Page 55 of Jesse and the Ice Princess
Charlotte slowed to a stop to watch them as she always did, their strength amazed her.
"They're beautiful." She said the words to herself, forgetting about her company.
Jesse wheezed beside her. "That awe on your face... that's how I felt watching you do your figure skating thing. I'd never seen anything that completely took my breath away. The things you can do..."
Charlotte looked up at him, wondering how she'd hated him so much before. There wasn't a single thing to hate about Jesse Carrigan. He met her gaze, something she didn't recognize swirling in the depths of his eyes.
"Jess!" An unfamiliar voice broke whatever bubble they'd been in as a beautiful girl ran toward them. Her wetsuit was only halfway up, revealing a tanned, bikini-clad torso.
"Bails." Jesse broke away from Charlotte to wrap the girl in a hug. He released her and ruffled her wet hair. "Charlie, this is Bailey Madison. My... friend."
Bailey laughed at that and turned a bright smile on Charlotte. "I was his flavor of the month last year." She shot Jesse a wink.
"You know it wasn't like that."
She raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Our wittle Jesse has trouble making up this thick mind of his." She reached out to pretend-slug him. "I'm just kidding. We weren't right for each other. I'm fun... and he's Jesse."
Charlotte laughed despite the knots tangling in her stomach. She didn't want to feel jealous or any kind of anger over the thought of Jesse with any girl. But Bailey only confirmed what Charlotte already knew. Even if Jesse liked her now, even if they were allowed to date, he'd move on quickly.
It was better to stay friends.
Bailey glanced over her shoulder. "I've got to get back out there before I lose the waves." She shot them one final grin before crashing through the water to where someone kept her gear from floating away.
"She seemed nice." Charlotte turned away from the water.
"Bailey? Yeah, she's the best."
"Then why aren't you still dating?"
He only shrugged in answer. It wasn't good enough, but maybe nothing he could have said would have been good enough.
"Let's keep running." She bent to stretch her calves.
"I have a better idea." He gripped the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head before kicking off his shoes.
"What are you doing?"
"Going for a swim." He took off toward the water.
"Jesse, it's January. Do you realize how cold the gulf is right now?" There was a reason surfers wore wetsuits in the winter.
He turned to her but kept walking backward. "Don't you ever just do what feels right, Charlie? Stop thinking so much all the time."
His face blanched when he hit the water, but he shook it off and kept moving until it reached his waist. He dove in, his back muscles straining as he cut through the water.
Charlotte bounced on her toes, waiting for him to surface. This was stupid. She shouldn't have agreed to spend time with Jesse, not when she had a competition to prepare for. Here he was cutting their run short.
She'd always been better off on her own.
But when Jesse broke the surface of the water, waves surging around him, his grin had Charlotte moving closer, wanting to feel his joy for herself.
He swam back to shore and crashed through the shallow water until he reached her. Without waiting for permission, he wrapped his arms around her and started running again.
Charlotte screamed as freezing cold water soaked into her. "Jesse, put me down!"
"Okay." He launched her in front of him.
She only had a second for a scream to leave her throat before her mouth flooded with seawater. Kicking to the top, she sputtered as her head broke free and her entire body shivered. "You're a dead man, Jesse Carrigan." Her voice shook. “T-this w-water is freaking cold.”
