Heat Wave: A Summer Loving Anthology

by Anthology

  “Liv, what the hell are you doing?” Brianna called, running down the beach towards me.

  My board had washed up. Grabbing it, I continued stalking down the beach to where we'd dropped our stuff. Right before I reached the towels, she grabbed me and spun me around to face her. “Seriously, Liv what's going on with you?”

  Yanking my arm out of her grasp, I started throwing all of my shit into my bag. “Nothing. I don't appreciate being bowled over in the surf by a freaking tourist.”

  “Yeah, like that's never happened before,” she chided. “And this has nothing to do with seeing Jake and that stuck up, blonde bitch he calls his girlfriend, does it?”

  Whirling around, I sent a glare her way that could have pulverized rock. Brianna, however, had no reaction to my attitude. Instead, she rolled her eyes at me and turned to clean up her own stuff.

  “He's an asshole, too.”

  “Yeah, but only one of them deserves your wrath.”

  Plunking my hands on my hips, I stopped what I was doing to stare at her. “Of course Jake has earned me being irritated and annoyed, time and time again, but you're telling me the ass who stole my wave and took me out doesn't.”

  She stood toe to toe with me. “That's exactly what I'm saying. Maybe he didn't see you. In your current state of rage, I doubt you let him explain.”

  Dammit. I knew she was right about everything she said. There was no way in hell that I would admit it thought. Especially with the state my mind happened to be in.

  “Let's drop it and get out of here. I don't have to work tomorrow and I want to go out for a drink tonight.”

  “Whatever.” She picked up her bag. “By the way, how in the hell did you manage to get today off anyway?”

  “Sundays are easier than Fridays and Saturdays. Since I'm only tending bar this summer instead of waiting tables, there's not a huge crowd on Sundays.”

  We trekked up the dunes until we hit the boardwalk. “How's it feel to be away from waiting tables.”

  “I can tell you, I don't miss it. Plus the tips have been much better. People are a little looser with their money, the more they had to drink.”

  “Think you'll do it next year?”

  “God, I hope not. Once I'm done with school next May, I hope I can find a job and never have to pick up one of these short summer jobs again. Don't get me wrong the money is good, but I'm sick and tired of having to rely on tourist season for work.”

  She laughed. “Can't blame you on that one. I'm sick to death of all of the idiots that can't read the signs to stay inside the buoys.”

  “Soon,” I sighed. “We only have a year left. We can do this and come out so much stronger on the other side.”

  “Yes, we can,” she pumped her fist up, mocking the all too well known Jersey Shore that absolutely did not represent where we lived. “I'll meet you around seven. We'll grab dinner then head to the bar.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Shaking it off, I jumped in the shower and thought back to my encounter with the guy on the beach. Okay, maybe I'd been a bit bitchier than normal, still that didn't give him the right to act like he owned the beach. I'd be willing to bet he'd never spent more than a week here before.

  My mind wandered back to the way his warm brown eyes, almost like dark chocolate, widened in surprise when I began yelling. Take away the horrible introduction and there was something decidedly yummy about the boy on the beach.

  After dressing in a soft teal sundress, I gathered my things, hoping to get out of the house before I got another lecture from my mom about the guys in my life, and hurried down the stairs. Turning the corner to the kitchen, I ran smack dab into a wall of muscle.

  “Steven,” I shouted, clutching on to my chest to keep my heart from beating out of it.

  He reached his hands out to my shoulders, steadying me. “Liv? What are you running from like your ass is on fire.”

  Ignoring his question, I asked, “What are you doing here?”

  Steven, my older brother, wasn't supposed to be home until next weekend. Once he'd gotten a job at an architectural firm near his university, he had a hard time getting home to visit.

  “Well, hello to you too.” A smirk forming on his face.

  Composing myself, I threw my arms around his neck, pulling him to me for a hug. “Sorry, it's been a long couple of days.”

