I did not want to fear my emotions. I wanted to embrace them.

All memories about this beach drifted away until only one remained in my thoughts. Stone and I and the kiss.

There was no point in trying to deny it to myself anymore. I felt for Stone.

More than an aqcenemy or even a friend.

The thought made me want to run away and never come back.

It was then that I noticed that both males were standing behind us.

I hoped that he had not heard me, but I was starting to guess that he had heard the conversation. The evidence to back up my suspicion was his smug face.

My decision to go with them to the beach now did not seem like a good one. I was meant to be convincing everyone else and myself that I did not like Stone.

I could not do that if I was too busy staring at the tattooed bare chest.

Stone had an extremely effortless talent to be sinfully seductive. He just stood there and was naturally irresistible. Maybe it was his good looks or his mysterious aura. Maybe it was his artistic tattoos or his toned body. Maybe it was him as a person. A secret nerd that was funny and challenged me in every way possible.

Maybe it was all the reasons and so much more.

I could also feel his gaze on me. His eyes travelled from my being in contact with mine to my lips and then to my two-piece black bikini.

I felt bare under his watch. It was like he always knew what I was thinking about.

He shook out of his trance like state and came to sit down next to me.

Brennan sat down at the other side of me as he grinned "See, Little Ella. This is so much more fun than tutoring that asshole, Chase."

Flipping him off, I replied "What is your problem with Chase? I don't get what he has done to you."

"He has not done anything to me," Brennan admitted, "but I have to support my guy, Stone."

"How nice." I deadpanned before I turned to Stone and asked, "And what is your great reason to hate him?"

The expression of disbelief from lunchtime had returned.

He grumbled his response. It was too low and too quiet that there was no way Lana and Brennan could hear it "You know why."

I shook off the need to ask more on what he meant by that and told Brennan "It was actually Lana that tried to push me and Chase together at the start."

Brennan went wide-eyed in shock as he looked at her "Why would you do that?"

"I thought it was a good idea." Lana held her hands up "I thought Ella was lonely and needed somebody."

"Hey!" I reached out and swatted her arm "I am a pretty cool person on my own."

"Of course, you are." She agreed, her tone the opposite of sarcastic.