Page 14 of Sunset Beach
“Should have known. You’re the boss’s daughter. He has a house on the beach. You have a house on the beach. No biggie.”
She leaned down until her face was only inches from Jonah’s and whispered, “My dad has nothing to do with where I live, okay? You’re such an asshole, by the way.”
He leaned away from her and stood. “You’re wasted, by the way.” He looked over at Ben. “We can’t let her walk home like this. You want to drive her? If not, I can. I Lyfted here, and I can just have the driver drop her off.”
“Hey!” Drue protested. “I’m right here. Stop talking about me. I told you, I’m fine. I don’t need a ride. And I don’t need an escort.”
“I can drive all three of us,” Ben said. And then his face fell. “Damn. I just remembered. It’s such a nice night, I rode over on the Vespa.”
“A Vespa?” Drue whooped. “Hell yeah! I changed my mind. Let’s go for a ride.”
“Can’t,” Ben said. “I only have one helmet.”
“Don’t be such a rule-follower,” Drue exclaimed. “It’s only a couple blocks.” She tugged at Ben’s arm. “Come on.”
“Not a good plan,” Jonah advised. “This is the boss’s daughter. Remember? What if she falls off and sustains a head injury? Who ya gonna call?”
“Campbell, Coxe and Kramner,” Drue sang, mimicking the firm’s catchy jingle, which was sung to the tune of “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” “Had a fall? Give Brice a call!”
“Enough said,” Ben agreed. “You want me to walk her home with you? I mean, she says it’s only a couple blocks.”
“Not necessary,” Jonah said. “I’ll walk her, make sure she gets home okay and then I’ll call for a Lyft from there. I’ll text you if there’s a problem, otherwise, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
5
“You really don’t have to do this,” Drue said, as they trudged along the beach. “I’m perfectly capable of walking home all by myself.”
“Sure you are,” Jonah said, rolling his eyes. “Which motel did you say you’re staying at?”
“Behind the ‘at,’” Drue said, giggling at her own joke. “Don’t they teach you guys grammar up there in Gainesville?”
“Which motel?” he repeated.
“Mmm, it’s one of those, right up there,” she said, pointing at a cluster of small motels just beyond the dunes. They were fifties throwback tourist courts, each painted in a different Easter egg pastel—coral, turquoise and yellow.
“Okay. Can you be any more specific?”
“It’s the Sea… something, I think.”
“The Sea Breeze?” he asked, pointing at a C-shaped complex built around a glowing turquoise swimming pool.
“That’s the one!” She playfully punched his arm. “I take it back. You’re not such a dummy after all.”
As they started toward the dune line, Drue stumbled and toppled backward onto the soft sand.
“Whoops!”
Jonah grabbed her arm to help her up, but instead, she pulled him down beside her.
“Hey!” He started to protest, but on an impulse, she shut him up with a kiss. Which he returned, in a chaste, closed-mouth sort of way.
He pulled away after a moment. “What’s this about?”
She wasn’t sure. But he was a good kisser, that she did know. And in the dark, she decided to just let the tequila do the talking. She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned in and kissed him again.
His response was definitely more enthusiastic the second time. He parted her lips with his tongue and ran his hands up her bare back. She shivered at the touch of his warm hands, and pressed herself closer to him.
“Oh man,” he said, sitting up after a few moments. “This is a terrible idea.” He put his head in his hands.
