Laughing, I say, “What kind of leverage?”
“Let’s just get back to the hotel before we hear something we don’t want to,” Marley interrupts.
Presley’s cheeks flush slightly and Trevor adds, “Doesn’t that make you a cougar, Pres? Older woman with a younger man?”
I bust out laughing and briefly the thought of the scratches on my back flashes in my mind. “Does this mean you’re going to teach me a thing or two?”
Presley’s cheeks burn, causing me to laugh harder, and she hits my arms, stands, and then hits Trevor’s arm. “You two are worst than Marley. Let’s go before we change our mind and start shopping again.”
Trevor and I waste no time taking some of their things and heading to the car. But my mind is stuck on getting Presley alone. Unfortunately, for me, I’m pretty sure they want to go to the beach for a few hours before supper. Back at the hotel, I put all of Smarty’s bags in the corner while she changes. My eyes are more focused on one of the mirrors, which is reflecting her as she changes because she left the bathroom door open. She is such a tease without even knowing it. I try my best to ignore her as I change. I hear my phone buzzing with a text alert, and I see that it’s Trevor.
“Smarty, I’m going to run to the bar to have a drink with Trevor. I’ll meet you at the beach in fifteen minutes, okay?” This will help me from not throwing her on the bed and never leaving the hotel room.
“Okay,” she says from the bathroom.
I was going to put on a tank top, but what’s the point? Everyone can still see the scratches. I jog down the stairs to the hotel’s outside bar and see Trevor talking to a couple of guys. I walk up to him, and he hands me a beer that was waiting for me. The guys he is talking to are from Minnesota and Trevor had met them at a hockey camp several years ago. We all start talking about hockey and school, and before I know it, thirty minutes have passed.
“Hey, we need to go find the girls.” I motion to Trevor and tell the guys we would see them later.
“So, Carr, I see you were attacked by a cat?” Trevor has a gross look on his face, and I realize that he is talking about my back.
“Yeah, something like that.”
Trevor groans, and I can’t help but laugh. We walk down the sidewalk to the beach when I see my girl’s red hair on top of her head in a messy ponytail. I stop dead in my tracks and notice that there is a guy kneeling next to her blanket.
“Well, shit,” Trevor huffs. “Looks like we need to kill a couple of guys.” I look over at him, and he points and it’s then I notice a guy talking to Marley. “I told Marley that bikini was too small.”
“I told Smarty to get a one piece.”
“I see they decided not to take our advice.”
I’m trying my best not to go over there and pound the guy in the ground. “I say we grab them and throw them in the ocean.” I look over at him and smirk. “That’s a perfect idea, right?”
“If you throw Presley in the water, she’ll kill you, Carr. I’m not joking.”
“Can she swim?”
“Yeah, we’ve swam in our parents’ pool, but she doesn’t like ocean water.”
It is then I hear Presley giggle, and I have had enough. I motion for Trevor to follow me, and I head towards the girls. I have half a notion just to punch the guy and knock him out, but I remain calm.
“What’s going on here?” Trevor asks.
“One of these boys’ football almost hit us and they were just saying sorry,” Marley explains.
“Interesting.” I stare the guy down. I am much bigger than him, and I know there would be no problems here.
“Yeah, sorry about that again.” The guy motions for his friend and they both leave. I feel my heart rate go back to normal until I look down and see that Presley is in the skimpiest bikini ever created.
“Are you kidding me?” I grumble.
“Don’t start, Levi, and don’t act like some barbarian, either.” Presley stands up with her hands on her hips.
“Smarty, you’re not even covering anything up. Every guy on this beach can see everything.”
“Shut up, Levi. I’m wearing more than some of these girls.”
“Yeah, Levi,” Marley pipes in.