L E O N I E

Mom rang last night, Friday night, as I was leaving to get her from the airport. She couldn't come home. Truthfully, I was fine. Like sure, it would have been great to hang out. But I was definitely not as upset as I pretended to be when I started sobbing down the phone and going on about how abandoned I felt.

I'd gone as far as to ask her if she even loved me. Did she even want a daughter now that she'd had a taste of freedom. When she broke down and started to wail, I burst out laughing.

She hung up and hadn't called again. So when my phone rang at eight on Saturday, I assumed it was her.

"Hello, orphan Leonie speaking," I mumbled, still half asleep.

"Orphan?" Jess's alarmed voice came down the line and I rolled over in bed, hot, wrapped in the sheets and sweating. "What happened to Meredith? Are you guys fighting again?"

"You can't be fighting if there's no talking," I palmed my eyes and tried not to feel that familiar dry burn of exhaustion. "Na it was just a bit of a joke. She'll get over it. What's with the wake up call? It's like eight."

"I know that you're busy with your mom today. But we're all about to go to the beach. So I thought I'd double check and ask if you wanna come?"

"I'm there," I sat up and flicked the comforter back. "Mom didn't come home for the weekend. So I'm bored as shit. Can I invite Heath?"

"Oh," she sounded surprised and I heard a muffled 'what' from Bray in the background. "Yeah that's fine. I didn't realise you guys were like, spending time together again?"

I hadn't caught her up to speed on last Sunday's movie day and Wednesday's pizza night. I was in a little bubble of denial and didn't need Jess telling me that I should get over myself and give Heath a chance.

I knew that I should. But that didn't make it any easier. It was still hard. Still full of risk as far as my brain was concerned. Whatever. So far hanging out as friends was going well. As long as my vagina didn't explode from all of the clitch spasms that were happening whenever he was near.

"Yeah we're friends," I mentioned, casually.

"Cool. Bring him along. We'll be near the apartment. So do you want a ride or are you just going to walk over?"

"I'll walk. Make sure that I can find you though. Text me where you are."

"Sure."

We hung up and I wandered into the bathroom and called Heath, putting the phone on speaker and dropping it onto the marble vanity as I stripped out of my clothes. His thick, tired voice answered after the fifth ring and it sent a surge of pleasure straight down my spine. What a voice.

"Good morning."

"Everything okay?" He murmured, sounding as if he was half asleep but on alert at the fact that I was calling him.

"Yeah. What are you doing?" I knew what he was doing. I just wanted to talk to him for as long as possible.

"I'm in bed," he sounded so damn sensual and I visualised his naked chest, his boxer briefs clinging to his muscular thighs. His sheet draped across his torso.

I looked at my naked self in the mirror and startled at the sight of my hardened nipples.

I cleared my throat and put both hands on the cold vanity before I put them somewhere else. "Come to the beach by my apartment," I said. "We're going to make a day of it."

"Who's that?"

"The crew. The usual," I explained and a traitorous hand moved to my chest on its own accord. I bit down on a finger before I could assault myself.

"Oh alright," he yawned and cleared his throat with a light cough. It didn't help. He still had a deep, gorgeous voice that would sound so good telling me what to do. "Can I bring Sarah?"

"Definitely," I felt like a cold bucket of water had been thrown on me at the mention of Sarah. Where the hell was my head lately? I was acting like an animal. "You should. I'll text you where we'll be but feel free to park your car in the apartment underground. I'll send the code. Beats trying to get a spot on the street."

"Thanks," he lightly laughed and it sounded like he was getting up. "Alright. Well I'll see you soon."

"Bye."

I dropped the phone and put my fingers to my temples. "Calm. The. Fuck. Down."

I had a shower, washed my hair and changed into a powder blue bikini. The cups were padded and pushed my boobs up and together. The briefs cut off rather high and exposed the under half of my ass. It was a daring piece of swim wear, but I loved how it looked on my body. Before I left the apartment, I slipped on a white cover up that was patterned and see through. I shoved a few things, a towel, sunglasses, water and my debit card into a beach bag, slipped my flip flops on and then I ventured out into the hot Miami heat.

"Na I have a better idea," Bray sat up on his towel, slipping his sunglasses onto his head. "Leonie, you rub the sunscreen onto Jess and I'll sit here and watch. Get it all over. Between the legs, boobs, butt. Be thorough."

