Sea Breeze 01 - Breathe

and get in.
    A low whistle from behind startled me, and I heard an “Ouch.” I turned to see Marcus glaring at Dewayne and Preston.
    “Sorry, Sadie, these two have no manners.” He took my hand again. As before, he held my hand casually. It hadn’t bothered me before, but being half naked made it uncomfortable.
    “Come on. Let’s go swim.” He grinned at me and didn’t even pay attention to my body.
    It relieved and embarrassed me at the same time. I didn’t want Marcus to like me as anything more than a friend, but I also didn’t want to be so boyish in my bathing suit that he didn’t notice me at all. I decided to stop thinking about everything so much, and I followed him into the water via the stairs. We joined in on a game of basketball with a floating hoop in the middle of the pool. I stank at it, but no one other than Marcus and a guy name Rick seemed to be any good, so I didn’t worry too much.
    After I raced Marcus the length of the pool and won one out of three times, we got out to get something to eat. I walked over to my sundress at the same time Marcus came up behind me and wrapped a towel around me.
    “Thank you,” I told him.
    He smiled. Our friendship was working out nicely, and it made me smile a little brighter. Maybe my personality wasn’t as bad as Jessica said.
    Marcus leaned down and whispered into my ear, “Burger, ribs, or both?”
    I thought of the mess ribs make and all the people in the small backyard. “Burger,” I whispered back.
    He nodded and made his way to the grill. He got me a burger and took a slab of ribs for himself.
    We walked over to a table set up with stuff to put on the burger, and I added a little ketchup and cheese. Marcus grabbed us both a drink, and we headed over to an unoccupied shaded area. We sat down and ate in silence for a few minutes. I watched him go through at least fifteen napkins and laughed when he reached for more and all the clean ones were gone.
    “You think my mess is funny, huh?”
    I shrugged and let out another laugh I couldn’t hold back. I reached under my plate and handed him my napkin.
    “Thanks.” He took the napkin and cleaned himself up. “Are you having fun?” he asked after he cleaned the barbecue off his face.
    “Yes, I am. I feel like the youngest one here, but I am having fun.”
    Marcus nodded. “You are the youngest one here. I forget my old crowd has all aged just like me.”
    “No, I have really enjoyed myself.”
    Preston, whose attention seemed to be focused our way, shook his head.
    “I’m afraid my friend over there likes you. You’re going to have to just ignore him. He’s a bit of a ladies’ man.”
    I frowned. “He likes me! With all these older, more attractive women around?”
    Marcus cut his eyes back at me and studied my face a minute, and he smiled. “You really believe that, don’t you?”
    “Believe what?”
    “You believe the other girls here are better looking than you.”
    I laughed and shrugged. “I’m not blind, Marcus.”
    Marcus raised his eyebrows. “Either you are blind, or you don’t have a mirror at home. Keep doing stuff as sweet as blushing, and you’re going to have Preston singing love ballads outside your window.”
    I laughed and shook my head. “I seriously hope not.”
    Marcus looked at Preston. “He really likes legs, and you happen to be attached to the best pair I’ve seen in a really long time. But I think you hooked him when you batted your baby-blue eyes at him and smiled.”
    I frowned. “I don’t recall batting my eyes at anyone, and my legs are just long and skinny.”
    Marcus smiled. “I hope you always stay this way. Sweet and innocent. But I want to be the one to enlighten you. Your legs are sexy as hell, and your eyelashes are so thick and long that when you blink it looks like you’re batting them, and it is very attractive.”
    I wasn’t sure I believed him, but I smiled anyway. “You’re a nice guy. Thanks for trying to make me feel better.”
    “Is that what I’m doing?” he asked with a teasing grin.
    I smiled. “I think so.”
    He laughed and shook his head. “Sure, whatever you say, Sadie.”

Chapter Four
    JAX
    I’d been watching her for days now. It was getting to be a habit. She intrigued me, and I wasn’t able to ignore her even if it would be in both our best interests. It wasn’t like I was going to be able to pursue her. But she sure made that hard to remember.
    No one had noticed me bring my notebook and hide out in