“What did you do?”
“Dad made sure everything was taken care of. I sold the house when I was twenty-one. I went to college. I’ve got a degree in business and technology. When I passed, I got into bikes, somehow stumbled upon The Lions. The rest is it. You know the rest.”
“You’ve not had an easy life.”
“No one has an easy life, Lacey. You’ve not had an easy one, and neither have I. Shit happens.”
“Do you miss them?” she asked.
“Sometimes. I miss how easy life seemed to be then. They made all the decisions, and I just went with whatever they wanted.” Whizz hadn’t given them much of a thought in the last few years.
“What was your brother’s name?” she asked.
“Billy. He hated the name, but Mom and Dad loved it.”
“Billy and Adam?”
“Yep.” He smiled at his name.
“I think I like Whizz a little more.”
He released the strand of hair and moved to sink his fingers into the full length of her hair.
“Kiss me,” he said.
Whizz pulled her close until he hovered above her lips. He wanted to taste her, to touch her and know they were both alive to tell the tale. She opened up to his invading tongue, and he dived in.
He swallowed down her moans, relishing every sensation she inspired.
When he pulled away, he rested his head against hers.
“Come on, let’s go for a swim.”
“I’ve got no swimsuit,” she said.
“So? I’ll buy you an extra pair of clothes.” He grabbed her hand. “Come on, Lacey. This was supposed to be about fun, not sadness.”
****
“Hold on.” Lacey bent down to untie her laces, kicking off her shoes. Whizz did the same. His story had been a sad one. She couldn’t imagine a boy who looked like Whizz being given the news. He was a strong man who kept a great deal locked up inside.
When she finished with her shoes, she ran down with him to the sea. The moment she hit the water, Lacey screamed. The water was cold.
Whizz was right behind her. “No, you don’t.”
He started to push her further into the water.
She screamed, laughing as she tried to fight him. At one point she managed to break free of his hold but not for long as Whizz caught her up against him.
“You’re not going anywhere.” He lifted her up in his arms and started walking further out to the ocean.
“No, Whizz, no.” She tried to pull out of his arms.
“I can’t hear you.”
“Don’t you dare, Whizz. I swear if I go into that water you’re going to regret it.” Not long after she spoke the words he dropped her in the ocean.
Lacey didn’t let him get away. She grabbed onto his legs and pulled him under with her.
Together they broke the surface, laughing. His face changed with the happiness. There was no darkness reflected in his eyes. He looked so happy. This was what she wanted to do for him, to help him find that glow for life. He made her feel exactly the same, and she didn’t want to lose that.
Flicking water at his face, she pushed her hair off her face.
“I’m so not happy with you right now.” She tried to glare but failed as he caught her close.
“I can make you happy with me,” he said.
“No, you can’t.” Again, she went to glare at him. One of his hands moved between her thighs, stroking her through her trousers. “That’s cheating,” she said, gasping.
He shook his head. “It’s not cheating. I’m using all the tools at my disposal to get what I want. What I want is you, Lacey.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts to his hard chest.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“I’m right where I want to be.”
Lacey wouldn’t let any of the memories or guilt invade their moment. When she was with Whizz, he made her want to be a better person.
“I love you,” she said, whispering the words against his lips. “You’re the first man I’ve ever said that to.”
“Funny, you’re the first woman I’ve said that to.”
“We broke each other’s love cherry.” She nipped at his lip, not wanting this moment to end.
“It’s a good job I left the phone back on the beach.”
His change in conversation made her laugh. She flung her head back, chuckling.
“You’re completely insane, Whizz.
He took possession of her lips once again making her moan.
“Eww, they’re kissing, Daddy.”
A young girl with her father passed them by. They were paddling on a surf board together.
“Honey, leave them.”
“Sorry,” Lacey said, burying her head against Whizz’s neck.
“It’s all right. Sorry about my daughter.”
They passed, and when they were far enough away Lacey groaned. “I can’t believe that just happened,” she said.
“It happened.” He kept kissing her.
Together they stayed in the water for a good twenty or thirty minutes. Lacey didn’t care how long they were in the water. She loved every second of her time with Whizz. He knew how to have fun. They walked out of the ocean, completely soaked through. She collapsed onto the blanket, groaning as Whizz’s cell phone went off.
She handed it to him, staring up as he looked at the screen.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Nothing. It’s just the club. They can’t seem to handle me being away.”
Lacey smiled. “You’re the whizz of the club. Tiny probably wants you to find something to dig on Ned.”
He collapsed beside her, pulling her in close. “The club can wait.”
Whizz held the phone up for her to see. He switched it off, disconnecting them from Fort Wills. They were finally alone.
The time at the beach went by so fast. Lacey loved every second. After they took a little breather on the sand, they went back into the ocean for a swim. At some point Whizz was pulled into a game of ball where they hit a ball over the net. She sat and watched him, cheering him on when he beat the other team.
When he joined her back at their pitch, he groaned. “I’m starving.”
“Thank God. I thought it was only me,” she said, laughing. “I’m starving, Whizz.”
“Come on. Let’s go and get something to eat.”
They packed up their blankets, carrying them under their arms.
“Did you have fun today?” he asked.