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opportunity? Alyssa heard a wave coming and took the chance to end the staring contest, swimming quickly into the froth. It collapsed earlier than she thought and she was rolled along the ocean floor, salt water filling her mouth and nose. She came up spitting and coughing. Beck was immediately by her side.
    “You all right?”
    “Granny always told me not to drink the ocean.”
    Beck laughed, but still looked concerned.
    Alyssa pushed against his shoulder, loving the feel of those smooth, rounded muscles. “Of course I’m all right. Race you out there.” She dove into the water and swam for the deeper part of the ocean. Beck was unreal. He appeared to sincerely care, he was fun to be with, and he was very easy on the eyes. She needed to be very, very careful. The different men who’d tried to claim her over the years had taught her to be vigilant, especially when someone seemed too good to be true.
    They body surfed the rolling waves for a while until Granny Ellie called from the beach, waving cups of ice cream. Swimming side by side, Alyssa glanced over at Beck. She loved the way he looked with his strong body and handsome face, but she liked the way he treated her and Granny even more. She stood in the shallow waves and he immediately offered his elbow. Alyssa leaned against him as they slogged their way through the sand to Granny Ellie.
    “I wasn’t sure how to keep it cold while I walked back, so you have melted cream instead of ice cream,” Granny handed them each a cup after they toweled off.
    “Still tastes good,” Beck said, drinking his cup of strawberry cheesecake.
    “Your cheek seems to like it too.” Alyssa laughed.
    Beck looked confused. She reached over and wiped the pink smear from his cheek. Beck captured her hand with his palm and licked the melted ice cream off of her finger. Alyssa almost melted herself until he turned and spit.
    “Salt,” he managed, grabbing a water bottle from the cooler and taking a long drink.
    Alyssa and Granny Ellie laughed.
    “Now that was romantic,” Granny said.
    Beck blushed and drank more water. Alyssa scooped the chocolate chunks up and savored the richness of dark chocolate. Granny had been joking about it being romantic, but the warmth of his tongue on her finger had done crazy things to her insides.
    “I want to be buried in the sand.” Granny stood and walked away from their chairs until she found a nice open spot.
    Beck leaned close to Alyssa. “She’s joking, right?”
    “Who knows? Hopefully she means just for fun and not her actual burial site.”
    Beck had just taken another drink, but started laughing at her comment. The laugh turned to a cough as he inhaled the water. Alyssa lifted his left arm. “Take a deep breath,” she instructed.
    His coughing calmed but they stayed in the awkward position of her holding his much thicker arm aloft and staring at each other. Alyssa was having crazy thoughts like wanting to run her fingers down his arm and maybe tickle the side of his chest.
    “I’m ready for my burial,” Granny Ellie called from the beach.
    Alyssa dropped Beck’s arm and stood.
    Beck strode to Granny’s side. “We have to do this right.” He used his forearm to scoop out sand until there was a nice depression, then formed a sort of pillow on the end. “Lay in that.”
    Granny Ellie obeyed. Alyssa and Beck started scooping sand over her small frame.
    “I never knew this was how you wanted to be laid to rest,” Alyssa said, trying not to laugh at the image they were making. Two adults covering a tiny elderly woman in sand like they were all a bunch of children.
    “Just burn me when I croak,” Ellie said, closing her eyes and seeming to enjoy the sand covering her. “And only a quick service. I hate the blubbering at funerals. Oh, and lots of yummy food. Feed everybody.”
    “I was joking.” Alyssa’s joy evaporated as she imagined really burying her beloved grandmother. She’d be so alone, but Granny wasn’t going anywhere