Page 31 of Body Shot

“All right, everyone, welcome to Shine On Cocoa Beach.” Tawny takes the lead. “Thank you for coming today. I’m Tawny Hayes and this is my business partner and best friend, Scarlett Bodilsen. This is our shop, and we love the beach, so welcome!”

“We’re sold out for lessons,” Scarlett continues, “so please don’t ask if your boyfriend/girlfriend/driver/mom can get a turn. There’s only three of us, and each lesson is about thirty minutes.”

“We’d also like to introduce former surfing champion Jones Howard, who’ll be helping out today,” Tawny says, motioning to a middle-aged man standing next to her.

“So, we’re going to show everyone the basics together, and then we’ll take the first three names on the list.” Scarlett looks down at a clipboard. “Jordan, Aiden, and Hana.”

“Woot!” Hana holds up her hand and Aiden high fives her.

“Let’s do this!” Jordan nods.

They walk forward, and Tawny and Scarlett demonstrate how to put on the ankle strap that keeps the surfboard from floating away when you fall, and the basics of how to get up.

Yeah, that’s never going to happen.

I walk, do yoga, occasionally do some sit ups, but anything that requires speed, strength, or agility isn’t my forte.

“Don’t look like that,” Anders says. “You can’t give up before you even try.”

“Oh, I’m going to try, but I’m realistic. I don’t think there’s any chance I’m actually going to stand up on that board.”

“Shall we make a friendly bet?”

“What kind of bet?” I ask warily.

“The fun kind” He wiggles his eyebrows.

“You know I can just fall off on purpose,” I say.

“Nah, that’s too easy. So… here’s the deal. I have to execute every move they teach, perfectly.”

“Okay.”

“All you have to do is stand up. Not even fully. Even if you fall over as soon as you get up—if you stand up on the board, you win.”

“What happens if I don’t?”

“You have to do something out of your comfort zone, but something very minor. This is about having fun.” He looks around, as if making sure we’re not within earshot of the others. “I’m happy with something as simple as letting me see your boobs. I don’t even get to touch them, if that’s a hard limit for you.”

I frown, trying to quell the out of control beating of my heart. “Well, that seems like a shame. I show you my boobs and you don’t touch them?”

He laughs. “Then you come up with parameters.”

I’m hesitant but I know what I want.

It’s crazy.

He’ll probably run screaming.

No, he won’t.

I already know that.

And I smile mischievously.

“If I stand up on the board, you teach me how to give a blow job.”

ELEVEN

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