“Just discovering that, are we?”
His voice held a flirty lilt that made me pause.
Since yesterday, it felt like he’d been doing that more often, blurring the line between playful and something deeper.
I ignored the warmth rising to my cheeks and rolled my eyes. “Will you come swimming with me?”
He sat up and dusted off the sand before standing. Without hesitation, he offered me his hand. I took it, letting him pull me up, the heat of his palm familiar.
“It’s been forever since I’ve swam in the ocean,” he said as we made our way toward the water, walking in step.
The beach had filled in while we’d been lounging—families spread out across towels, umbrellas dotting the sand, kids darting between beach toys and shallow waves. We weaved through it all until we reached the shoreline, and the cool water lapped at our ankles.
The sun reflected off the endless blue, dazzling and wide open, stretching all the way to the horizon.
“It’s kinda cold,” I said, wincing as I dipped my toes in.
Squatting down near the tide line, I noticed a small hole forming in the sand as the wave receded. Curious, I dug with my fingers, brushing against something hard beneath the surface.
“The rain the other day probably dropped the temp a bit,” Logan said. “Once you get in, it won’t be so bad.”
Easy for him to say. I was the world’s biggest baby when it came to cold water—my body could detect a single degree shift.
So naturally, I stalled.
“Ah-ha!” I grinned triumphantly, pulling out a tiny sand crab. I wiggled it in front of Logan’s face, watching his expression twist.
“Those things are so creepy,” he said, leaning in despite himself.
“What?” I gasped, cradling the little creature. “Look at its cute little legs!”
The crab’s legs kicked wildly in my palm, and I could practically feel its panic. Gently, I lowered it back into the sand, where it quickly burrowed away from sight.
“You and your love for animals,” Logan said with a half-laugh. “But you’re not using that as a distraction. We’re going in.”
Before I could protest, he bent down and tossed me over his shoulder like I weighed nothing.
“Logan!” I squeaked, kicking and squirming.
He just laughed, his arms strong and secure as he carried me straight into the surf.
“Hold tight, Ace!”
I thrashed a little more, but his grip didn’t loosen, and honestly? I didn’t really want it to. I always felt safe in Logan’s arms.
Eventually, I gave in, letting my limbs hang limp in defeat. He waded deeper, the water rising up his torso until it reached his waist.
Instead of tossing me in like I’d expected, he set me down gently, lowering me until my feet touched the sandy bottom. The water reached just above my ribs, cold and sharp as it lapped against my skin.
I gasped, jumping in place. “Oh my God! Why is it this cold?”
Logan sank down into the water so we were eye-level. The sunlight caught the droplets in his hair, the edge of his grin curling as his gaze locked with mine, fierce and unblinking.
“How are you not freezing?” I asked, shivering slightly.
“El, it’s not that cold. Take a deep breath… and relax.”
He placed his hands on my shoulders, grounding me.