what little I could salvage from the wreck that was my previous life. "Just thankful."

"All deep and mellow. I hate this Remy."

"As do I," Athenia added. "He almost sounds... grown up."

And that was how the water fight started.

"Remington," Athenia wailed as he came out of the shower.

"You haven't showered yet?"

"Do you know what it's like to have all the sand in the world in your hair?"

"I can't possibly. There's still some sand left out there."

"Stop acting so smart and come help me."

True to her word, Athenia's hair looked as if it was in tangles. Patiently, Remy sat on the couch and instructed her to turn around.

"Why?"

"So I can help, you idiot."

"Oh."

One strand at a time, he told himself. Just... think about how much sand there's in here. 

Something about the way she arched her back when he pulled on the ends of her hair made him shiver.

Don't.

Don't fucking...

"So, why do you like the beach so much?" he asked, trying to make small talk. Her hair wasn't perfect, but being so close to it allowed him to devour the scent of it, of her. 

"Before I came to California I'd never been to a beach."

"Really? That's fucked up."

"My parents never had time. In any case, I've had my fill of the beach. I have no complaints."

Remy pushed forward, closer to her back, so he could start at the roots now. Letting the sand fall into his lap was a bit of a habit. A forced one, since he started living with the clean freak.

Was it stupid that he liked that about her? 

Sometimes, between untangling and un-sanding, he'd touch her bare neck, or shoulders, or back. Well, almost bare back. With that flimsy top all of it was practically bare.

"There," he whispered, almost in her ears. "All done."

"Thanks," she stood shakily, her eyes hooded as she turned away. "I'll go bathe now."

All he could do was nod in return.