“I don’t have swim trunks,” Alex said, but his resistance was already waning.

“Just wear your boxers.”

He thought about protesting further, but Gemma had a point. She was always doing stuff like this, but he’d spent most of his high school career in his bedroom.

Besides, swimming would be better than waiting. And when he thought about it, it was much less creepy joining her swimming than watching her from the shore.

“Fine, but I better not cut my feet on any of the rocks,” Alex said as he slipped off his shoes.

“I promise to keep you safe and sound.” She crossed her hand over her heart to prove it.

“I’ll hold you to that.”

He pulled his shirt up over his head, and it was exactly as Gemma had imagined. His gangly frame had filled out with toned muscles that she didn’t completely understand, since he was a self-professed geek.

When he started to undo his pants, Gemma turned away to be polite. Even though she would see him in his boxers in a few seconds, it felt strange watching him take off his jeans. As if it were dirty.

“So how do we get down to the water?” Alex asked.

“Very carefully.”

She went first, stepping delicately onto the rocks, and he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance of copying her grace. She moved like a ballerina, stepping on the balls of her feet from one smooth rock to the next until she reached the water.

“There are a few sharp stones when you step in the water,” Gemma warned him.

“Thanks for the heads-up,” he mumbled and moved with as much caution as he could. Following her path, which she’d made look so easy, proved to be rather treacherous, and he stumbled several times.

“Don’t rush it! You’ll be fine if you go slow.”

“I’m trying.”

To his own surprise, he managed to make it to the water without slicing open his foot. Gemma smiled proudly at him as she waded out deeper into the bay.

“Aren’t you scared?” Alex asked.

“Of what?” She’d gone far enough into the water to lean back and swim, kicking her legs out in front of her.

“I don’t know. Sea monsters or something. The water is so dark. You can’t see anything.” Alex was now in a little over waist-deep, and truthfully, he didn’t want to go any farther.

“There’s no sea monsters.” Gemma laughed and splashed water at him. To encourage him to have fun, she decided to challenge him. “I’ll race you to the rock over there.”

“What rock?”

“That one.” She pointed to a giant gray spike of a rock that stuck out of the water a few yards from where they swam.

“You’ll beat me to it,” he said.

“I’ll give you a head start,” Gemma offered.

“How much?”

“Um … five seconds.”

“Five seconds?” Alex seemed to weigh this. “I guess maybe I could—” Instead of finishing his thought, he dove into the water, swimming fast.