  He squeezed me back. “That's more like it.” Taking a hold of my shoulders, he set me away from his chest and stared me in the eye. “Why the long days?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Let's just say that Jake is the asshole you thought he was and Mom's worried I'll be single forever.”

  Steven's hands tightened on my shoulders as his eyes narrowed. “What did that son of a bitch do?”

  At 6'3” my brother was big enough to intimidate most people. Years of football and the gym made him a solid wall of muscle. It was completely embarrassing when my friends drooled all over him.

  “Don't worry about it.” The last thing I needed was for Steven to go hunt down Jake when I had to spend the rest of the summer there.

  “Liv, you better tell me.” The only chance I had to get out of there before Mom got home was to tell him.

  I groaned. “Fine. He said he needed someone who had 'arm candy' appeal which I didn't because I'm more interested in surfing than my appearance. Are you happy now?”

  His nostrils flared and he took a step back. “No, I'm not happy. I going to beat the piss out of that twatwaffle.” He turned toward the back door and I ran to step into his path. “Move, Liv.”

  “No.” I stood my ground “You'll just make all of this worse. He's got some blonde bimbo who's either too dumb for contraception and he'll be a baby daddy or she's too hot for him and she'll cheat on his ass.”

  His eyes went wide. “You're telling me you're okay with this?”

  “No, but karma's a bitch. He'll get what's coming to him.”

  He shook his head. “Everything that came out of his mouth is bullshit. Please tell me you know that.”

  “Of course I know that. You always said he was a dick and now I know for sure.”

  His shoulders slumped and he pulled me back into his embrace. “Yeah. Doesn't mean I wanted you to find out that way.”

  “I know, but I'm trying not to let him ruin my summer.”

  “I'll be honest, it's taking everything I have to stay here and not go hunt that asshole down. Only for you.”

  “I know.” Lights shone through the front window. “Dammit.”

  “What?” Steven released me and stepped back.

  I gestured to the window. “Mom's home.”

  “And?”

  “And she's determined that I need to find a guy to replace Jake, that I can do better than him.”

  Steven laughed. “Sounds like what she'd say.”

  The front door squeaked open and I knew that my time was up.

  “Hi, Steven.” Mom walked right over to give him a hug. “What are you doing here? I thought you we're coming next weekend.”

  “I decided to come down this morning. No one was home, so I went to the beach for a few hours.”

  “I'll take you both to breakfast in the morning.”

  “Sounds good, Mom,” Steven said.

  She turned to me. “Don't you look cute? Where are you headed tonight?”

  That conversation was doable. “Brianna and I are going to dinner then headed to the bar for a few hours.”

  “Fantastic. Maybe you can meet a nice guy there.”

  Here we go. “No, thanks, Mom. I'm done with men for a while. Besides most of the guys who will be there are from out of town anyway.”

  She shrugged. “You're only staying for the summer before you go back to school. Maybe you'll meet Mr. Right.”

  “Mom, leave her alone. Jake was an asshole. Liv just wants the chance to go and hang out with her friends without having to worry about some douche bag.”

  “Don't you start,” she said to Steven. “We'll talk about
your lack of a nice girl soon enough.”

  “Mom, please let it go,” I begged. “I'm not in the mood to end up with another asshole who's going to treat me like shit.”

  She took one of my hands in hers. “I'm sorry, Liv. I don't know what's gotten into me. I guess I don't want you to end up alone like I did.”

  The reminder of the way my father, and I use that term loosely, left my mother helped to drain the remaining strains of anger away. “It's okay, Mom. But when I find a guy, I want one that will accept me for me. Jake and Ben weren't interested in that. They wanted me to change to fit their mold of the perfect girlfriend.” Ben was the guy I broke up with before I met Jake.

  “I know and you should never stand for it. That's exactly why I let your father walk out the door. I wasn't giving my career up for any man.”

  I smiled. “You shouldn't have to. Dad wasn't worth your time or ours if he couldn't see that.”

  Her eyes glistened. “I know, but it makes me happy to hear you don't regret me letting him go.”

