Chapter 4
Lissa's laughter floated on the sea breeze, then cut off abruptly as an incoming wave crashed over her head. She came up sputtering to be greeted by Alex's laughter as his arms wrapped around her. The laughter died as their eyes met and held. He leaned forward to kiss her, giving her the chance to turn away if she chose. Her eyes drifted shut.A wave crashed over them. Lissa's feet slipped out from under her, and she went down, dragging Alex with her. Her groping hand found the sandy sea bottom, then she was unceremoniously being hauled up by the front of her bikini top. Just as she cleared the surface and was dragging in a lungful of air, first one then both straps to her top popped. She immediately dropped neck deep in the water, one hand rushing to hold her top up as Alex let go.
Alex asked with a grin, "Have a problem?"
Her answering smile was wry. "I think I'd better go fix this."
"Wait," he said, his hand on her arm stopping her flight.
Lissa turned to face him, and froze.
In his hand he was holding out to her a shell unlike anything she'd found on this beach so far. The back was mottled and dark, covered with sea moss. He turned it over, and the underside took her breath away. It gleamed. Pearlescent hues every color of the rainbow shimmered. Lissa raised her gaze to his, and found him smiling. "It's beautiful," she said softly, taking the shell from him.
"As beautiful as you," he answered just as softly, running the back of one hand down her cheek.
She cleared her throat, and took a step back as another wave crested around them. "I'd better go fix this," she said, motioning to her top and taking another step.
His smile was gentle. "I'll wait for you at the blanket," he said as she turned and fled back to the beach house.
In the bathroom, trembling fingers wrestled the wet bikini straps back into place. Lissa caught her reflection in the mirror, and paused. Her hair was a wreck, all wet and tangled. She could see the beginnings of sunburn where the straps had originally been, despite the sunblock she'd used.
Lissa jumped when there was a knock on the door followed by Alex asking, "You okay in there?"
"Fine," she croaked out, her heart suddenly racing in her ears. "I thought you were going to wait at the blanket"
"I was," he admitted, "then I thought you might need some help."
"Oh, I need help alright," Lissa muttered, busily straightening her straps, and wondering why she was hiding in the bathroom. She was hiding, she admitted to herself. She was avoiding going out there where Alex would look at her in this bikini that she would never have worn before, and she would be struggling to keep her eyes on his face and not on his...
"You sure you're okay?" he asked again.
"Fine," she answered quickly, reining in her wild thoughts. Staring at her reflection, she murmured, "Calm, Lissa, just be calm." In a louder voice, she called, "be right out."
He didn't answer, but she could hear him moving away from the door. With one last look in the mirror, and one last deep breath, Lissa turned then opened the door.
She found him in the living room, sprawled on the couch with a towel wrapped around his waist. He smiled at her as she came into the room. "I see you've made yourself comfortable," she said, moving to join him on the couch.
His next words froze her halfway to her seat, "I left my suit on the porch to dry." He smiled as she dropped onto the couch. "I hope you don't mind."
"Mind?" she asked, fighting to keep the hysteria out of her voice. This was unreal, she thought. "Why would I mind?" I'm only losing my mind, she thought, struggling to keep her eyes off of the towel wrapped around him. Beneath that towel, he was...
She jumped off of the couch. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked, all but running to the kitchen.
"Water's fine," he answered.
She paused as she reached for the bottled water. That was laughter in his voice, she was sure of it. She shrugged. So what if he knew he'd unsettled her. She shook her head, and snatched a bottle of water for herself. This time when she entered the living room, she tossed the bottle to him, and sat in the chair across from him.
Alex deftly caught the bottle, then grinned at her as he opened it. "Won't you sit by me?" he asked.
Said the spider to the fly, she thought. She shook her head, and took a sip of her water. She watched him warily as he chuckled then took a drink of his water. Her mouth went dry as he swallowed. Her nipples hardened into tight peaks as she watched his tongue lick away any last bit of moisture from his lips. He smiled again, and she shut her eyes. She could hear the subtle creak of the couch springs, and knew he was coming over to her. She swallowed hard, her fingers clenched tightly around the bottle to keep them from trembling. She wasn't ready for this. It was too soon, and he was too sexy. Oh, God, she thought with a groan, how can I fight this?
Lissa jumped when his hands lightly grasped her shoulders and started kneading gently. "You're too tense," Alex said, and she was sure of the laughter in his voice this time.
"Alex," she began, but was cut off when the phone rang. In a flash, she was up and out of the chair. Alex's laughter followed her across the room as she answered the phone, "hello?"
He watched the blood drain from her face as she listened then woodenly hung up the phone. Her lower lip trembled and her lashed misted with tears. "What is it?" he asked, quickly coming to her side. "What happened?"
"Kat," she whispered. "There was an accident." She blinked, then looked down at herself. "I have to get dressed," she decided, then turned, heading for her bedroom.
"Accident?" he asked, following.
"Yes," she answered, shutting the door in his face as he made to follow her.
He quickly found his own clothes and dressed. He met her at her bedroom door. "What happened?" he asked again.
She impatiently shoved him away, and headed for the door. "Kat's in the hospital, and I have to go to her."
Alex plucked the keys out of her hand. "I'll drive," he said, holding the front door open for her.
Lissa stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Okay, you drive...but hurry." She slammed the door shut behind her.