Below the Surface

Chapter Nineteen: Holy Abs

"Holy shit! Wow!" I clap, "Did anyone see that?"

I whip my head over and my eyes are glued onto Liam. My breath is caught in my throat. Holy shit. He's taking off his shirt and my eyes travel to his body. Holy abs. He's stretching his arms over his head to take off his shirt and not only does it reveal his six pack, but holy mother of - is that a V-line? Ladies and gentleman, I have a Tom Daley torso look alike standing next to me.

"See what, Gaby? What exactly are you looking at?" Jay asks, with a teasing tone.

Shit! My jaw drops and I whip my head away, feeling some heat rise to my cheeks and not because of the sun. I grumble under my breath and huff, placing my sunglasses over my eyes.

"Nothing. Nothing. You guys missed it."

"Uh huh..."

I purse my lips tightly and viciously grab my towel and spread it out on the sand. I stomp onto it and take a seat. Holy shit. Was I checking Liam out? Oh no! I couldn't have because everyone looks at everyone. My eyes just happened to stumble upon him...taking off his shirt. He has abs, so what? Everyone loves abs! Everyone stares at abs! Abs are cool! It was completely innocent. It didn't mean anything. They were just abs. I sneak a glance Liam. He's applying sunscreen onto his arms, and...Holy biceps. I avert my eyes away and purse my lips tighter. Stupid Jay.

"Holy shit!" I release and plop onto my back.

"What's wrong?" Bella asks.

"It's so hot!" I cry. Then my eyes almost bulge out my sockets because of my words, "The sun! The beach! It's really hot outside!"

"It's only eighty-four." Bella says.

"Oh."

Jay snickers behind me and I brush him off by taking my book and opening it to a random page. Although it's hard to concentrate after my little slip up. I lower my head onto my towel and stay still. There's a cool sensation on my back and then a hand begins to rub my back. Liam?! I jump and turn around to see it's Bella applying sunscreen on my back. She smiles at me and I crinkle my eyebrows together. Cool it, Gaby. It's just Bella. I love Bella. But I also wish it was Liam. Holy shit. Did I just think that?! I haven't had him physically close to me in a long time. I wonder what it would be like to have his hands rubbing sunscreen on my back. To have his hands on my waist and down to my hips.

"Are you girls coming in, or what?" Liam asks.

I snap out of my thoughts that are on the brink of dirty. Holy shit. Did I just have dirty thoughts about Liam?! I look at Liam holding his white and blue long board over his head. My eyes can't help but travel down his chest and torso. Stop it, Gaby!

"Uh..." I drag and tear my eyes away and glance at Bella.

She's staring at me with narrow eyes and then looks at Liam, "We're not feeling it right now...we're still exhausted from yesterday." Liam nods his head and follows Jay up ahead, "Be careful!"

Both of them turn around and my eyes skim over Jay and go straight to Liam, he grins widely and nods his head. I inhale deeply and sit up. I clap the sand off my hands and pull my sunglasses onto my head.

"You know, it's so really nice of Liam to invite us like that." Bella says.

"Like what?"

"You know...how he invited us when we were at Twin Falls and just now." she tells me, "I just wish we can actually agree and be there to join him."

"Yeah."

"He really wants to be with us."

"Yeah."