The Wrong Girl

by M. Piper

  And thank God for that. I may be pushy, but cheating isn’t my style.

  I would have just had to work harder to get what I wanted this time around.

  “You told me not to change. No making fun.” She turns and starts walking, leaving me stunned. Most girls wouldn’t have walked out here in that shirt. Not that there’s anything wrong with it… I mean, I find it cute…but most girls would have tossed on something a little ‘sexier’ or flattering.

  Aw fuck, now I sound like an asshole.

  “I’m glad you didn’t change,” I mutter, realizing the tiny shorts she has on reach just under the curve of her ass and from here I have the prefect view of her sexy as hell legs.

  I keep in step behind her until she realizes what I’m doing and she stops, spinning in her spot and crosses her arms under those tits. Tits I want in my hands.

  My eyes travel the length of her body and my dick twitches, trying to fucking jump out at her. Fuck me. The girl is absolutely stunning. Perfection on two legs. And she’s looking at me like I’m the only man she’s ever truly seen.

  “Did you call me out here for a walk or just so you could ogle my ass?” She lifts an eyebrow and gives me a sideways grin like she knows exactly what’s on my mind.

  “It was purely innocent,” I whisper, stepping closer to her.

  “Was,” she says, shaking her head.

  “Yeah. Was. Then I saw you barefoot on the beach with these tiny ass shorts and suddenly even the sound of the damn waves isn’t drowning out the screaming in my head to reach out and touch you.”

  She smiles and bites her lip, reaching for my hand and turning to keep walking. I sigh, not knowing what to say after that. I keep telling myself I want to be around her without being a tool, then I go and say something like that. She’s going to think I only want her for the sex, but that’s not it at all.

  I want her for her. I can get sex anywhere…but there’s ever only been one Finley Reeves. Granted the sex I can get anywhere is nothing compared to sex with her. It’s mind blowing. It’s earth shattering. It’s perfect. Anything else pales in comparison to her. And I know it will forever because if I’m being honest, nothing’s been as good since that first time five years ago.

  “You were right, you know,” she says as we make it to the water’s edge, the waves lapping against the shore in a steady rhythm. “Monday nights I’m typically in bed by nine, fast asleep. Tour days on Mondays and Fridays are always insane. I’m just happy I don’t have the weekend shift, those are horrible I hear.”

  “It’s not really peak season, though. Why are you guys so busy this time of year?” I try to think back to when my dad and I would vacation in this area and I always remember having to come down during slow times because prices were lower .

  We’re in the middle of hurricane season. This definitely isn’t peak vacation weather.

  “Honestly I’m so new here I’m still figuring it out, but I’m starting to think there’s really no ‘busy’ season for the types of tours we do. Most people think the cooler it gets outside and the later in the year it gets that the tours should slow down, but ever since I came here we’ve been swamped. The cooler it is the more wildlife comes out from their dens and the more people get to see. I’ve been told November and December are actually pretty busy months for tours.”

  She stops and sighs, then plops down to the ground, pulling me with her. I want to wrap my arms around her as we watch the tide roll in, but I don’t. I feel too comfortable around this girl and I know that thought should make me think twice about what we’re doing, but it doesn’t. I’m finally going after what I’ve wanted all these years.

  “So you’re on a boat pretty much all day?” I pull her hand to my lap as she looks out to the water. She’s beautiful in the moonlight, the way her irises glow in the moonlight. I’ve never seen such vibrant colored eyes on anyone else.

  “It’s about fifty-fifty. I do multiple tours a day with Bran, he’s my partner.” She looks over at me and I must look confused because she laughs. “The one at the table with the bald head and goatee?”

  “Oh yea! Looks like he could be the crazy uncle?”

  She laughs and it’s music to my ears.

  “Yeah, him.” She giggles. “He and I do the lectures and the boat tours. There’s a walking tour that the more adventurous of tourists can take but DJ has had the corner on that gig for years now.” She gives her eyes a little roll and sighs as she looks back out to the water.

