Beach Season

Chapters 7

You just celebrated buying an engagement ring for Penelope, together with Matt and Aria.

Now I have to go home and act like nothing happened. Crap. I've never lied to Elijah before and I don't want to start now. But it's not lying, right? It's protecting a surprise. Yes! I am protecting the surprise. It's like saying nothing about a surprise party. You can't tell the person so you just tell little white lies. I can do that. God, I hope he doesn't ask any questions.

-*-

You're lost in thought, sitting on the edge of the deck, feet buried in the sand. You still can't believe you actually live here. On the beach. Right on the freaking beach.

You're wearing a flowy yellow off the shoulders summer dress. The wind plays with your skirt and it leads its own life. The warm yellow fabric dances around your legs and up in the air.

You get pulled out of your train of thought when you feel warm lips against your bare shoulder.

You smile.

"Mmm...careful, my husband is coming home any minute and he's very protective and very strong. He doesn't share."

You can feel him smiling against your skin. He sits down behind you wraps his arms around you and rests his chin on your shoulder. You sit between his legs and lean back.

"How was lunch?"

"Fun. It was nice. It's always fun with Matt." Please don't dig deeper. "How was the meeting with the accountant?"

"Like it always is. Long and boring. We still have a couple of hours till your parents and the kids come back. What do you wanna do?"

"Wanna catch a couple of waves and take a nice long shower after?"

"You've got yourself a date, Mrs. Burke."

You get changed, grab your surfboards from the garage and run towards the water.

"Wanna do another tandem?"

"Sure. We'll take your board."

"Remember Cabo?"

"How could I forget? You were upside down with one leg up in the air. My mind was fucking blown. I had no idea you could bend that way. I was so turned on."

You laugh hard.

"But to be fair, there isn't a lot that you do that doesn't turn me on."

"Aww, such a sweet talker. Not even when I'm cracking my knuckles and my neck? Oh and my back?"

"Oh god no!! I fucking hate that!!" He cringes and makes a very uncomfortable face. "That's probably the only thing you could do that wouldn't turn me on."

You laugh hard while cracking your knuckles extra hard.

"What about when I'm singing along with a song I don't know the words to and I get it all wrong but it makes me wanna sing even louder?"

"Even then. Watching you being all excited and free and screaming is hot."

You're lying on your surfboard while Elijah is swimming you both to that perfect spot. You're laughing and being silly.

"So everything?"

He leans in and gives you a kiss.

"Everything."

"Am I turning you on right now?"

"With the way you're looking at me? Yes. And you're wearing a bikini, so you could fall flat on your face and still look sexy as hell. We either go back so I can have my way with you or we stop talking about everything that turns me on and surf. I can't do both. I can't think straight."