6 years ago....
"Leah! Look at how beautiful this is!" Cara gushed gesturing to the ocean laid out before us. She wasn't wrong, California was beautiful, it's gold sandy beaches, clear skies and turquoise water was something I had only dreamed about. But we were here, letting the heat soak into our skin whilst we enjoyed the atmospheric scene before us.
Volleyball nets, work out equipment and outdoor showers. The only place I knew where women walked around topless and men could pull weights and kids could be kids. With their buckets, spades and armbands.
I smiled "Sure is something huh?"
"Look there's Ana." She pointed out.
I narrowed my eyes and spotted Ana, the Spanish beauty, stood on the beach in a bikini, amongst a group of people I didn't know and some people I did. I loved and hated her, she was a kind, considerate girl, but had a body that I would kill for.
Making our way over to the group, I lowered my head watching my flip flops sink into the sand as I walked. I stood awkwardly behind Cara once we stopped, she had always been the popular one out of the two of us. And once teamed with Ana, I was the third
Kardashian, is it Khloe? Before her make over...
I took a glance at the group we joined, smiling faces, beach waved hair, small bikinis and trunks.. That's when I saw him..
Those ocean blue eyes, dark hair and a mischievous smirk on his face was enough to have my heart racing. His red trunks soaked to his legs having just been in the ocean. A deep set V shape angling off his hips that had water drops trickling down.
Suddenly I was parched and he was water. I wanted to drink him all in.
I lowered my head in order to calm my heart down, but it only picked up when I looked up again to find him staring at me with an amused look.
An elbow by Cara brought me back to reality, who then laughed instantly noticing my reddened cheeks. Her observation skills were second to none and if she was around you had to keep your wits about you.
She then took her sweet ass time to introduce me to every single one of them in the group that I didn't know. Twisting herself, she pushed me forward slightly. "Leah, meet Cody. Cody meet Leah."
"Hi." I mumbled.
"Afternoon." He replied in almost a professional tone.
"Cody here is a.. What are you again? Tell Leah." Cara asked cocking her head in confusion.
"I'ma private." He answered.
"Oh. It's okay. You don't have to. I'm a private person too." I answered quickly not wanting him to feel inclined to talk to me. Just because I was almost drooling over him, doesn't mean he wants to speak to me.. Ever.
He laughed slightly and scratched his head. "No sweetie. I'm Private Cody Lawson, of the US Army."
"Oh." I answered going even redder. Smooth Leah, real smooth.
"We playing ball or what?!" One of the guys shouted grabbing the nearest available net.
"I'm in!" Cara called pushing her beach bag onto my arm before heading off with the others.
Why did I get the feeling that I was only invited to be the donkey?
With the teams set up, I sat on the sand and smoothed it over before drawing in it. Every so often I'd glance up to see them all laughing and joking. Occasionally I'd try and join in, by a few of the girls weren't as friend and completely disregarded me. I decided to sit back slightly and observe those around me. Each one slowly pairing up with another, flirting and lingering touches on each other.
The hormones were high.
And then there was me. Awkward with the opposite sex, I looked down at the sand and continued to draw. Like a child. I went from flowers, to a sun, to my mood, which happened to be straight lipped face.
I stared at the face, as it looked back almost mocking me. Awkward, that was me. Capital A.
Embarrassment flew up in my chest over the idea of being brought here for nothing more than the bag lackey. My fist raised, ready to pummel the sand when a finger appeared and turned the straight lips into a smiley face.
My eyes shot up instantly at the mood intruder, to find Cody sat beside me, his arms resting on his knees which had been brought up. His eyes glancing from the sand to me before a small smile curved his lips. We didn't speak and he silently led back giving me a view of his body and each muscle that was held within his skin. My head cocked slightly at the tattoo down his ribs. My fingers reached out and touched it causing him to jolt in surprise and glance at me.
"S-sorry. Sorry.." I frowned before shifting away from him and glaring hard at the seashell by my foot.
"It's a spirit animal.." He says making me look at him. "My spirit animal."
"It's nice. The ink I mean."
He smiled slightly. "And what is yours? The spirit animal."
"I don't have one." I reply looking at the volleyball being beaten back and forth.
"Yeah you do. Think about it. I am a wolf, I like being part of a pack.. The Army. And I can be alone. Lone wolf."
"Probably a slow animal or something useless." I mutter to myself.
Only he heard it..
"A sheep."
I turn "A sheep? Not anything majestic or mystical. A stupid sheep?"
He laughed. "It's not a bad thing."
"It's a horrendous thing. I'd rather be anything.. A pig? They're meant to be lucky aren't they? Or.. Or is that a bull? A cock bird? Screw those farm animals." I answer looking away.
"No, it's definitely a sheep."
"I definitely don't like it. I want to change it."