Jess slapped his bare chest with the back of her hand and shoved the sunscreen at him. "You are such a perverted jock sometimes."

I appreciated that she was gaining more of a voice when it came to her new man. She wasn't as timid and his comment would have made her blush and squirm a month ago. She seemed to enjoy telling him what was up now.

He laughed and then in one swift movement, gripped her wrist, turned her onto her stomach and straddled her back before he gave her a slap on the ass. "Alright," he sighed and started undoing her bikini cord. "This is gonna get erotic. I'm warning you all now."

"Swim babe?" Amy suggested to Ethan. The two were under an umbrella beside Jess and Bray. Alex was above the five of us. Spread out on a towel with a rash top on. Poor pale kid. At least he had a nice slim but muscular figure underneath that rash top.

Ethan and Amy stood up and ventured off towards the water while Bray practically dry humped Jess's back and rubbed sunscreen all over her body. Particularly her cute little butt.

I shook my head with amusement and glanced around. The water was perfect today. Calm. The rich blue blanket of sky was mesmerising and the warmth from the sun sank into my skin, nourishing my soul with its vibrance. It was busy but it wasn't so packed that we were arm to arm with other beach goers. We had a decent space between us and the next group of people.

That was when I saw Heath and Sarah approaching us. Heath was wearing a dark blue pair of swim shorts. Sarah has a cover up on, similar to mine, a big sun hat over her wig and shades protecting her face. I stood up and waved them over, noticing Alex watching with peaked interest. I'd heard that he'd been asking the others about the depth of my relationship with Heath.

Alex would never behave territorial or possessive. But I did consider that it might be a good chance to show him that my interests lie elsewhere. That would mean getting some PDA on with Heath. And we weren't even doing that sort of thing in private.

"Hello," I smiled and didn't miss how Heath's gaze took in my bikini at a slow and sensual pace. It made my knees weak.

Sarah offered a distraction. "Heath said you live in that building," she pointed at a tall building across the road and down the strip a little. There were a lot of buildings but that one was larger than its neighbours. "I said that I don't believe him."

"Believe it," I nodded and rested my hands on my hips. "That's home sweet home."

Her lips parted and Heath glanced up from where he was spreading a towel with a smug grin on his face.
"I need a glass of water. Can I get one from your kitchen?"

She kept looking between me and the building with enthusiasm.

I laughed.

"Promise I'll take you for a tour later," I said and slipped a hand around her frail shoulder. Despite the fact that she was taller than me, she felt small. "Friends this is Heath's sister, Sarah. Sarah that's Bray, Jess and Alex. Amy and Ethan are in the water over . . . . there."

She briefly peered out at the water but there were hundreds of people swimming so she turned back to our group and waved.

Bray was still sitting on Jess's back even though I was certain that there was no sunscreen left to rub into her damn back. I shot him a glare and he sighed, sliding down next to Jess so that he was still half on top of her but it was a little less uncomfortable to look at.

Sarah spread her towel above Heath and I. She was up at our head end. Near Alex who was watching her with peaked interest. Hmmm.

"Bro," bray pointed at the chiller in the sand. "Beer?"

"Sure."

"Can I have one," Sarah smiled, stomach down on her towel. Heath just rolled his eyes at her innocent joke. There was no chance that she could be mixing her meds with alcohol.

Bray kicked up sand as he wandered over and handed a drink to Heath and then one to Alex. I declined which surprised the gorgeous hunk next to me.

"I'm on a cleanse. No alcohol," I explained. "Less alcohol means less drama."

Jess was watching me with her all too knowing stare and I made a point to ignore her. She had nothing to be concerned about. I was fine. I'd been fine. I was just ensuring that I remained fine and alcohol never helped when the emptiness started coming back.

"Your bikini is a nice colour," Heath gestured the neck of his bottle at me before he took a swig. He'd pushed his shades onto his face so I couldn't see his eyes but I could feel them on me nonetheless.

"Thanks," I nibbled on my lip while I concocted a terrible plan that I deserved to be slapped for. "Wanna sunscreen my back?"

His lip twitched as he stared out at the ocean. "That old one, huh?"