  “Hell no,” Steven chipped in. “If he couldn't see how awesome you were, or how much you cared about your patients then he wasn't worth the time of day. Same as Jake doesn't deserve shit from Liv.”

  Steven wrapped his arms around both of us, pulling us in tight. Mom and I started to laugh, the harder he crushed us. “Steven?” Mom said. “While I love these family hugs, Liv and I also really like to breath.”

  Steven chuckled. “Sorry, too much time at the gym.”

  Mom and I stared at him for a moment, before breaking out in our own laughter. Once we were able to catch our breath, I said, “All right, I'm heading to Brianna's. I might spend the night there, since she's closer and we can walk back.”

  Mom kissed me on the cheek. “Okay, baby. Have fun and stay safe. Text me when you decide if you're staying or not.”

  “I will.” I waved on my way out the door. “See you for breakfast.”

  After picking Brianna up and having dinner at one of the small restaurants downtown, we headed for the bar. Not even out of the car, and there was Jake's bitch walking inside the bar from the lot, Jake following with his clothes disheveled.

  “Eww, did they really do it in the parking lot of the bar? Damn, take the girl home.”

  Brianna didn't know the frustration I felt seeing that. When it came to sex, many times Jake kept me at arm's length. My build didn't match those of the skinny stick figures most guys went for. I surfed and played soccer. My thighs were muscular there was no way around that. Annoyance from earlier in the day settled over me. I wanted to enjoy my night and for that to happen I needed to shake off all of the bullshit. A drink would help me unwind.

  Walking to the door Brianna told me she'd meet me at the bar, she needed to stop in the bathroom. When I got to the bar and looked in the mirror, the sight of them making out at the pool table made my pulse throb in my head. So much for a fun night.

  “Hey, Liv, you look like you've had a rough day,” Chris said from behind the bar.

  Setting some cash down in front of me, I took a seat on one of the stools. “Yeah. Some dipshit tourist was out there surfing like he owned the goddamn ocean.”

  Chris shook his head. “Every year. They seemed to be getting worse and worse.”

  I scoffed. “Yeah, well, this asshole didn't even acknowledge that his shit dumped my butt in the water.”

  There was no way I'd admit that most of my bad mood had been brought on by my ex and his new toy.

  “Damn, he cut you off that bad?”

  “Yeah.”

  Chris pulled out a bottle of Landshark and pushed it across the bar towards me, along with a shot of tequlia. “This one's on the house.” I started to protest, but Chris cut me off. “I don't want to hear anything from you. I can't have my favorite girl pissed off. Now drink up.”

  Picking up the bottle, I pulled a nice long drink before setting it back down. Chris moved down the bar to help a couple that had taken seats further down from me. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. I could feel someone's eyes on me.

  Shit, I was in a bar in the middle of the summer. All of the assholes who left their girlfriends behind for the weekend were looking for a quick piece of ass. There was no sense in turning around, they had no chance picking me up to be their beach sex fantasy.

  The stool next to me pulled out. I glanced over and there was Mr. Wave Stealer himself. It was harder to focus on being annoyed with him when he was standing there, looking like a fun ride with the tight t-shirt he wore accentuating all of the muscles in his abs. I was losing control fast. So not what I needed tonight. Where in the hell was Brianna? Using the last few vestiges of my strength, I turned an annoyed sneer his way.

  “Oh god, what the hell are you doing here?”

  “I came into get a drink.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Well, you need to go somewhere else, I was here first.”

  “Oh, so you own this and the beach.”

  Asshole.

  “Whatever.” I grabbed my beer and stood, looking for another place to sit, when a warm hand covered my arm.

  “I'm sorry, please stay.” The molten chocolate eyes staring up at me where incredibly hard to resist. My head was screaming to snatch my arm away, except there was something about this guy that compelled me to sit down and learn more about him. Maybe starting with his name. That didn't mean I'd give up the attitude. Not yet, anyway.

  “Fine, but you're buying the next round.”

