Page 156 of Finding Olivia (Trace + Olivia 1)

“That’s the plan,” Trace chuckled.

I raced back inside and to the door. “Hurry up, slow poke!”

Trace chased me down the hall and into the elevator. When he caught up to me, he wrapped his arms around my waist, and hugged me.

He nuzzled his face against my neck. “It’s nice to get away,” he murmured.

“Mhmm,” I agreed, relaxing against him.

He pulled away and grinned at me. “I wish it was sunnier, because you really need a tan,” he chortled.

I smacked his shoulder. “Maybe you need a tan,” I glared.

“I was only joking,” he shook his head.

“I know,” I replied as the elevator doors opened into the lobby. “But I’m a girl, and we’re sensitive,” I explained, following the arrows that led us to a door straight onto the beach.

“I’m very aware that you’re a girl,” he smirked, pinching my hip.

I rolled my eyes at his banter.

As soon as my sneakers sunk into the sand, I couldn’t get them off fast enough.

I picked them up, and carried them in my right hand, as I ran through the sand, squealing like a small child.

Trace’s chuckle echoed through the air around me.

Since it was a colder day, we were the only ones crazy enough to be out on the beach, but I preferred it that way. It meant I could act as crazy as I wanted.

Trace caught up to me, slinging me over his shoulder, and spinning me around.

I squealed in surprise and he slapped my butt.

“Put me down,” I beat his back.

“Never,” his voice rumbled.

He ran down the beach, carrying me as if I weighed nothing.

The roar of the water got closer, and I began to panic, twisting in his arms. “Trace! No!”

“Don’t worry,” he murmured, “I’m not going to drop you in the ocean. I only want to get your feet wet.”

He set me down, gently on the sand, and we both rolled up the pants legs of our jeans. He took my hand and we stepped forward.

The icy cold water rolled over my feet and ankles, causing me to scream shrilly.

“That’s cold!” I cried as I backed away so the icy water couldn’t get me again.

“It’s March, of course it’s cold,” he chuckled. “But I wanted you to be able to say you put your toes in the ocean.”

“I can certainly say that now,” I shivered and he wrapped his warm arm around me.

“Mhmm,” he mumbled, kissing the top of my head.

We sat down on the sand, and Trace pulled me between his legs, wrapping his arms around my torso for warmth.

I picked up a handful of sand and watched it sift through my fingers. I loved how when you held a lot of it, or dug your toes into the sand, it felt soft, but when you touched only a few grains, you could feel the rough edges of the rocks they had once been.

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