The morning sun spilled through the gauzy curtains of the Hartleys’ guest bedroom, catching in Maddie’s tousled blonde hair as she stretched languidly in bed. Her body still thrummed with the electricity of the night before—Carter’s raw desire, Vanessa’s commanding touch… the kiss that lingered on her lips.

But today was hers.

Vanessa had slipped into her room that morning, kissing her bare shoulder with a smile and whispering, “Take the day off, sweetheart. You’ve earned it.”

So now Maddie stood in front of her full-length mirror, slipping into her favorite bikini—a slinky, cheeky little number in deep teal that hugged her curves like a second skin. The top barely contained the full swell of her bust, and the low-rise bottoms clung to her hips with delicate ties that swayed when she moved. She threw on a white linen cover-up and oversized sunglasses, grabbed a woven tote bag, and headed out into the sunlight.

The beach was already buzzing when she arrived—kids with sand pails, couples under umbrellas, music drifting from Bluetooth speakers. But Maddie walked like she owned the shoreline, the heat already kissing her golden skin.

She set up under a tall striped umbrella, toes digging into the warm sand as she peeled off the cover-up and stretched out on her towel. Every man within eyesight did a double-take. Her curves were impossible to miss, but it was the confidence in her sway, the slight smirk on her lips, that made her absolutely magnetic.

She had just started applying coconut-scented oil to her long, bronzed legs when a familiar voice called out.

“Maddie Demeter? No way.”

She turned—and her breath caught.

Ty and Kara. College friends. Former friends-with-benefits. Still drop-dead gorgeous.

Ty—tall, lean muscle, tousled brown hair, inked shoulder peeking out of a loose tank top. Kara—bronzed, busty, with hip-length black hair and a pierced bellybutton that drew the eye to her tight pastel bikini.

Maddie sat up and grinned. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

They embraced, laughing. And for a second, it was like no time had passed—just a sudden rush of memories: tequila shots, tangled sheets, sneaking kisses in campus stairwells.

“You look…” Kara’s eyes drifted slowly down Maddie’s body. “Even better than I remember.”

Ty gave a low whistle. “You still know how to make an entrance.”

Maddie’s smile deepened. “You two still trouble?”

“Always,” Kara purred. “Wanna join us for a swim?”

They splashed into the waves together, laughing like teenagers. Kara wrapped her arms around Maddie’s waist underwater, her breath hot against Maddie’s neck. Ty circled them like a shark, hands grazing too close to innocent.

Beneath the surface, hands roamed—subtle, teasing, deliciously wrong. Maddie’s heart pounded as Ty’s fingers traced the inside of her thigh beneath the water. Kara’s mouth brushed her shoulder. She giggled breathlessly, electricity flickering between the three of them. But before anything could ignite, a sharp whistle cut through the air.

“Hey! No funny business in the water.”

The lifeguard.

And not just any lifeguard.

He was a vision. Dark blonde hair, sun-bleached and tousled. Deep tan. Aviators. Abs carved like wood. His red trunks sat low on narrow hips, and the way he leaned on his stand with folded arms and a knowing smile… Maddie’s mouth went dry.

He watched her. And he knew.

Later, while Ty and Kara grabbed drinks, Maddie made her way up the beach, slowly, like a magnet was pulling her.

He saw her coming.

“You’re not subtle,” he said, voice low and amused.

“Neither are you,” Maddie countered, letting her eyes trail down his torso. “Do you always watch girls like that?”

“Only the ones who like being watched.”

The air between them shimmered. She leaned in slightly, whispering, “And if I do?”

He smirked. “Then I’ll be keeping a very close eye on you today.”

Maddie returned to her spot feeling flushed and alive, skin tingling. Her body already buzzed with the promise of more.

Kara and Ty returned with piña coladas and sly smiles, and before she knew it, the three of them were back under the umbrella—drinking, laughing, touching.

Kara leaned close, fingers tracing the hem of Maddie’s bikini top.

“Missed this,” she whispered. “Missed you.”

Maddie’s hand slid to Kara’s thigh, squeezing lightly. “Then don’t stop.”

As the sun dipped lower, they made their way to the changing tents—laughing like they were up to no good. Which, of course, they were.

The small canvas space barely held the three of them. Heat radiated off their skin. Kara’s lips were on Maddie’s before the door even zipped closed—soft and hungry. Ty was behind her, arms around both of them, his hands already tugging at bikini strings.

Flesh against flesh, their laughter dissolved into moans and whispers. Maddie’s back arched as warm mouths found her skin—Kara’s tongue tracing her collarbone, Ty’s lips pressing against the nape of her neck. She was a tangle of limbs, of breathless heat, of whispered names in the dark.

They emerged later, disheveled and glowing.

But the day wasn’t over.

Maddie wandered toward the lifeguard tower again just as the sun began to sink into the ocean, painting the sky in gold and rose.

He was alone now. Watching her.

She didn’t speak. Just climbed up the side like she belonged there. He stood as she reached the top, catching her waist with strong hands.

“Couldn’t stay away?”

“Didn’t want to.”

The tower swayed slightly as he pulled her close, his body hard and hot against hers. They kissed like it had been building all day. Deep, slow, devastating.

Beneath the blanket of sunset and the shadow of the tower, Maddie melted against him. His touch was confident, reverent, greedy. Her moans were stolen by the crashing waves below. His mouth explored her sun-warmed skin like a man starved.

They didn’t speak again until the stars were out and the beach was empty.

Back at her car, Maddie sat for a moment, fingers still trembling as she brushed hair from her flushed face. Her lips were swollen. Her body ached in all the right ways.

The day had started with coconut oil and sunshine.

It had ended with a tangled trio in a tent… a kiss under the stars… and a lifeguard who now had her number in his pocket.

And Maddie? She wasn’t done yet.

Maddie’s Page