Until the Sun Burns Out Read Online Free PDF Page B

strong it was like a windstorm tearing through my insides.
    Grunting, I turned away from him and marched into the water. I’d show him I could bodysurf better than anyone out here. I’d make him eat his words. With my gaze trained on Luca and the wave that was coming at him, my toe hit something solid, causing my body to lurch forward. The water came at me hard and fast, smacking me in the face. I barely had time to register what happened before I went under.
    Well, that went well.
    The freezing water encompassed me as I fell to the shallow dirt below. After getting a mouthful of sand, I pressed the ground with my palms and hoisted myself up. When I came out of the water, the first thing I heard was Austin’s laughter. My blood boiled. Wiping sand from the front of my bathing suit, I whirled around, narrowing my eyes.
    “What is your problem?” I asked him.
    The laughter ceased, but I could still read the amusement in his eyes. “What is your problem? I’m just having fun.”
    “At my expense,” I pointed out, spitting sand out of my mouth. Eww. Gross.
    Even Austin winced a little at that, which only made it more embarrassing. Frantically, I wiped it off with the back of my hand.
    “You do give me a lot of ammunition.” His gaze flickered down my sand-covered body as if to emphasize the point. I wanted to shoot back something pithy about him, but I couldn’t come up with anything. There was nothing funny about his appearance. In fact, he sort of looked like he belonged in some kind of teen magazine about celebrities on the beach with his muscled chest and navy swim trunks riding low on his waist.
    Glancing behind me, I caught Luca riding a wave. At least he hadn’t seen me fall or I’d have them both laughing at me.
    “I’m glad you find me so amusing,” I said dryly, pushing past him. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get cleaned up.” Mud dripping from my body, I made my way back to where Dad was lying out on his towel reading a book. When I got closer, his head bobbed up and his eyes widened.
    “Mina, are you okay?”
    “I’m fine,” I brushed away his concern.
    “She just got in a little fight with the ocean.” I flinched at the sound of Austin’s voice, not realizing that he’d followed me. “Hi, Sir.” Moving around me, he thrust his hand toward my dad. “I’m Austin.”
    Dad pinned him with a curious stare while taking his hand. “I’m Paul, but you can call me Mr. Kincaid.”
    “Nice to meet you, Mr. Kincaid.” Austin flashed Dad a charming smile.
    I rolled my eyes. What was he doing?
    “My parents rent a summer house just down the way a little bit.” With his index finger, he indicated which direction. “We come here every summer.”
    Dad nodded in a way that told me he was warming up to Austin. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. But I was more concerned with getting all the dirt off of myself, so ignoring them, I yanked my towel out of my beach bag and started wiping mud from my skin.
    “I just bought the house back there.” Dad turned, pointing to his beach house.
    “Cool. I remember the last family who lived there. Older couple,” Austin said.
    Luca waved and hollered something unintelligible to us from where he splashed around in the waves. Dad’s gaze slid over Austin’s shoulder. “Um…you two will have to excuse me. I’m going to go see what Luca wants.” After he stood up, he looked at Austin. “It was nice to meet you,” he said before walking off.
    Once he was gone, I turned to Austin, my eyebrows knitting together. “What was that about?”
    “I introduced myself to your dad.” His tone was flippant, nonchalant.
    “Why?” I asked. A kid threw a Frisbee past my head, and I turned right in time to see his dog catch it in his mouth.
    “Cause I wanted to meet him,” Austin spoke slowly as if I didn’t understand the concept.
    “Did I ask you to meet him?” I questioned, exasperated. He laughed, and it caused frustration to burn through