“Um…” His voice was muffled, face still pressed between her breasts. He pulled back slowly and gazed up at her. “Do you feel like we’re being watched?”

Julia blanched. When they’d chased after the bikini bandit, they’d gotten so far away from the crowd she’d all but forgotten anyone else was on the beach.

“Though I do suppose turnabout is fair play,” he mused.

“Huh?” Julia followed the direction of his gaze. “Oh.”

Two sets of beady black eyes stared at them.

“Well, this is awkward.”

“Very,” he agreed.

“What should we do?”

“You don’t think they’re expecting us to continue, do you?” Luke asked. “I don’t perform well in front of an audience.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” she joked, feeling a little slaphappy. This whole situation was too bizarre. “Do you want to try and steal back the bikini top?”

Luke kept his gaze trained on the birds, as if afraid that they’d pounce the second he looked away. “I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”

“We should have grabbed it earlier, when they were … distracted.”

“That would have been a good plan.” he agreed, smile going lopsided. “But then we, uh, got distracted too.”

We did indeed. Julia tried to ignore the pulse of residual heat between her legs, where she still straddled him. “What’s the new plan?”

“Depends,” Luke said.

“On what?”

“On how mad your friend will be if we don’t get her top back.”

“I’ll buy her a new one.”

“In that case, I hope you don’t mind my distinct lack of heroism.” He met her gaze, lips quirking as he acknowledged his own cowardice. “I recommend we gracefully retreat.”

She grinned, equally spineless. “Works for me.”

Julia wasn’t sure how graceful they were, but somehow they both managed to get untangled and on their feet without much fuss. Slowly backing away from the still staring birds, Julia barely resisted the urge to put a protective hand over her eye sockets. After a moment, when the seagulls didn’t react, she and Luke turned around and started the trek back.

They’d been walking for a few minutes when she couldn’t help asking, “Do you think that was really what they were doing?” She glanced at him. “Before?”

“I’d rather not think about it.” A playful smirk flashed across his face. “But I admit, my internet search history is going to be especially weird tonight.”

Julia laughed.

Luke reached for her hand, fingers entwining with hers.

I love your laugh. His words echoed in her mind and her heart squished in her chest like a big, fluffy marshmallow.

A shadow passed overhead.

“Uh-oh,” Luke warned, interrupting her happy musings. “The bandit is back.”

No sooner had Luke said that, then the seagull swooped down, landing in front of them.