Free I Need You by Jane Lark Page A

ocean whipping up a mini sandstorm.
    We picked dry sand.
    “I’ve got more blankets in the SUV and tent poles. Why don’t I make a den? We can pen ourselves in, out of the breeze, if we’re gonna sit.”
    “Okay.”
    I handed her the blanket. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
    She was standing in the same place when I got back. Just staring out at the ocean, looking uncomfortable.
    “I’m cold.” She looked at me, hugging the blanket to her chest.
    “It’ll be warm inside our den. It’s like a cocoon.” When I smiled, she smiled back at me. “Go on, throw the blanket out and I’ll build the den around you.”
    I positioned the tent poles in a square around the blanket she sat on and taped four blankets on them, with duct tape, making a little wall around us that would keep the breeze and sand out. I’d been to California once, with my family, years ago, beaches were warm there… Not here…
    She laughed at me, “You’re crazy. Have you done this before?”
    “Not four-sided, but yes I’ve built them before for myself if the wind’s whipping sand at you.”

    “Did you and Jason build dens when you were kids?”
    I smiled at her as I taped the last blanket up. “Yeah.”
    She laughed again.
    There were only a few people about on the beach. Some flying kites and playing ball.
    Climbing into our new den, I grinned as I dropped to sit on the blanket next to her.
    She slid her backpack off her shoulder. Then her knees bent up as she leaned forward and gripped her ankles. “You’re right, it’s warm down here out of the breeze.”
    “I’m always right.”
    She glanced at me, turned pink and then looked away.
    I undid the button on my fly.
    Lind caught the movement and blushed again …
    Yep, today was going to be a whole ton of awkward.
    I smiled to dismiss her insecurity as I stood up to unzip my cut-offs. When I let them drop, she looked away.
    “If I’m here to get some sun, I’m getting some sun.” I stripped off my sweat top.
    She looked at me again. “It’s still cold, even in here.”
    “Don’t be feeble.” I gripped the hem of my tee and pulled it up and off.
    She was bright red as she turned to her backpack and started delving in it.
    I lay down on my belly next to her.
    “Do you want screen.” She held out a tube of sun screen.
    “Trust you to come with protection.”
    Another blush.
    She so had.
    Shit, my cock twitched, right at the moment her cold hand touched my back.
    She hadn’t waited on my agreement. But I wasn’t complaining. Her touch was gentle and careful.

    When she’d finished, she threw the screen on top of her backpack and lay down next to me, still fully clothed.
    I turned my head to look at her, resting my cheek on my crossed arms. She was on her back and she’d shut her eyes. “Aren’t you gonna strip down to your bikini?”
    Her head turned. “No, it’s cold, and I don’t like to strip off.”
    “You’re weird. Nearly every girl I know would freeze to get a tan.”
    “Yeah, well I’m not every girl .”
    Yeah, I did know that, but she was weird sometimes. “Get your shorts off, get your top off, and get some sun on your skin. It’ll make you feel better.”
    She rolled onto her belly, mirroring my posture, with her arms folded and her cheek on the back of her hands as she looked at me. “No.”
    I frowned at her. “Come on, take your stuff off.”
    “No, I really don’t want to.”
    “Why?”
    “Billy, don’t push me.”
    “No, the more you refuse, the more you make me think there’s something wrong. What’s wrong with taking your stuff off.”
    “I hate my stomach!” she growled at me, rolling onto her back and then sitting up.
    Frick. I laughed.
    The flat of her fist hit my shoulder.
    “I thought we’d covered stopping the violence last night…”
    She poked her tongue out at me, but there really was anger in her eyes.
    I turned my head to rest my forehead on my crossed arms. “Lind, your stomach is fine.”
    “I don’t feel