"Sunburn is not old Heath. It's very much still existing and universal. But I'll get someone else to do it if you're not up for getting your hands slick."

He tipped his head back. "Fuck me," he mumbled.

He was such a gentleman but I sort of loved it when he went all animalistic. I smiled with triumph and handed him the bottle, about to roll over onto my stomach when I saw Amy and Ethan walking back towards us with another couple in tow.

My blood ran cold. Because I knew the blonde girl was Amy's cousin. But I also knew the guy that she was holding hands with. Jett. The one that I went home with a few weeks ago. Heath and I exchanged a knowing look.

"I can't escape the damn drama," I mumbled and stood up. Heath asked where I was going but I ignore him as I stepped over towels and friends that were making out in the sand.

"Hey," Amy smiled as I sidled up beside her. "You remember Fleur?"

Jett had become awful still and awful rigid super damn fast. He stared at me, hands in his shorts pockets. He wasn't wearing a beanie today and I had to admit that he looked better with it on. It made sense now. His beanie was obviously some sort of horrible attempt to be a little less noticeable when he was out in the club picking up girls that weren't Fleur.

Had he not got the memo? Shit disguises only work for the Avengers.

"Yeah I remember," Fleur smiled. She'd always been sweet. Like her cousin, she was a vegan slash animal activist. But she wasn't bashing it around people's head either. Amy wasn't doing herself any favours with her attitude. "This is Jett. Jett, this is Leonie. She goes to school with Amy and Ethan."

Ethan had laid himself out on his towel, letting the sun soak up the beads of water on his smooth, dark skin.

"Amy, Fleur," I gave Jett a harsh scowl before I turned to the girls. "Can we talk for a minute. Over here."

I didn't give them a choice and dragged both of them a few feet from Jett who looked like he was weighing up his options. From the shifting around he was doing, I sensed that one of those options, was fleeing.

"What's going on?" Fleur asked, Amy nodded, folding her arms.

"How long have you and Jett been dating?" I practically spat his name. Fleur shifted and her gaze fluttered to her douchebag of a boyfriend before she settled on me again, nerves in her voice.

"Five months."

I sighed. Disappointed that the relationship wasn't brand new. "Jett was out at a club a few weeks ago. He and I went home together," her mouth fell open and Amy slapped a hand across her lips in shock. "I had no idea that he was in a relationship. In fact, I point blank asked him and he lied. You can do what you want with that information. Forgive him, stay with him, kill him. It's none of my business. But I had to honour girl code and let you know."

Fleur seemed to be stewing on it. She chewed on her lip, shaking her head. "No. Surely it wasn't him."

"Leonie wouldn't lie about something like this," Amy stepped in. She looked disappointed but I was glad that her head wasn't up her ass for once.

After another few tense moments, a war clearly being waged in her mind, Fleur spun around and fixed Jett with a harsh glare. His chest expanded with a defiant intake of air and his features hardened. It was clear that he'd been hoping his girlfriend wouldn't believe his one night stand over him.

"She's a liar," he snapped.

"She's not," Heath appeared beside me and his arm brushed mine. Even among the tension, his touch excited a reaction from me. "I turned up at Leonie's apartment the next morning. As he was leaving. He said that he didn't know she had a boyfriend. I'm not her boyfriend though. She's single."

A number of things struck me about his statement. The first being that he remembered with such definition, what had gone down that morning. The second, was the distinct sound of disappointment in his voice when he said that he wasn't my boyfriend. The third, was that I felt that disappointment over the fact that he wasn't my boyfriend.

Shit.

"We didn't fuck," Jett snapped and stepped to me with an aggressive approach. He wrapped his rough hands around my wrist, yanked me forward so that I was in front of Fleur and practically shook me. "Tell her that we didn't. Right fucking now!"

I was about to slap him so hard that his head spun. But before I could even raise a hand, Heath stepped between us, pulling me back at the waist and while he was eye to eye with Jett and no taller, he sure had the build. And the confidence. Jett knew it too.

"Don't touch her. Don't ever touch her."

The rest of the group must have picked up on the tension because Bray and Ethan were beside us now, subtly flanking Heath incase things went south. Not that Heath would have needed it. Males though. I appreciated the response.

"You are. . ." Fleur's nose wrinkled with disgust as she struggled for the word. "Such a pig. If the cheating wasn't enough, I would never be with a man who handles a woman like that. She's half your size!"

