Finding Our Course (Finding our Way 3)

“Wear the blue bikini, and I’ll think about not embarrassing you.” She hangs up

Bryce walks up and opens the drapes, exposing the view of the ocean and shoreline.

“We going to the beach?” he questions.

“Looks like it.”

“Any chance you packed a one piece or full body suit?”

“No, it’s a nude beach.” I watch his face turn from tan to red to almost purple before I hunch over laughing. “Just kidding! “

“You’ll pay for that.”

“I look forward to it.”

The beach is already crowded when we walk down, but we’re able to get the last cabana. Bryce’s eyes grow wide when I remove my cover up, but he doesn’t say anything, just shakes his head. He and Dean decide to join in a game of beach volleyball, but before he leaves, he lifts me up and gives me a long, deep kiss. I lose myself in him and forget we are on a public beach.

“That should do until I get back.” He pecks my forehead and leaves me in a daze.

“Thank God! I’ve been dying to get you alone since he surprised you in the bar last night. Time to spill.” Quinn cocks one eyebrow at me, and I tell her everything.

“Jesus, less than three weeks ago, I left you in an airport on the way to a family Christmas. Now, you have a boyfriend who is planning a ‘long-term strategy’? How the hell does this happen. Not to mention, it’s the same guy you’ve been in love with since you were in middle school.”

“Not sure how it happened, but I’m not questioning it.”

“No, but what happens now?”

“We go back to school and finish the semester. Maybe I can go home, or have Bryce come to Virginia, for spring break.”

“Are you going to be okay with the distance?”

“I have no choice. If I want to be with him, that’s the trade-off.”

“What about after he and Nate graduate?”

“That’s where things get a little shady. They’ll both have to go to Officer Candidate School in Rhode Island for at least twelve weeks. After that, I don’t know.”

“I think it’s safe to say he’s into you, Devon, deep. OCS won’t change that. So can we discuss something serious?”

“Of course.” I look at her nervously.

“If this thing heads down the aisle, promise me you won’t make me wear a pink bridesmaid dress. Actually, no pastels at all.”

“Quinn! That’s your serious discussion? You’re insane. A little soon to talk about that. Besides, I’m only nineteen.”

“Yes, but you’ll be twenty soon. Your parents got married young.”

“Stop, we aren’t talking about this. At all. You’ll jinx it before it even has a chance to start.”

“Okay, but I reserve the right to bring it up again when I think things are that serious.”

“Fine!” I huff and roll over. Her chuckle irritates me, but I smile as I doze off.

Cold water dripping down my arm wakes me. The cabana bed dips, and I roll into a rock hard, wet body.

“Bryce! What are you doing?”

“Staking claim.” His arm slips under my waist, and he pulls me half on top of him.