“Then, no. I have officially never played any kind of competitive sport.” She held up her hand. “Don’t judge me.”
“I’m not judging you. But I am incredibly sad for your childhood.” He raked a hand through his hair. How could someone deprive their kid of such a fundamental childhood experience? “You’ve never known the sweet taste of victory in winning a game that was neck and neck the whole way through. You’ve never known that rush when your team is down, and something happens to put you back in the lead.”
Cora laughed, and the sound was like windchimes and champagne bubbles. When she laughed, all the worry in her body seemed to evaporate. The crease of her brows relaxed, her shoulders dropped, and her eyes seemed to glow. “Maybe I’m not competitive.”
“Everyone is competitive,” he said. “It’s human nature. Survival of the fittest and all that.”
“I guess I’m going to get eaten by a lion out in the wild,” she quipped.
“I won’t let that happen. How would Liv feel knowing I sent you out into the wild, ill-equipped to deal with any lions you might come across?” He grinned. “Besides, my cricket team is one down. We need another girl to play with us.”
“Oh no.” Cora shook her head vigorously. “I’m not going to take on that level of responsibility.”
“It’s a very chill team, trust me. And besides, you did say you wanted the local experience,” he pointed out. They reached the short wooden steps that would take them down to the beach, and Cora kicked off her sandals when they got to the bottom. They dangled from her hand as she wriggled her toes into the grainy white sand. “Think of it as payment for the flooding incident.”
“That’s a cheap shot.” Her eyes skated over him, equal parts curious and distrusting.
“What can I say? I fight dirty. I promise it will be fun.” He nudged her with his elbow, and she laughed, shaking her head.
“Does anybody ever say no to you?”
“Not usually.” That was the truth. Trent might not have been the kid with the academic smarts, but he’d learned from a young age that he could make up for a lot of shortcomings with the right words. With the right smile. Charm was his greatest skill, and his weapon against the world. “Come on. I’ll be your personal coach and everything. Give Childhood Cora what she always wanted.”
Cora tipped her face up to the sky and sucked in a long breath, her eyes crinkling. “I know I’m going to regret this…”
“But?”
“But yes, I will pay my dues by being the worst cricket player your team has ever seen.”
“You’re going to have a blast.”
They approached the beach’s outdoor showers, which were designed for people to quickly wash the sand and seawater from their bodies before heading to their cars. A teenage boy with a boogie board stood under one shower and a mother occupied the one closest to the car park, wrangling two chubby-limbed youngsters so deftly, Trent wondered if she had extra arms.
“After you,” he said, motioning for Cora to take the last unoccupied shower.
“I’ve been waiting all day for this.” Cora set her bag and sandals down next to Trent and then stripped her dress over her head.
Underneath, she wore a white bikini with little gold beads dangling from the ties at her shoulders and hips. Trent almost tripped over his own feet at the sight of it. Cora might not have ever played sports, but spin class was definitely working for her.
Her body was lean and strong, with legs that seemed to go on forever. And an ass that filled out her bikini bottoms to perfection.
Clearing his throat, he pretended to look at his phone as she strode toward the last shower. The teenage boy next to her did a double take so comical, it looked almost as if it could have been staged. Cora was oblivious, driven by the desire she’d mentioned to wash the long flight from her skin. The water streamed over her, soaking her hair and gliding over her body. Making her glisten. Streams ran in rivulets along her back, over the curve of her butt, and down the backs of her thighs.
Trent’s mouth was suddenly drier than the sandy ground beneath his feet. Lust gripped him at the base of his spine, an instant need pulsing in time with his accelerated heartbeat. He dragged his eyes away—but not quickly