„How did we make this? I mean… touring and performing for months… over and over again. How on earth we survived that?“ Josh asked, while catching his breath. 

He just finished his Tabata workout and was lying at his mat next to Lance. 

„It’s twenty years ago, Dude.“ Lance said, also being exhausted but not that much as Josh. 

„Are we really that old?“ Josh said frustrated. 

„We’re not old but different people now. Look at me. I got two babies. I never expected getting to that point. Life is a serious thing now. But in a good way.“ Lance said. 

„Talking about serious… Eve and I had that talk…“ Josh announced.

Lance raised his eyebrows, turning into his direction. He knew about what happened since New Year’s Eve. Josh kept him and Michael in the loop.  

„Means?“

„She’s struggling with the fact that she’s working for me now. But she said we can date as long as we keep things casual.“

„What is casual?“ Lance asked curiously. 

„Dunno…“

„You don’t know?!“ 

„I was relieved that she agreed dating me. The rest was not that important to me at this point.“ 

„But what if things turn hot?“

„I’ll let her doing the first step.“

„Wise man.“ 

Josh chuckled. 

„Is this something serious, C? Because when I see that disturbing smile in your face, I really have the feeling you just found your perfect match.“

„It is. That’s why I can’t screw this up. If she wants keeping things casual until she finishes my house, we will keep things casual.“

„Whatever that means.“ Lance smirked.

„Whatever that means.“ Josh replied, smiling back. 

Lucy was a tall woman with a sporty body shape. She was 41 years old, but she definitely looked younger. Her chocolate brown hair was short and her eyes pretty green. She was confident and independent, never scared trying something new. But what Eve loved most about her best friend was that she was caring and loyal. Lucy was her big sister she never had. 

Both women were having breakfast at a small cafe in Santa Monica downtown with Mateo on Sunday morning. They were sitting outside at the terrace, enjoying fresh coffee and their dishes.

„So, today is the big day.“ Mateo finally said, as they didn’t talk about Eve and Josh, yet. 

„Yap.“ Eve replied, immediately starting grinning from one ear to another. 

„Where do you meet?“ Mateo continued asking.

„He will pick me up at noon and we’re going to Venice.“ Eve explained. 

„The most burning question is, what will you wear?“ Lucy asked next.

„It’s a beach. So, after thinking about it over and over again I finally decided I’m gonna wear a bikini. Surprise, Surprise!“ Eve said sarcastically. 

„Your bikinis suck.“ Lucy answered.

„Excuse me?!“ Eve said outraged.

„You have a black one. And you have a navy one. Oh! And one with crazy pink polka dots. Unfortunately no one of those deserves being called sexy. In any kind.“ Lucy teased. 

„What?! And you tell me this now?!“ Eve complained. 

„Jeeeeez… are you saying that woman has no appropriate outfit for her beach date?“ Mateo asked, acting deeply concerned. 

„Nope.“ Lucy replied. 

„Okay. Eat faster! We need to go shopping!“ Eve said nervously. 

The doorbell rang. Lucy opened up, waiting impatiently for Josh arriving upstairs. 

„Hey, stranger.“ She said, when he entered the apartment.

„Hey. You must be Lucy.“ Josh said, smiling friendly and gave her a short hug in the next moment.

She hugged him back and then scanned him from head to toe. 

Josh was wearing beige Bermuda shorts over his swim shorts, a simple white t-shirt and white sneakers. His navigator glasses were plugged into his wide v-neck.

„You look handsome.“ She said. 

Josh was surprised that she was so openminded. 

„Well, thank you. You do as well.“

Lucy smiled. 

„Your girl isn’t ready, yet.“

Josh continued smiling and raised his eyebrows. 

„Is she my girl, yet? I’m just asking.“ 

„Oh boy… you have no idea what you’re doing to her, hm?“ Lucy smirked.

„What am I doing to her?“ He asked curiously. 

„A lot. But mainly you make her pretty happy and that’s why I really like you.“ 

„Hey ehm… you have a very interesting accent.“ Josh said next, changing the subject. 

„I’m Polish.“

„You, too?“ He asked surprised.

„Wait, did she tell you she’s Polish? Because she’s not.“

Josh looked irritated. 

„Of course I am.“ Eve said, coming out of her bedroom in the same moment. 

She was wearing a denim short skirt, a white crop top and a new red bikini. She was also wearing a long white Cardigan and nude flip flops. Her hair was put together into a messy bun. Her usual make-up was reduced to some mascara and bronzer on her cheeks. 

„Being born there doesn’t make you Polish. You never lived there.“ Lucy teased.

„That’s Lucy, by the way. My charming friend.“ Eve said to Josh, to interrupt their silly fight. 

„I know.“ Josh replied smiling. 

„She bought a new bikini for you.“ Lucy continued teasing. 