  “DJ being…” I try to put a name to a face but in the last forty eight hours my world’s been shifted sideways and I can barely remember what I ate for breakfast this morning, let alone what a random co- worker’s name was that I may or may not have been introduced to over the weekend.

  All my mind wants to do is daydream about Finley.

  “Pretty boy,” she grumbles and my back stiffens.

  “He didn’t give you any troubles today did he?” I still want to smash the guy’s face in for being that way to her.

  “No more than usual. I had an ample number of tours today though so we were kept pretty separate.”

  “That’s good. Keep it that way.” She wriggles her fingers in mine and I clear my throat and loosen my grip, knowing I was probably squeezing too tight and getting worked up about this DJ guy. “Sorry.”

  “He’s just annoying, Levi.” She turns to face me and reaches out, skimming her hand down my cheek. A wake of fire burning where her skin leaves mine. Needing more. Craving more. “Jealous doesn’t look good on you.”

  “Trust me, it doesn’t feel good either.” I shake my head and push my cheek into her palm. “I don’t like worrying about you. I did it enough growing up…” I let the words slip before I know what I’m saying and she pushes her eyebrows together.

  “You worried about me?” she whispers. I curse and glance back out to the water, nodding my head. I could ignore the question, but what good would that do? If I want to build something with this girl I need to be an open book.

  “Every damn day, Finley,” I whisper then look back at her. “You know, I was so surprised you never knew how I felt about you. I felt like there were times I was so obvious. I was a pretty stupid teenager who couldn’t stop thinking about his best friend’s little sister.” I chuckle nervously and she rolls her eyes.

  “Please, like I believe that. I was an awkward teenager with low self-esteem because the only thing I ever heard about myself was ‘hey big bird, when’re you going to grow into those legs?’ and you were the hot popular kid everyone wanted around.” She chuckles but I can see the pain there still as clear as it was the first day Leo Ingalls shouted that at her. Fuck, I was so pissed. Took that asshole down behind the cafeteria and he had to leave to go home and change his pissed in pants before anyone saw.

  Fucker.

  “I took care of that for you,” I whisper. “He got what he deserved.”

  Her mouth pops open like she’s waiting to say something but the words never come. Instead all she does is nod slowly in realization.

  “The black eye…” she whispers.

  “The one he told everyone his cousin gave to him when he found him fucking his step sister?” My stomach is twisting tight. I’ve never told anyone this. Not even Kat.

  “That was really you…” her eyes sparkle and my heart races.

  What’s she going to think of me now?

  “Don’t go ruining my reputation as the nice guy, ok?” I nudge her with my shoulder and take a deep breath. This is the most nervous I’ve ever felt around her, but mostly because I’ve never been this real with her, or anyone, before.

  But she’s my Squirt.

  “You looked out for me all those years…” she trails off.

  “Yep.” I don’t know what else to say. She’s either going to swoon that I ‘protected’ her all those years or be so pissed off she storms away right now.

  Fuck, if I were her I’d be pissed…

  “That’s why senior year was so hard. Because
I wasn’t protected…” She laughs harshly. “Holy shit, Levi.”

  “I heard. And I hate that I caused that.” I groan and pull her hand to my lap again, bringing her face to look at me with my free hand. I need this contact right now. “I hated myself for it every day, Finley. My intention wasn’t to make other guys scared to date you. It started off just defending your honor and spiraled out of control after that.”

  “Well they certainly treated me right when you were there.” She watches me for a moment then smiles softly. “I guess I should thank you, right? I never had my heart broken by any of those assholes at that school.” Her stare levels me and I let out a breath I was holding, but the worry is still there. Just because she didn’t have her heart broken in high school didn’t mean it didn’t happen after.

  Like in college when she was introduced to all kinds of assholes…

  “I’d do it all over again if it got me this chance right here.” I dip my head to hers and push our lips together, inhaling the sweet vanilla scent. I can’t seem to keep my hands or my lips off this girl. I knew I always wanted more with her, but now that I have it I figured I’d get enough. I figured it’d fizzle out before we had to worry about her sister finding out.

