Remember When #featured #AllStars

Chapter 28

PRISONERS OF THE SUN

Cooper, as it turned out, had been on the beach with Becca Bradley all morning. As Trip, Lisa, Pick and I made our way down to them, Heather Ferrante was walking up from the water. Huh. I didn't even know they were coming.

"Hey, everyone," Coop yelled in greeting. "We saved you a spot."

We laughed as we set up our chairs and blankets on the nearly vacant beach. There were only a few other people along our stretch of sand, and barely more than that walking the boards. Even though it was a sweltering hot, sun-shiny day, the official season didn't really kick off until the first week of July. Most kids didn't get out of school for another two weeks, so we practically had the whole town to ourselves. One of the very few perks of a Catholic education.

"Oh, hey, Coop!" I yelled three people down. "Pick made you guys some lunch." I twisted around to grab the small cooler behind my chair and passed it over Trip to Heather. Trip, of course, used the opportunity to try and steal a peek down my coverup. When he finally raised his eyes, I gave him a look that let him know he'd been busted. He grinned shamelessly, but before he could offer commentary, I stood up, facing his chair.

Coop and the girls were busy rifling through the cooler while Lisa and Pick looked as though they were in the middle of some sort of heated argument. I unzipped my white, terrycloth coverup and let it fall into the sand.

Ha! Trip stopped grinning.

I was wearing a lethal turquoise bikini that was scarcely more than four triangles held together with string. It was barely swimming season, but I'd managed to get in the occasional lap over the past few weeks. I was pretty pleased with the way my toned bod remembered to come back after a winter of neglect. Plus, I was rockin' some serious boobage in that bikini top.

Trip noticed.

I pretended to be oblivious as I sat back down on my chair, adjusted the armrests to recline and tipped my head toward the sun.

I heard Trip's chair creak a mere second before I felt his breath near my face, but still I kept my eyes closed.

His low whisper against my ear caused a tingle along my skin as he spat out through clenched teeth, "Jesus Christ, Lay."

I cracked one eye in his direction and saw a muscle twitching in his jaw and the wolfish look in his greedy eyes. I started to chuckle.

I was sitting there, stifling a giggle, so thrilled to have his full attentions as he whispered, "It's not funny, Layla. Look at me! I'm not going to be able to get out of this chair for an hour!"

I looked down at his lap and took notice of the huge... towel folded across his legs. And then I cracked up.

Just then, Pick stood and hauled Lisa to her feet. "Hey. Anyone want to take a walk down to the water?"

Before I knew what I was doing, I yelled, "Trip does!"

And then I just lost it.

* * *

We'd all grabbed some dinner at Midway and polished off our cheesesteaks and sausage and pepper sandwiches on the walk back to the house. No easy accomplishment while lugging all our beach stuff at the same time.

By the time we got back, Rymer and Sargento had wrapped up their Sega marathon and were already hitting the beer. They were ecstatic when Cooper handed them the greasy brown paper bag from Midway and dove right in.

I watched as Heather grabbed a roll of paper towels and brought them to the table for Sargento. I thought she must have had the patience of a saint. The girl hardly knew any of us, yet came all the way down to the beach on Sargento's invite. He then proceeded to spend the entirety of Day One holed up in the disgusting house playing video games, completely ignoring his guest.