Jett scoffed and waved a dismissive hand. "I tugged on her arm. Don't be so fucking dramatic. I'm so damn sick of all your feminist bleeting."

She gave him a tight smile. It was full of sarcasm and loathing. "I'm so glad that this is over."

"Whatever," Jett turned around and stormed off.
We watched and Amy went straight to consoling her now single cousin. She seemed alright though. Had to admire her strength. She didn't know me all that well. It wasn't uncommon for girls to side with their man and not believe the 'homewrecker'. I gave her props for being intelligent.

"Damn Lee," Bray gave me a nudge in the arm. "Drama follows you or what?"

I scoffed but didn't deny it. Somehow, I was often at the centre of some sort of shit show. Kept things interesting but I definitely wasn't in favour of being with a taken man.

The group settled down again, Amy asked Fleur to hang around with us for the rest of the afternoon. So she did. Heath looked down at me and raked his fingers through his tousled hair. "You okay?"

"Of course," I smiled. We didn't move, we just stood there and the heat between us had nothing to do with the sun. In truth, I couldn't stop visualising the protector he'd turned into. I took care of myself but I didn't mind it all when he stepped in.

It was effortless. His dangerous glare, his broad shoulders.

He could go from this soft, adorable man, to a total daddy to a dangerous threat and it was the most natural transition in the world. He really was out here being the perfect combination and I was resisting him like he was fire that would burn me.

Of course, I knew that I was the one that would put out his flame. That's what I did. Hurt, ruined and drove away good people. Happiness wasn't in the cards for me. He deserved to be with someone that would keep him alight.

I broke eye contact, feeling as if I was about to come undone and glanced over our friends. They were lounging, snoozing, soaking up the sun. And then I saw Alex and Sarah deep in conversation. Her smile was bright, so was his. They were on their stomachs facing each other and I smiled, which caused Heath to seek out what I was admiring and I heard a groan of protest.

"What?" I stared at him.

He lifted his arm in their direction and pouted. It wasn't anger. More like desperation.

"He's a really good guy, Heath," I said. "You have nothing to be concerned about."

He continued to watch them. "He's a little old for her."

"We're all younger than you," I reminded him. "She's what, almost sixteen? He's just about to turn eighteen. That's a super normal age gap."

He rested his hands on his hips but didn't argue again. I didn't have siblings. So I couldn't claim to understand what it felt like to watch them start dating and what not. But I thought his concern was sweet. He was clearly attempting to tread the line between protective and understanding. The fact that she was sick couldn't have made it easier.

"This is nice for her," I nodded, watching as Alex pulled out his phone. The two of them put their heads together and giggled at something on the screen. "Trust me. I know Alex and he's a complete gentleman."

Heath didn't know about Alex's little crush on me. So I kept it quiet that I'd be having words with him later on. If Alex was just going to mess her around, there would be hell to pay. He was not going to toy with a sick girl's feelings. But there was no need to stress over it today.

We sat back down and lounged around in the sun for another hour or so. We talked. We subtly touched once in a while. The tension became so strong that I felt as if I was on fire. So I stood up and stretched out. "Who's up for a swim?"

"Yep," Jess stood up and gave Bray a slap on the chest. He startled and snorted. As if he'd been asleep. "Come swim with me."

He rubbed a hand over his face, knocking his glasses off. "Yep gimme a sec to wake up. Shit I'm dead."

Fleur and Amy were too busy talking to respond but Ethan looked relaxed as he shook his head. Alex declined and Sarah put a hand to her hair.

"Um. No I think I'll hang on the beach. Mom will be here soon."

"Oh," Alex looked disappointed. "You have to leave?"

"Mhmm. I have a meds schedule to stick to."

Heath gave her an encouraging smile.

"You can come hang with us whenever," I offered and she glowed with appreciation. My gaze moved to Heath who gripped the back of his T-shirt and pulled it over his head. My knees almost gave out.

Sex.

That was what his body was.

His shorts hung low on his hips. Muscle so defined that it looked like it could cut. Veins in his arms. V line trailing into his waist band. Pecs that you could bounce a quarter off. His skin was so warm and tan, slightly damp with perspiration. The sun shone on his sheen and glistened.

