Feeling just a little evil, Jude held the sweating glass right over Liam’s stomach.
Jude was not looking at the tight body in front of him in very small shorts. No, he was not.
Jude smirked and counted. One, two, three, four, as the fifth drip of water landed on Liam. He hissed while his eyes flew open, jerking himself up into a sitting position.
“What the f—”
“Oh good. You’re awake,” Jude deadpanned.
“Jude?” Liam shook his head. “What’s going on?”
“Up!” Jude demanded.
“Huh?”
“Up!” he repeated. “You’ve been out here for over an hour, and you’re turning red.”
“I am?” Liam scrambled out of the lounge chair when Jude continued to shake it with his foot. Standing next to him, Liam blinked owlishly at him.
He wasn’t even wearing sunshades to protect those pretty blue eyes. No, not pretty. Ugh! Jude thrust the glass into Liam’s hand. “Drink that. All of it.”
“Okay.”
Bending over, Jude picked up Liam’s abandoned book then folded the chair back together. “You shouldn’t sleep on the beach. You have no idea what someone could do to you. Plus, it’s the hottest part of the day. You came out and read for about forty minutes then fell asleep for over an hour.” He started backtoward their houses. “You should reapply sunscreen every two hours.”
Liam clumsily followed him. The lemonade sloshed from the top of the glass.
Jude glared at him.
“I’m drinking it!” Liam said right before he did take a big gulp. “Hey! This is good.” He drank again.
Satisfied, Jude returned to leading Liam home.
It amused and irritated him that Liam didn’t argue. Liam just kept sipping on the lemonade while slowly strolling along. Jude had to adjust his long strides so he didn’t leave Liam behind.
“Wow, it’s busy this afternoon.” Liam was looking around with a smile. “It’s crazy how this morning there was literally no one out here but you and now the beach is packed.”
“This is why I swim in the mornings,” Jude pointed out.
“But look at everyone having so much fun!” Liam stopped walking.
Jude huffed but stopped as well. “All I see is people who are going to leave trash and shit around when they leave.”
“No,” Liam drawled. “That’s just your grumpiness showing.” He pointed toward the water. “I see a toddler putting their toes into the water for the first time.”
Jude squinted to see where Liam was pointing.
“And a group of friends playing volleyball. Oh! Two teenage girls trying and failing to flirt with a lifeguard.”
Why would anyone care about any of that?
“I love to people watch,” Liam told him. “I even make up little stories about them. Grand adventures or finding a second chance at love. There’s so much possibility in this one area.”
“You can watch it all from under the cover of your deck where you’re not in danger of frying to a crisp,” Jude replied firmly.
Liam sighed but started back toward the house.
Jude was just happy that Liam wasn’t arguing further. He held open Liam’s gate and motioned for him to go first.
