A week of fun, nothing more.
“You ready?” he asked, eagerness in his tone. “Hold on.”
He was pushing them forward as a huge breaker rose like an impenetrable wall behind them.
Leah gripped the board, excitement warring with anticipation and fear.
“Don’t let go,” he shouted, paddling rapidly with his arms. “Whatever you do, hold on and I’ll give you the ride of your fucking life.”
She didn’t doubt it and gripped the board until her knuckles hurt.
“Here we go.”
They were rising, the rush of water lifting them upward. A huge force racing forward.
Carter leaped to his feet, a slight jostle, and then they were riding the wave.
She let out a whoop. It was so exhilarating. The spray-laced wind caught on her skin. She felt so alive, on top of the world.
Carter was taking them parallel to the shore, urging the board to stay with the wave and balancing it perfectly.
“You like it?” he shouted.
“Love it!”
He kept on going. In the distance, the roller was cresting, a long tunnel of perfect blue topped with icing sugar white.
And then their perfect wave was breaking, crashing in on itself in a wild act of self-destruction.
“Jump,” he yelled.
Leah had no choice. The board had been caught by the tumbling water. She was launched to the right and plunged beneath the surface.
For a moment, she panicked, but then put her feet down and realized she could touch the sand. Standing quickly, she surfaced, laughing.
He was right beside her, the board caught behind him by the ankle leash. He shot out his arm and wrapped it around her. “You okay?”
“Yes. Yes. That was amazing.” She was smiling so hard her cheeks hurt.
He grinned. “Yeah, it was a good one.” He pulled her closer, his hard chest connecting with hers. “Are you hooked?”
She stared into his eyes, bluer than the ocean and sky combined. “Yes. I am.”
“That’s what I hoped you’d say.” He dipped his head and kissed her. Waves continued to rush around their legs, ebbing and flowing. The sun beat down, the gulls screeched, but all Leah was aware of was that she’d never been as happy as she was at this moment.
And it was all because of Carter. Hooked on surfing, maybe. Hooked on him … most definitely.
They surfed for an hour, until Leah was exhausted and her shoulders in need of more sun lotion.
Sitting in the shade of the balcony, wrapped in a towel, she watched Carter stow the board away.
He stepped onto the balcony and dropped his trunks to the floor, then kicked them to one side.
She giggled. “Someone might see you.”
He shrugged and reached for a beach towel. “Then they’ll get a treat.”
She laughed harder.