Was it a beautiful day? Definitely not.

Simon disliked only two things in his life - noisy places and hot days. And the beach where Captain Price dragged their team, as luck would have it, combined these two criteria.

Bloody hell.

Simon was wearing black sweat shorts and a balaclava on his face. No, he won't take it off, don't even ask. Their group was in the USA because of the mission and, after its completion, Price invited everyone to the beach because they were in California. And because his wife, Laura, who is seven months pregnant, wanted to bathe because she was hot. A sensible woman, Simon respected her for that.

The beach was full of people – couples with children running around the sand and building castles, surfers and teenage boys who thought their skinny bodies were the peak of their form, as well as women who were almost asleep lying under the scorching sun.

Fucking bonkers.

Simon stood near the water, watching as Price gently led his wife into the water. Family. Someday he'll have one too. His large two-storey house in Manchester will be filled with warmth and comfort, the smell of delicious food, constant voices, children's laughter and women's perfume. Someday...

"Oh, I'm really sorry!"

Simon jerked slightly to the side when someone brushed against his side. It didn't even hurt, just a simple touch. And then he saw her. His hazel eyes were fixed on the figure of this woman. She was wearing a bold two-piece swimsuit with a black and white skull pattern. The top features a halter back tie, and the bottoms are high-waisted, creating a striking and edgy look. She was... Damn, she was beautiful.

What's going on with you, is this the first time you've seen a woman?