"Leonie?"

"Yum— yes?! What. Yeah?"

He raised a brow, a lazy grin on his mouth. I was remembering what it felt like to kiss him. I mean, I'd seen him shirtless when he took me to his place the night that I drank too much. But I do not remember him like this.

"Coming?"

I sure wanted to be.

"Yeah. I followed him and felt my stomach tighten at his back. Chiselled and moulded to perfection. Muscular backs could kill a girl. And this one was going to do it so damn slow and painful.

I shook my head and refused to lose it. This was getting out of hand. Fast. I ran toward, leapt onto his back and wrapped around. He stilled for a brief pause. But then his hands secured me under the thighs and I tingled all over.

"Thanks for the ride," I grinned, pretending as if I hadn't heard the double meaning. "Slow much."

My mind would not let up.

Without a word, he took off, running so damn fast that I actually thought he might trip and we'd both die. How did he run so fast? I squealed and held on as he splashed into the water and dropped, submerging us both.

"Dick!" I stood up, pushing my hair back with a spluttered laughter.

He grinned, standing as well and fuck me, he should have taken up modelling. I could make an entire twelve month calendar out of just this man and it would sell out, fast. His shorts had lowered even more, his body was wet, beads of water trailing his torso. He ran his hands through his wet hair and shook it out.

Help.

"There are kids around," he lowered himself and we both started floating a little further out. "Watch the language."

"Wow," I snorted. "Old man much."

"You're the one doing early childhood. You gotta get it together sooner or later."

"True," I rolled my eyes and followed him as he went backwards. "But dick. I mean, it's not that bad. Should we play the penis game?"

"You know, I love the fact that you've got no shame. But I do. Flawed, I know. But I happen to feel embarrassment."

"Ick," I feigned disgust. "I don't know if we can hang out anymore."

He laughed and so did I. Which wasn't the best idea because I was now on my tip toes, the water was coming up to my chin and each lap of wave went straight into my mouth. I almost choked. Heath was a fair bit taller than me so he was clear above the surface.

He noticed that I was struggling because he reached out under the water, held my wrist and pulled me into his large, hard frame. His hands spread out on my waist and he grinned.

"Shortie."

I glared and wrapped my legs around his waist, resting on his hips. I noticed the heat that went across his expression. "I'm average thank you very much."

"How tall are you?"

"Five three."

"You're pocket sized. I'm six one."

"You're just abnormally tall."

"I'm not that much taller than Bray and Alex," he defended and I had to focus on his words and not the fact that his fingers were pressed into my skin.

"They're abnormally tall too."

He rolled his eyes and I wiggled up, attempting to make myself taller than him. My nipples grazed against his chest as I shuffled higher and his hold tightened.

"Don't," his voice was thick and I looked at his eyes. They were settled on my mouth.

"Why not?"

"Because it's making me want to tear your bikini off."

My stomach turned over. Visualising him doing that was not helping. Heat was gathering in places that begged for attention and I stilled, wandering what I'd find if I dropped lower on his hips.

What was the reason that we shouldn't get involved again? I knew there was one. But as he watched my mouth and I clenched my legs tighter around his waist, I couldn't think of what it was. We both leaned in. One of his hands came up to cup my neck.

"Heath!"

We startled apart and looked to the shore where Sarah was waving, his mom beside her. There was no chance that we could pass this off for 'just friends'.

We were about to tongue and anyone who was watching would have known it. I was about to slide down from Heath but he gripped my thighs and held me in place.

"Wait until we get a bit further in," he said, voice still raw and expression almost tortured. "Don't want you drowning on me. 

Too late.

We went back into shore and said goodbye to Sarah. I made her promise that she'd be back to hang out with us all again soon. But had to promise Heath afterwards that I wouldn't sneak her into one of Jade's house parties. I couldn't even blame him for thinking that I would do that. Because I would.

Things returned to normal between us. The tension remained. It was always there. Always crackling. But at the same time, we were able to be ourselves. Jess tried to grill me over our almost kiss but I kept dodging her whenever she cornered me alone.

As it got darker, we decided to make the most of it and moved further down the beach to a more secluded spot. We set up a little fire and convinced Heath to buy another case of beer as long as we swore to behave ourselves so that he didn't end up being arrested for supply to minors.