  I thought I’d get my taste and be done.

  I was a stupid man to think that.

  I crave her. I’ll always crave her.

  She brings her hand to my cheek and moves to straddle my lap. The sand shifts under us and I brace myself with my elbows behind me as she pushes me lower, her whole body on top of mine. The dark tendrils of her hair cascade around us and her hands rest on my chest. Her lips are full and soft as she kisses me and her body arches against mine. Sexy doesn’t even begin to explain this situation. Erotic? Yes. Could I fuck this girl in the sand? Right here in public?

  Hell, if she keeps grinding on me like this I absolutely will, no questions asked.

  She moans, breaking the kiss and nudging her nose on mine. “Levi, let me take care of telling my sister, okay?”

  I sigh, hating that Kat’s on her mind too. We’re grown adults. We should be able to do what we want with who we want without worrying about anyone else getting butt hurt.

  “Yeah.” I breathe heavy, reaching one hand up to caress down her back. “That’s probably a good idea.”

  She smiles and pushes her lips to mine again, darting her tongue across mine and deepening the kiss as she pushes her body tighter against me. My hand roams her back, pushing under her shirt. The water hits my feet, cold rushing through me mixed with the intense heat from her body pushed against me. Any other time I’d have had this girl on her back, riding her until we both came, then send her on her way.

  But right now all I can think about is how this is Finley and she feels perfect. Like our bodies were built for one another. Like we’re two pieces to a puzzle that fit together with perfection. She deserves more than a fuck on the beach.

  When she breaks the kiss we manage to pull away with all of our clothes still intact. My dick’s pissed at me as she snuggles in to my side, my arm wrapped around her and her body pushed against mine.

  “Have you ever just come out here and watched the stars?” Her hand trails my stomach and my fingertips dance across her arm. Touching her is rapidly becoming my favorite hobby. Watching her skin pebble under my touch and hearing her breath hitch is better than any drug or alcohol.

  “Can’t say that I have.” My voice sounds too gruff right now. Like I just woke up from a long night’s sleep. But it’s really just from stopping myself from taking this any further.

  “I do. Quite a lot, really.” She takes a deep breath. “I feel like maybe the waves crashing down on the shore is my dad’s way of telling me he’s proud of me.”

  I blink up at the stars and listen to the waves. It’s a slow, steady pattern that I fall asleep to every night and yet I take for granted. All these years and this is honestly the first time that I’ve actually listened. Lapping back and forth, the thud and swoosh of the water as it hits the shore then retreats back out to the ocean. Unforgiving and never ending. Not even if it wanted to.

  “It sounds sad,” I whisper, taking in the night sky. “But the stars make it almost peaceful.”

  “Right.” She clears her throat. “It’s silly, I know. But sometimes I miss him, so coming out here somehow makes me feel closer to him.”

  “Your dad loved you, Finley.”

  She laughs and shifts to her elbow, looking at me with a grin on her face.

  “Can we drop the sad topic? I can go to a dark place, but I really don’t want to tonight.”

  I chuckle and rub her back.

  “So then what should we talk about?”

  “Our next date?” She wiggles her eyebrows with that smirk on her face that’s a dead giveaway that she’s got something up her sleeve.

  “Why do I feel like you already have an idea for it?” God, she’s so damn cute right now with that tiny scrunched nose.

  “You’ve known me my entire life, Levi.” She rolls her eyes and I reach out and touch her arm just to have more contact with her. “Don’t play stupid.”

  “Alright, alright. Hit me with the greatest idea you’ve ever had.”

  She smiles and bites her lip, glancing out at the ocean before looking back at me, determination glowing in those beautiful eyes.

  “I don’t have a day off for a week and a half, but next Friday night,” she blurts and I nod.

  “Do I get to see you again before then?” I narrow my eyes at her as I see the wheels turning.

  “It may be hard. My work schedule’s insane and this weekend I have plans with Alexa.”

