Page 27 of A Very Un-Shakespeare Romance
What a girl had to do on a case…
“That was so cool!”
She glanced to the right. Reagan was running over, Robbie jogging behind her. Tim rushed after Cassidy, who was flailing her red sand shovel in the air with glee. Waving again at the girls, she turned and swam out, smiling. The girls were going to make this easy. So far, they’d kept their distance, something she imagined was due to Robbie. But today she was going to change that. She might even give Reagan a little surf lesson if the O’Connors approved. She was a certified swimming teacher, after all, something she’d enjoyed doing when she’d run children’s programs during summer vacations. Plus, the extra money had been nice.
Riding the board a few more times, she started putting on a show, punching up her hops onto the board as she rode a wave in. The girls were now cheering her every move, jumping up and down, the sandcastle long forgotten. Tim was grinning in that easy way of his.
Robbie was trying not to look intrigued as well as downright concerned. His arms were crossed over his shirtless chest. She should have known his protectiveness would come out with her on the water. Clearly, he didn’t like it. Attitude radiated from every hard, masculine line of his gorgeous body. Like he was pissed off she had forced him to pay her attention, worry about her even.
God, she loved her job sometimes.
She upped the wattage of her smiles and waves to the girls as she danced with her board and the ocean. On her final run, she did a backflip off the board before heading into shallow water, a trick she’d mastered when she was about Reagan’s age. Not from her mother, of course. A kind surfer had taken her under his wing when she’d showed an interest in surfing. He’d given her one of his old boards, and to her back then, he’d given her the sweetest gift of all: freedom.
When she surfaced, more cheering sounded. Feeling that rush of excitement in her veins she always got from watersports, she grabbed her surfboard and swam to shore. She noted the large jellyfish before it collided with her right leg, and she darted out of its path. When she looked up, Robbie had waded into the water with a massive frown.
“Do you have a cramp?” he called.
She shook her head. “Jellyfish.”
His jaw popping reached her ears. “Did you get stung?”
The edge of his voice was razor-sharp with concern. “No. I’m good.”
Had he planned on saving her?
When she reached the shallows, she kept her gaze on the water for any other stinging inhabitants. She sidestepped a trio of smaller jellyfish and broke from the water, the sand pulling under her feet. Robbie had a protective arm around Reagan, who had a tense, worried look on her little face.
“You okay?” he asked as she approached. His gaze ran over her, as if to ensure she hadn’t been stung. She kinda liked that. After the kind of abuse she’d been around as a child, she was a sucker for a guy who so obviously cared about other people’s well-being.
You are undercover, Lily.
“I’m great! The water feels terrific and being back on a board was heaven.”
He finally lifted his hand from Reagan, who rushed up to her with wide and excited eyes. “I’m glad you’re okay because that was so cool! You were like a ballet dancer on the water.”
“Thank you,” she said humbly, slicking the water from her ponytail. “I’ve been a water sprite since I was younger than you. There’s nothing better.”
“You looked like you were one with the ocean,” Tim commented as he walked over with a gurgling, drooling Cassidy. “Having tried surfing once, I know you made it seem easier than it really is.”
Cassidy thrust out her shovel, like she was inviting her to join their party. “Are you a water baby?” she asked with a grin.
“Cassidy likes to play in the water, but there’s a lot of jellyfish around,” her sister supplied. “Can I see your board?”
Robbie continued watching quietly as she smiled and looked over. “If your dad says it’s okay.”
For a moment, she saw the truth ripple across Reagan’s face, and then Robbie was putting his hand gently on the little girl’s shoulder. “It’s very nice of you to offer,” she said in a small voice.
“Sure thing. If you want, your dad or one of your uncles can help you paddle on it. Or I could.”
She turned around and beamed a smile at Robbie. “Can I?”
“Me too!” Cassidy cried out, waving her shovel wildly.
Tim glanced at his older brother, and there was enough silent communication in the look to speak volumes.
“Reagan, I’m a little worried about the jellyfish,” he told her, kneeling down in front of her. “It would really be bad if you got stung. Trust me. I know. It feels terrible. LikeI’d have to buy you a new Barbieterrible. Let’s see if the water is clearer tomorrow, and then we’ll reassess. Did you see how Miss Sunshine had to swim really fast to get out of the way of one? She’s a professional, and it almost got her. Okay?”
Reagan looked down, fingering Summer’s board. “You promise about tomorrow?”
