You should’ve known better than to step out in that outfit.

The moment you twirled out into the sun, all red ruffles, bare skin, and dangerous curves, his gaze locked on you like you were the only person in the universe. He froze mid-breath, eyes widening, jaw clenching, as if you had just committed treason against the make population, a crime punishable by… well, whatever wicked thoughts were now running through his head.

But before you could even tease him for staring, he swooped in, the overprotective gremlin inside of him woke up..he stood behind with the type of shoulders that could block the sun itself.

You froze, smile faltering, that's when you know, you stepped into the territory of a sleeping shark.. Now fully awake.

You barely had time to gasp before his hands found your waist, warm and firm, pulling you close.

“You planning on walking around like this?” he murmured, his voice low enough for only you to hear.

You opened your mouth to answer, but instead, you felt the soft tug of fabric sliding over your head before you even realized what he was doing. He zipped it up with maddening calm, his fingers brushing along your collarbone as he finished, then patted your shoulder like he had done a good deed.

You stood there, blinking, like… did he just wardrobe-change you in public?

“Too much sun,” he said, smiling now, though his eyes told another story, one of sharp possessiveness and quiet challenge, ready to send any man looking in your direction speeding to space or crying to their mama.

It took a second for the heat in your cheeks to shift from embarrassment to indignation. Then you snapped.

You launched yourself after him, tiny fists and flying bracelets, pounding at his back in rage, your feet kicking up sand like a furious cartoon character.

"Too much sun?!! Too much sun my ass! This is my new swinsuit! You cannot do this you overgrown bafoon!”

He just laughed, that deep, infuriating laugh, while you punched at him and threatened bodily harm.

And then… the idea hit you.

You stopped suddenly, smiled sweetly and wrapped your arms around his neck. His grin faltered just enough for you to hook your legs around his waist.

“What are you—”

Too late. You clung tighter, leaned in as if you were going to kiss him… and then shouted loud enough for nearby beachgoers to hear: “Catch me if you can!”

Except you didn’t run. You dragged him. Straight into the shallows of a secluded cove.

He tried to twist away, but you were relentless, using your full body weight and the element of surprise. The water hit his calves. His knees. Then—

SPLASH.

When he surfaced, hair plastered to his face, he looked half-annoyed, half in love.

“You’re impossible,” he said.

You smirked, tugging at the zipper of his pants underwater. “Better.”

Just like that, somewhere between the wrestling and his smug smirk, you realized two things: One, you weren’t getting to wear anything this gremlin deemed poison to the eyes, without a fight.

Two, the inhabitants of the water were probably going to have a show that was not pg13 approved and their little minds would get confused.