"Nope. You can't now."
I whip my head back to his amused face "Of course I can change it! It's my spirit animal! I want something courageous or cute, at least!"
"How about a ram?"
I narrow my eyes "That's still a sheep, idiot."
He laughed making my heart spin and stomach flop around.
"I'll be a salmon. Fighting up the stream."
"You can't change." He answers again.
"Nobody made you spirit animal king. Just... Go play lone wolf. Go bay at the moon or whatever it is you wolves do."
He sat up, the heat from his soak soaked body radiated against my skin causing my throat to dry out.
"You're not a sheep.. You're a lamb."
I glare at him "If you're suggesting I'm defenceless—"
"I'm saying you're a lamb, they're cute. They bleat. They shake their little tails when excited."
My eyes narrow into slits. "Quit it. Twilight. Or I'll have you put down." I warn making him grin.
I look away from his face, annoyed that he was affecting my blood that seemed to be swimming faster since he's sat up.
"You should be nice to me.. Considering I'm a wolf."
"Oh really?" I ask rolling my eyes.
"Yeah. Because we all know wolves like to eat little lambs. They're irresistible, prey. And wolves? Well they just can't stay away.."
I looked at him ready to gauge some form of wit back at him when I froze seeing his face closer to mine than expected. My heart began to race harder, thrashing against my rib cage, threatening to explode.
I didn't even know this guy, he didn't know me, but I could feel something vibrating between us. Making the air hotter and thicker. It was reckless, wild and definitely not advisable. But who wanted to be cautious? I'd gone from a bumbling wreck to a viper and now I was... Shit, I was a lamb.
I was about to say something, to break the intense stare he was giving me, when the volleyball landed in front of me, making me jump.
He chuckled. "Come on Lamb. It's our go."
•••••••
I'd never wanted to pummel a hard volleyball into someone's face as hard as I wanted to drive this one into Private Cody- lone wolf-I'm awesome- whatever my last name is.
He had swapped onto the opposition, meaning I was teamed with some girl who made it clear that I could stand aside and she would do it all. That taking two men wouldn't be a problem.
From her slutty non existent bikini which she toyed with to try and distract Cody and the other guy called Rob. I had no doubt she didn't have a problem handling two men. I wasn't calling her a full on slut, but two men didn't seem her first rodeo from how she bent over and shook her ass playfully at them.
When the ball was finally served by Rob who was acting like a Greek God with his ridiculous Tan and poses, I wasted no time in hitting it back. Only it slammed into the next, giving them a point.
It happened again. And again. And again.
The girl who was called Jodi was almost hyperventilating because I sucked so bad.
"Nice going Lamb." Cody jeered. I snarled and snatched the ball from Jodi who tried to protest, but I ignored her and served it. Hard.
It flew over the net and smashed Cody...
Straight in the face.
He grunted hard grabbing his face as I yelped before clamping a hand over my mouth in shock whilst the others laughed.
I panicked instantly when I saw blood and raced around apologising profusely trying to pinch his nose.
"Nice serve Lamb."
"God shut up and keep your head forward!" I barked as my face burned.
Maybe I'll be mystical bird, a Phoenix, not because I rose from ashes. But because it's a flaming bird. Literally! My face was like fire right now.
"Head back." He argued.
"Don't be stupid. The blood will run down your throat and go into your stomach. Head forward! Come on there's a first aid hut."
"I'm fine." He argued but a little pressure made him yell out.
"Oh god. Oh god you need ice. Just shut up and come with me. Please." I begged pulling him on by his elbow.
As soon as we arrived at the hut, we found nobody inside, so I decided to help myself, grabbing a small ice pack and some tissue before trying to help him clean the blood off his face.
"Hold." I demanded making him take the ice pack on his nose as I got wet tissue and began cleaning off the blood that had ran down him.
So consumed in removing the red liquid and cleaning up the damaged I had caused, I didn't realise how far I had gone until his hand brought mine to a stop on his chest.
My eyes flicked up to his face to see the intense look in his eyes as well as a puffy nose.
"I'm sor–"
His mouth hit mine, stealing the words from my throat. They were soft, inviting and intoxicating. But instead of moving away, pushing him back or giving any fight, I simply melted into it. Letting him kiss me until I kissed him back. Once the confirmation went to him that he wasn't going to receive a slap or telling off, his tongue probed at my lips wanting more, and I almost gave in. Until the door opened causing me to rip away from him with a red face.
His eyes were fixated on me as I began telling the first aid worker what happened and what I've done.
"Turns out this little Lamb has a vicious bite." Cody concludes flashing a smile to the middle aged woman who almost fell over herself at it.
I threw him a glare as he sent a wink my way whilst she took over to assess if it was dislocated or even broken.
If it wasn't broken, it might be by the end of the day.