We all sat around our little fire and talked, some of us drank. But I didn't. Neither did Heath since he had to drive home. Bray and Jess had decided to take my spare room for the night since it was just across the road.

Occasionally, just to keep things interesting, I'd look at one of my friends, especially when we were all together and give them a knowing look while I mouthed, 'you know'. Smiling and nodding at them as if they were in on a secret that didn't exist.

The fun part was watching their confusion while they tried to figure out what the hell they were missing.

So I looked across the fire pit at Bray, caught his eye and then I started smiling while I nodded. His gaze narrowed and he stared at me with confusion. 'You know' I mouthed. He instantly rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I know what you're doing," he said, taking a swig of his beer. "You pretend that we have a mutual secret and confuse the shit out of me because I can't remember it. Nope. Not this time."

"Fine," I laughed. "But you know, sometimes, there really is a secret. Sometimes you really do know what I'm telling you that you know. And when do you ever really know if you know what I'm telling you, is something you know. Or if I'm just making it up. Like sometimes you know and sometimes I let you think that you know. But there's nothing to know and that's how I know that you don't know. Only I know when there is something to know."

I had him. Bray had one brow arched as his gaze became distant and he tried to decipher what I'd just told him. The rest of the group were staring, total puzzlement on all of their faces.

"What the hell is going on?!" Ethan snapped, his head darting between Bray and I. "What did you just say?! What was that riddle?! What is English?! Because I don't understand!"

"You know what," Bray tipped the neck of his bottle at me. "I have no idea."

I shrugged with a smug grin.

"Leonie," Amy said. She was sitting between Fleur and Ethan to the right out of me. "Fleur knows Harlin."

I gave a bored stare.

"We used to do dance together," Fleur filled in, throwing her hair over her shoulder. Her glance went to Heath lightening fast. As it had been all night and I moved a little closer.

As if bitch. This was not a man for man trade. Just because I had yours. Doesn't mean you can have mine.

"She's such a miserable bitch," she added.

"Tell me something I don't know," I scoffed.

"Her parents are worse though. I have never met more controlling people in my life."

There couldn't have been a more dull conversation to have. So I looked at Jess. "Speaking of overbearing parents. Have you told yours about Braydon here?"

Jess shook her head, wincing. "No. Guess where she thinks I am right now?"

I shrugged and we all waited, wanting to hear what she said. "With Amy at an animal rights seminar. I'm spending the night so that we can draft up our social paper together."

"User," Amy scoffed, shoving a marshmallow into her mouth.

Bray gasped. "Marshmallow. Don't you have some dietary restriction against those?"

She flipped him off. "Marshmallow doesn't count."

"Tell that to your hips," he sniggered.

Ethan threw a stick at him. "Watch it, bro."

"Oh come on," he waved at Amy. "Look at her. She's a bean pole. Relax."

I steered the conversation back to Jess. "What about the fact that mom moved to London? Do they know about that?"

"Nope," Jess confessed.

Bray slung his arm over her shoulder, cradling a beer bottle that rested on her bare arm and made her flinch. "I dare you to call them right now and tell them that we're dating. Phone up and be like hey mom. So I'm just at the beach, drinking alcohol with my crew and I thought I'd let you know that I'm dating the school football captain. He's rocking my world and my bed—"

Jess slapped him on the arm but she couldn't hide her laughter. Bray did a terrific high pitch girlish voice.

"I can do one better," I leaned forward and grinned. "I dare you to call them and tell them that you did have a boyfriend but you broke up with him because he was a dickskin."

Bray's amusement fell and he recoiled as if he'd been slapped. "Woah woah. Let's not do that."

Everyone laughed as Bray back tracked and took his dare back. Heath and I were arm to arm on the same towel and it was so hard to ignore how close we were. How I felt a physical reaction to his skin on mine. Testing the waters, I rested my head on his shoulder and felt him still. But it was just a heartbeat before he relaxed and his arm went around me.

I loved this. I loved it more than I wanted to. I could feel Jess watching me. Despite my better judgement, I met her gaze and she smiled. She smiled with encouragement. Like she knew that I was scared but she wanted to me feel safe.

She wanted me to run with this feeling that was starting to consume me. She wanted me to put the pieces of my heart in someone else's hands and let him attempt to put them back together.