„You forced me.“ Eve replied.

„No. I just said the swimwear you’re having isn’t sexy.“

„Is the new bikini sexy?“ Josh asked.

Eve flushed. 

„You’ll find out soon.“ Lucy replied, smiling dirty now. 

„Okay, time to go.“ Eve said, being embarrassed.

She grabbed her beach bag, kissed Lucy’s cheek briefly and left the apartment with Josh.

„I’m sorry. Lucy is a lot sometimes.“ Eve said, when they’ve been sitting in Josh’s Jeep.

„I like her.“ Josh replied, smiling calmly.

„Ya. Me, too.“ She said, smiling back. 

„And I like you didn’t cover your adorable freckles today.“ He complimented her. 

„Really?“ She asked shyly.

„Really.“

Venice Beach was crowded as it was an unusual hot day for January. Eve and Josh made themselves comfortable at a big beach towel. Josh brought a backpack full of snacks and beverages for them. 

He put off his shirt and his Bermuda shorts and lay down at the towel. 

„So… it’s showtime for the bikini.“ Eve said.

„I can’t wait for the bikini.“ Josh replied, smiling. 

Eve put her clothes off as well and lay down next to him at the towel. She was confident showing herself almost naked in front of him as there was nothing he didn’t see before.

„For the record: It’s not the bikini who’s sexy. You are.“ Josh said. 

Eve flushed and covered her face with her hands. 

„You really need to stop embarrassing me.“ She complained half seriously. 

„But I like when you flush.“ 

Eve smiled all over her face. She put her big sunglasses out of her bag and put them on. He did the same with his glasses. Then they lay next to each other for a while, enjoying the sun. Eve grabbed his hand to feel his skin on hers, even if this were just their hands. Josh played with her fingers. He needed all his strength to behave. In his mind he was lying on top of her and kissing her dizzy. 

Eve’s thoughts were quite the same. She was wondering why on earth she made that stupid rules. Doing the first step was difficult enough. But under this circumstances she felt even more nervous to cross the line. 

„Did you bring something with alcohol?“ She asked him. 

„Ehm… no… this is California, we can’t drink at the beach…“

„Oh… ya… I forgot…“

„What is going on in your head?“ He wanted to know. 

„I won’t tell.“ She said, again turning red. 

„Why not?“ He asked, grinning cheeky.

„Because I have a very dirty mind, Josh.“ She confessed. 

„That’s interesting.“ He replied, grinning a little brighter now. „May I guess, then?“ 

Eve smiled all over her face. 

„Sure.“ She said. 

„You wanna kiss me. But you don’t know how to manage that because you said we should keep it casual.“

„Good lord! Can he read your mind or what is happening here?“ Eve thought, getting deeply excited. 

„Well.“ She said and made a short break before moving on. 

„Technically we didn’t define what casual exactly means, right?“ 

„Absolutely.“ Josh answered, his cheeks again hurting from smiling. 

„Do you want me to kiss you, Josh?“ 

„I can’t think of anything else.“ He confessed. 

Eve’s heart was beating out of control now. Her butterflies left her tummy and spread out in her whole body. 

She put off her glasses and he did as well. Slowly she moved her head towards his. Josh’s breath was deep. She was so close now that she could feel it on her skin.

„Do you think we can stop once we started?“ She whispered excitingly.

„No.“ He replied. 

Both grinned dirty, before she finally closed their gap and kissed him. He tasted so good. Josh was lying on his back. Eve was lying close to him on her belly, her upper body being slightly above his. He touched her face with his free hand gently, while their tongues met and explored each other. 

Eve pressed her thighs together, as she was getting wet. She broke their kiss in the next moment, staring hungrily into his eyes.

„Josh… we don’t have this under control.“ 

„We?“ He teased. 

„Okay. I am not having this under control.“ She corrected herself. 

He didn’t care much about her concerns and kissed her again. He was her heroin. She was completely addicted to him, longing for more. 

„Okay… I see your point… this is really getting too hot…“ Josh whispered into her mouth, interrupting their kiss. 

Then he raised his upper body a little bit, lay on his side and looked into her direction.

Eve turned on her side as well and stroke his face gently. 

„What you do to me is unreal…“ She said, staring back deep into his beautiful blue eyes. 

„Lucy mentioned something similar. What exactly does it mean?“ He asked curiously. 

„Lucy mentioned something similar?“ She asked in disbelief. 

„Yes.“

„What else did she say?“

„That I make you happy.“ He answered. 

Eve smiled all over her face now. 

„I shouldn’t have left you alone with that crazy chick.“ Eve joked. 

„Was she lying to me?“

Eve shook her head and made him immediately smile again. But then Josh’s mood suddenly changed, after glancing at the boardwalk.

„Is something wrong?“ Eve asked irritated, seeing his concerned face. 

„We need to leave.“ He answered.