Page 67 of Shine For Me

“No way,” I shoot back. “My confidence is just fine, thank you.”

She closes her eyes, looking pained, then tries again. This time, she roars. It’s so loud the dog a few houses down starts to bark.

And I lose it. I have to grab the table I’m laughing so hard, unable to even stand upright. “I’m sorry,” I gasp. “Your face!”

“Fox! Was all of that just a trick to make me look stupid?”

“It wasn’t my goal,” I manage to get out. “But it’s definitely a perk.”

“I hate you,” she says. “You realize that laughing at me probably set me way back, right? How am I supposed to be confident now?”

My laughter immediately dies. “I’m sorry. I was just messing around.” My eyes go wide. “Oh my God, are you crying? June, I’m sorry.” I reach for her, my stomach sinking as guilt washes over me. “Please don’t cry. I’m a fucking idiot. I—” I cut off as a grin spreads over her face.

“Got you,” she says.

“You’re faking?” I run my thumb under her eyes. “But you’re literally crying.”

Her grin grows. “They didn’t give me that Golden Globe for nothing.”

I bark out a laugh. “Okay, you’re right. You’re a far superior actor. You deserve all the accolades people shower on you.” I pull her closer. “Maybe the body language thing was stupid. But I can think of a way to practice your bravery that has nothing to do with articulating your goals or making your body look big and powerful.”

She sighs. “You’re going to make me go night swimming, aren’t you?”

“Hell yes.”

To my surprise, she slips out of my hold and in the next second has her t-shirt pulled over her head. My breath catches at the sight of her. We’ve spent most of our nights together over the last several weeks, but I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the sight of June bared to me. Her bra isn’t skimpy or anything, probably providing as much coverage as a bathing suit would, but her skin and her shape are so beautiful my chest aches.

She gives me a mischievous little grin. “Last one in has to do the dishes.”

Before I’ve even managed to put my tongue back in my mouth, she’s slipping her yoga pants down over her hips. The sight of her in just her underwear and bra doesn’t do anything to make me move faster. I’m staring at her like a total idiot when she turns and hops down the deck stairs. I finally get my shit together, pulling off my own t-shirt. I don’t bother to take off my basketball shorts but I kick off my sneakers and socks before jumping off the deck. June is halfway across the sand, her creamy skin practically glowing in the moonlight, and I run to catch up.

“About time,” she says when I reach her, then she lets out a little squeal as I grab her around the waist and pull her into my arms. “Let me go!”

“Nope. You’re not chickening out on me.”

“I was practically in the water before you even had your shirt off,” she argues. I just hold her tighter and charge into the waves.

“You said it would be warm,” she gasps against my neck as I march us out into waist deep water. “You are a dirty liar, Fox Ransome!”

“I’ll warm you up.”

She scoffs. “That was the worst line I’ve ever heard.”

I stop when the water reaches the bottom of my chest. I’m a strong swimmer, and the beach in front of our house is situated in a small cove, which provides good protection from the stronger waves and currents. But the ocean can be unpredictable and it’s dark out here, so I’m not taking chances with the girl in my arms.

I bring her legs up to wrap around my hips and she sighs a little as she melts into me. “I’ve been wanting to get in this ocean since we got here,” I tell her.

“Is it everything you hoped it would be?” she asks.

I look down at June’s face. She’s a little breathless from the run and the cold of the water, but she’s smiling. If she’s afraid to be out here in the dark, she’s not showing it. Instead, she nestles in a little closer to my body, and God, she feels so good in my arms.

“It’s way more than I hoped for,” I tell her, before bringing my mouth down to kiss my girl under the moonlight in the lapping waves of the ocean.