  He shrugged. “I can live with that.”

  Chapter 4

  Nick

  THE AIR AROUND ME settled when I took the seat next to the brunette from the beach. No longer in a ponytail, her long chestnut tresses reached down the middle of her back. How in the world I recognized her from behind when I stepped inside, I had no idea, but I knew her instantly. I hadn't thought of much else since I'd seen her last.

  Once I'd calmed down from her temper tantrum, it was easier to recognize the unique beauty she possessed. She didn't epitomize what most guys would consider classically beautiful-the blonde hair, blue eyes, and skinny as a stick-none of which had ever appealed to me. Her long, dark hair and hazel almost golden eyes gave her a sleek look. There were muscles in her toned legs and arms that screamed athlete. Everything about her called to me, she was sexy as hell. Even with the attitude she served up at the beach, I wanted to know more.

  Shit. I'd turned right back to the manwhoring ways I used to get over my attraction to Angie when she chose Caleb and before I met Morgan. Not like it really mattered, I drove over five hours to escape what people expected of me. Somewhere in the back of my head, I heard Emily lecturing me on my behavior. Doing the only thing I could, I ignored the voices in my head and placed the money on the bar.

  “Since I'm buying you a drink, can I at least get your name?”

  She rolled her eyes, but there was a slight curve to her lips. “Olivia.”

  Olivia. A fitting name for her, down to earth, yet almost untouchable. “Hi, Olivia. I'm Nick.”

  It seemed awkward to put my hand out for her to shake it considering the thoughts that were running through my head. Still, I reached out and let her hand slide across my mine as she accepted my sign of truce. At least for the moment. Olivia turned back to her beer, subtly ignoring me. The silence began to grow uncomfortable when the bartender stopped in front of us.

  “Hey, Liv, can I get you another?”

  “Sure, Chris, he's buying.” She shrugged and gestured to me.

  The bartender's gaze swung to me. It didn't stop at a quick acknowledgment of the guy paying the tab. His eyes narrowed and he watched me for a moment.

  “What can I get you?” His voice was sharp, not at all the friendly version he used on Olivia a few moments before.

  “Whatever Sam Adams you have on tap.”

  Without another word, he pulled a glass, filled it and walked to the end of the bar. A few seconds later he came back with another Landshark for her. He gave Olivi
a another look, then moved to the other side of the bar.

  Not wanting the silence from earlier and curious about her name, I asked, “So it is Liv or Olivia.”

  She snorted. “My friends call me Liv, you can call me Olivia.”

  Fiesty. I liked it.

  I placed my hand over my heart. “Are you saying we're not friends?”

  “Not yet we aren't. Right now you're just a Shoobie, who's buying me a drink to make up for being a jerk earlier.”

  Her attempt to rile me flopped miserably. My fascination with her was too deep.

  “Hey, Liv, who's your friend?”

  A shorter blonde walked up behind Olivia, her eyes zeroing in on me. It might not have been the right move, but I did it anyway. Standing up, I reached my hand out to her friend. “Hi, I'm Nick and apparently I'm not Olivia's friend. I'm just a . . .” I turned my head back to Olivia. “What did you call me again? Oh right, a Shoobie. What the hell is a Shoobie anyway?”

  Olivia glared at me when her friend burst out laughing. She took my hand. “I'm Brianna and you can be my friend.”

  My voice dropped to a more seductive level. “Hello, Brianna.”

  She was beautiful in her own right, but not what I wanted. Olivia must have gotten tired of Brianna's attempt to flirt with me. “Oh knock it off, Brianna. This is the idiot who stole my wave. Surfing like he owned the beach.”

  Her lips pulled down in a frown when she looked back at me. “And a Shoobie is an annoying tourist who doesn't know how to behave in a beach town. And now that you've bought me a drink, you can go.”

  The bartender came back almost instantly. “Hey, Bri, Margarita?”

  “That'll be great.” Brianna turned to Olivia. “Don't send him away yet, he's cute.”