  “Girl day with manicures and pedicures and shopping?” I bat my eyes and mimic those girly girls that I know, for a fact, Finley is not one and she gasps.

  “No!” Laugher rings from her and she smiles wide. “Actually it’s a swamp tour.”

  “A swamp tour?” I laugh but she’s dead serious. “Squirt, you two are going on a weekend long swamp tour?”

  “Yep.” Her eyes sparkle with excitement. “Alligators and mud and bugs!” She smiles so wide her cheeks wrinkle. “I’m so excited!”

  “Wow.” I nod, laughing. “I can honestly say this is a first for me. I’m going to need more details. Like…will you get eaten? Where are you sleeping? If you die do I get your snow globe collection? And why can’t I see you for a week and a half again?”

  Laughing, she lays her head back on my chest.

  “We can have late night walks on the beach after work. I like this.” She sighs. “And I promise this weekend I’ll be safe. And I’ll let you know when we’re back safe and sound.” She pushes her lips to mine and shoots to her feet with a wide smile on her face as she looks down at her shirt. “Just in case I do die, though, the last picture in your mind you’ll have of me will be in my Backstreet Boys t-shirt and gym shorts from ninth grade.”

  “Ninth grade!?” I bark, shooting to my knees and pulling her closer. “Holy shit, Squirt. These still fit you?” I laugh, finding the Central High School logo almost fully worn out on the front. She slaps my hands away and laughs at me.

  “Stop, yes they fit me. Like underwear more than shorts, but they’re too comfortable to get rid of!”

  I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “I could get rid of them for you.” I slip my fingers along the hemline of the shorts and she, again, slaps my hands away and backs up. Persistent little girl…

  “Okay, so next Friday night meet me out front of my building for date number two.”

  “Uh…okay?” I rub the back of my neck still kneeling on the sand. “I’m all for the girl taking control, but you gotta give me more than this to go on.”

  “How’s five? Are you off by five?” Her hands go to my hair and she smiles softly down at me.

  “I can be.” I look up at her waiting for more details but they never come. “You’re not going to tell me the plan, are you?”

  “Nope!” She chirps, then bends and kisses me once before
skipping off towards her apartment building, leaving me here in the sand, staring at her cute as fuck ass as she prances away from me. But… But I’m not done with her tonight!

  “Finley, wait!” I laugh, running after her. Damn, running in the sand is hard! How the hell did she make it look that easy?

  “Good night, Levi!” She yells behind her as she makes it to her path. I step closer to follow her but she holds her hand up. “Goodnight. Levi.” She smiles at me and winks before spinning and bolting up the stairs.

  And now I’m standing here alone, looking like a damn fool.

  I make it into my house and slam the back door just in time to hear my phone ding.

  Finley: You looked hot as fuck tonight with those sweatpants on.

  I groan and pull my shirt over my head when I get to my room.

  Me: You want me to come over so you can see them again in person?

  I lie back in bed after kicking off said sweatpants and stretch out, my body remembering the feeling of her pushed against me.

  Finley: No! Stay, boy.

  I wonder what type of trouble we’re about to get into.

  Me: Friday. Five pm. Got it, boss.

  Finley: And Levi?

  Me: Yes, Squirt.

  Finley: This is my date. I’m paying.

  Me: Not happening.

  No fucking way will I let her pay. I asked her out on this date originally. She’s not taking over! I stare at my phone to see that she read my reply but she’s not replying to me!

  Me: End of discussion, Finley. I’m the dude. I pay.

  I hate that sexist card and I don’t believe it for an instant, but I don’t want her to spend her money on me!

  Finley: Night, Levi <3

  I sigh and toss my phone on the nightstand. The way this girl makes me feel is nothing short of crazy. I think about her nonstop. I smell her on my clothes. Hell, the last five years was torture every time she’d come up in conversation with Kat. I’m almost thankful that we’ve grown apart because after what happened between Fin and I…after I was a mega douche…every time Kat brought her name up in conversation I’d break out into a cold sweat.