xbeachx

Know what's great? Smoothies are great.

"Aren't these smoothies great, Chad?"

Chad is stretched out on the towel next to me, a GQ magazine thrown over his face so he can sleep. "Mm-hmm."

"The guy at the Tikki Hut was so cute, too."

"I'm the only guy you need."

"Mm, sure," I said, licking mango-strawberry slush off my teeth. Chad didn't answer. I set the smoothie aside and pulled my knees up to my chest. "Doesn't the breeze just feel so good? It's so salty and fresh and warm! I love the beach."

"I love the beach too. It's quiet."

"And the waves--"

"It's quiet."

I rolled my eyes. What a waste. What was the point of coming to Florida if he was just going to sleep through the surf, the sand, and the strawberry smoothies?

Ooh, and the sizzling hot lifeguards.

I lowered my sunglasses. "Hellooo, there."

Mr. McCutie wore a whistle around his neck and bright red board shorts to match. And speaking of boards, have you ever seen a washboard? Because his abs were like that. They glistened in the sun like a thousand diamonds.

"Did you say something?" asked Chad.

"Shh. I'm admiring a piece of art."

"Huh?" Chad tossed the magazine aside and followed my gaze. Mr. McCutie was doing warm-ups, probably about to take the next lifeguard shift. "He looks like a girl."

"He looks like a Greek god!"

"He looks like he used a curling iron on his hair."

I glared.

"What?" asked Chad.

"You're an ignorant jerk."

"Excuse me?"

"Shh!" I held up a finger. "Mr. Greek God is stretching now. Let us admire his chiseled calves."

"You're not serious."

"Shh!"

"You're serious!" Chad threw up his hands. "Excuse me, girlfriend, but I'm your boyfriend, so that sissy lifeguard is off limits."

"You can't control me. I'm a liberated woman."

"What?"

I raised an eyebrow haughtily and picked up my smoothie, eyes never leaving the lifeguard's face. Beside me, Chad sputtered and frantically looked up the word "liberated" on his iPhone. The lifeguard finished stretching and shimmied up to his lifeguard tower, hair waving in the wind.

I raised my pointer finger and drew a circle around him in the air, like a target. That way I'd always have my eye on him. His eyes scanned the water. There weren't any sharks and no one was drowning, but I was willing to fake it if he'd come to my rescue.

He glanced my way. I shaped my hands into a heart and flashed it at him, putting him in the center--and he flashed that supermodel smile right back at me. Oh yes, I was in business.

Until I noticed Chad's glare.

I took an innocent sip of smoothie. "What's the matter, Chaddie?"

"That guy's the matter. You're the matter."

"I'm just having fun."

He didn't answer.

I smiled. "Are you jealous?"

"No. But I told you, I'm the only guy you need."

"Mm-hmm," I said.

His face fell. He went from murderous and jealous to crushed and dejected in one fell swoop, and turned over on his side. "Whatever."

"Chaddie."

He didn't answer.

"Chaddie!"

He grunted.

"If you like me so much, how about you put down that ridiculous magazine and we can hit the waves? You know, something fun."

He sat up again, still not saying anything, but he looked a lot less grouchy.

I slipped my hand in his. "You know you're my only guy."

"You sure about that?"

"Positive. But you make me go crazy trying to get your attention." I put my other hand on his knee and leaned forward into a kiss. But when I pulled away, he looked disgusted. "What?"

"You taste like smoothie," he said.

I dragged him with me into the waves.

A/N: I have Twitter now. :) You can follow me at genuinelyjamie, just because. And to those that have left me reviews I haven't returned yet, I plan to get to them this afternoon, ASAP.