He appeared in a T-shirt and black Oakleys. “Ready?”
I pushed against his chest to back him away from Laney and whispered, “You’re not seriously going along with her crazy idea, are you?”
He shrugged, smiling. “Sure. Sounds like fun.”
“So you are just like the rumors.” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest.
“The rumors?”
“Don’t act surprised… Lifeguard Leo. I’ve heard all about you and your many conquests.”
“That right?” His jaw ticked.
“Yup, Mr. Bad Boy in a sexy pair of trunks. You get around.”
“Lucky for you, I’m not easily offended. But you shouldn’t believe everything you hear.” He took my hand. “Let’s go, Red. I’ll change your opinion of me before the day is over.”
“I hope you do.”
2
Leo
WHAT WAS I doing? Red wasn’t wrong about the rumors or her impression of me. I met a lot of women at work. But they weren’t my sole purpose for living or why I was a lifeguard. I loved being on the beach. If I couldn’t surf all day, I wanted to help people. Save them, like Red.
I’d helped many people over the years. Not one affected me the way Red had. When I saw her friend screaming for help and the guy carrying a limp body, I had snapped into action. At first, she was just a person who needed help. I didn’tseeher.
Then she coughed and spewed water from her mouth. Her eyes flashed open, and the earth shifted beneath me. That was when I really saw her.
Long red hair.
Frightened green eyes.
Porcelain skin.
My heart had fluttered and my stomach twisted.
It was some crazy shit. So yeah, Red needed to know who I was and that I wasn’t entirely what all the rumors said I was—a manwhore.
I might like getting dirty with women, but there was more to me than rocking sex. It was unfortunate most of them didn’t care to know the other side of me. But something told me Red was different.
I wanted to find out how different.
There was only one problem: she was a virgin. How was I supposed to have sex with a woman who wanted nothing more from me than to take her V-card when I wanted more?
“Are you hungry? I’d like to buy you an early dinner for saving my life.”
I studied the petite, curvy woman. She really did remind me of a mermaid with her wild, wavy red locks.
“I didn’t save you, Red. The other dude did.”
“Not true,” Red’s friend Laney cut in. “You pumped her stomach and gave her mouth-to-mouth.”
Red gaped. Her lips were the only thing I was hungry for. “You gave me mouth-to-mouth?”
“I did. It was a phenomenal first kiss. A bit one-sided, but I’ll give you a do-over. It’s the least I can do since you were unconscious.”
She playfully shoved me. “Stop it. You’re teasing me.” Her cheeks flamed red.