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“Derick’s just pissed because Jade playedhim. She’s smarter than him and he’s sulking.”

The girls laughed and Derick turned red.Tightening my hold on Jade I breathed in her calming scent andlistened as our friends talked.

*****

My phone rang at lunchtime and I jumped toanswer it. I was trying to give Jade a tiny bit of space so I waswaiting for her to call. “Hello.”

“Hi, I’m at West Creek beach? Do you want tocome join us? Cassie said she’d drop me home, but I said I wantedyou to pick me up so Cassie can join the fun.”

“Yep. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

“Thanks. Can you bring some extra towels whenyou come?”

“Sure.” I hung up, changed into board shorts,went and banged on Derick’s door before I typed the code in andentered. “I’m going to the beach. You coming?”

“When you leaving?”

“Now.” I left his room and went to the maincloset grabbing clean towels and a bag, shoving in everything Icould think of, including sunscreen and a small cooler. Going downto the kitchen I grabbed four bottles of water and put them in thecooler.

“Thanks for waiting for me.” Derick whackedme on the back. “What’s the rush?”

“No rush. I’m picking up Jade.”

“Ah, I’m surprised you lasted this long.”

“Ha, ha very funny. Come on. Move yourarse.”

We took my car to the beach. I’d had fun lastnight, all the guys had come around and we’d played card games,video games, and pool until the early hours of the morning. Iwasn’t too keen to go to bed anyway. I’d gotten used to having Jadeplastered over me.

“Have you slept?”

“What?” I glanced over at Derick beforegazing back at the road.

“You’re blinking lots and really focusing onthe road. You’re full of energy like you’ve drank a bunch of RedBull.”

Okay so I’d had…four, no five Red Bull’ssince three this morning. “I’m good. I couldn’t sleep.”

“Watching and seeing how you are, is helpingme to believe it’s a curse and not a gift as I first thought.”

“Fuck you.”

“No thanks. I think Jade does it enough toyou. Poor bugger.”

Slowing down, I drove down the beach lane.Going to the mass of cars, I parked and got out grabbing the bag.When I heard the passenger door shut I pressed the keyless lock andput the keys into the bag.

Walking down the wooden planks to the beach Isearched for the girls. The beach was dived into three groups:families, couples, and groups of singles. Jade and her friendsweren’t hard to miss when you knew what to look for. Going to them,my heart soared when I saw Jade look up and smile. Then she stoodand I took a deep calming breath to stop from going nuts at theskimpy bikini she wore. That was it, we were going shopping, sheneeded new swimwear or at least something that covered her breastsproperly.

Jade met me not far from their group. I wassurprised when she did something very un-Jade-like, she jumped onme wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck.“I missed you.” Her lips took mine and I tasted her. What the hell?She was drinking?

Cupping her arse, I went to the group anddropped the bag on the sand. Kissing her I let her have her way fora while before I eased away from her mouth. Jade buried her face inmy neck and I groaned as she sucked on my skin. Damn, this wastorture. “Little bit, how much have you had?”

Cassie giggled. “Your girlfriend is alightweight.”

I knew that from the last time she’d gottendrunk, but it didn’t answer my question. “Yep she is. How much didshe have?”

Renee looked into a cooler. “Six…no…er sevenvodka cruisers. She likes the raspberry ones. I like the passionfruit ones.”

Groaning, I looked at Cassie. “Who the helldrove here?”

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