Page 150 of Between the Lines

He hums. “No regrets after last night?”

I look out the window. “For telling you everything?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe. I haven’t really decided how I feel about it.”

He chuckles, and it amazes me again, how easy everything is with him. “All right. Well, let me know when you do.”

And that’s that. Without saying a word, I somehow know we won’t talk about it again until I’m ready.

“Tell me about the house.”

“It’s by the ocean in Malibu. Dad lost it in the divorce, and my mom doesn’t want to stay there much. She mostly stays at her place up in Sonoma. She loves it there, and it gets her far away from the social circles down here.”

We pass tall palm trees lining the residential streets and the beautiful greenery flanking Canyon Road, and eventually, the ocean starts to peak on the horizon. Aiden has the radio on and his hand on my knee. I feel the sun and hum along to the notes of a song, leaving the receding city and all the obligations that come with it behind.

And the complications that exist between us.

They also fade away into the distance.

Aiden pulls up to a large wrought iron metal gate. It’s anchored to a stone wall so high, I can’t see what’s behind it.

I peer out. “Thisis where you grew up?”

“Yes.” There’s a smile in his voice. He taps in a code, and the gate swings open for us, revealing a curved stone driveway. The large house is white with blue shutters on the windows. Beachy, huge, and nestled right by the beach.

He parks, and I exit the car just to marvel at the place.

“How,” I breathe when he joins me, “could you ever leave this place? Your mom’s house in Sonoma must be insane to beat this.”

He wraps his arm around my waist and kisses my temple. “Come on. The back is the best part.”

He’s not lying. The porch opens up to a large deck, a terraced backyard, and then nothing but the beach and the deep blue ocean.

I set down my bag with a dull thump. “Oh my god.”

Aiden changed his suit for a pair of navy slacks and a short-sleeved T-shirt, with a pair of square sunglasses on his face.

He looks painfully handsome. Athletic and likehimself,the version he is when no none is looking. With the sun on his face and broad shoulders, he’s ready to move.

“Chaos,” he says and holds out a hand in my direction. “Let’s get in the water.”

“In the water?”

His smile widens. “Let me show you how to surf.”

The air is warm, the water cold. It’s a beautiful day on the waves, and I can’t believe he has access to this. That he could do this every day if he wanted to.

Judging from the content look on his face, I bet he’d like to, as well.

I’ve surfed only once before and was terrible at it. I’m not great now either, but Aiden doesn’t seem to mind. I borrow a spare wetsuit, and we stick closer to shore than the professional surfers riding the bigger waves further out.

“Why don’t you do this every day?” I ask him.

A wave crashes over us. The water sparkles, and I taste salt on my tongue. I grin at him, and he grins back.

“What did you say?” he calls.

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