Page 51 of Reckless Hearts

Lust and desire hit me like a hammer, and my stomach flutters wildly, my thighs clenching in response. I have no idea how the hell I’m going to do this. I still have two more weeks before Maui Pipe and with Flynn staying in the guest house out back, we’re going to keep running into each other like this.

Or maybe he planned this? Coming in here, all fucking gorgeous and dangling himself in front of me with his tanned skin and ocean blue eyes. It’s not going to be long before I say fuck it and give in to everything we both want.

“Got plans tonight?” Nate asks him, and luckily for me, no one has noticed the way my mouth is hanging open, drooling on the counter, desperation seeping from every pore on my body.

“Nope. Got something in mind?”

He doesn’t look at me, and it feels intentional. Making eye contact could send us both over the edge as ridiculous as that sounds. We’re wound so damn tightly that we’re bound to snap at the littlest interaction.

“Girls’ night,” Nate quips, rolling his eyes. “Wanna hang out?”

“Yeah, for sure. Kinda need it,” Flynn says, and this is when his gaze crosses over to mine. His lips part slightly, that full bottom one looking like it’s made to be kissed. Letting out a sigh of what can only be described as distress, and I want to take all his stress away.

I’m part of that stress, though.

His phone starts to ring, and there’s that sigh again. Pulling it from his pocket, he silences it and shoves it back where it came from.

He doesn’t need to say it. I know who it is.

Jade.

Jade and all her drama.

I don’t like to think of her like this. I’m normally all for supporting women and being encouraging and shit. Not wanting to talk negatively, but with her, it’s really fucking hard. Especially when I see what it’s doing to Flynn and how miserable he looks.

She’s demanding and brash, a strange combination of spoiled and entitled but immature, like she needs Flynn not only as her coach but also as her parent. It’s weird. She is only eighteen, after all, and that’s what makes her comment about sleeping with him not only wrong but gross.

A year ago, she was a child.

So maybe I should cut her some slack.

“Meet out back around seven,” Nate tells Flynn, cutting through my thoughts and pulling Flynn away from the nightmare of his ringing phone.

“Yeah, cool,” Flynn confirms with a nod of his head.

“Oh, and I know I said it before, but thanks so much for all your help this weekend. The kids really loved having you there, and it was so cool of you to stay and give them all tips and shit.” Nate smiles, and I know the surf school program is close to his heart, just like it is mine. I don’t have any statistics on it, but I know it has improved the graduation rate and that’s exactly what we want.

“Had a great time. I’m here if you want help with anything else,” Flynn says, sounding genuinely interested.

“Speaking of, you wanna hang around the shop for a bit? I’ve got some people coming in to pick up repaired boards. The notesare in the files,” Nate starts, and before he can continue, I’m shaking my head like a complete idiot, and Nate lets out a hearty laugh.

“You okay over there, Alana?” he questions, hitting me with a confused look. If everyone in the room didn’t know that I’m obsessed with Flynn, they certainly know now.

“Yeah, I’m good, but I don’t need any help.”

It all comes out in a rush, and Flynn covers his mouth, his hand trying to hide the smirk I know is behind it. Soon our little secret is going to get out if we keep acting this way.

“It’s gonna get busy, and Sage has got to go, and I stupidly booked this meeting during our busy hours,” Nate clarifies, as if he’s trying to convince me. It won’t take much, I’m always looking for an excuse to “accidentally” end up with Flynn.

“It’s cool,” Flynn responds casually, his shoulders shrugging. “I don’t mind helping out. With Jade in town now, I’m going to be helping her train soon.”

“Yeah, saw her at Keiki Chaos,” Nate says. “Awesome that she showed up to support us.”

Before I can stop it, like it’s a reflex, I let out a half-scoff, half-laugh, and I’m really fucking things up. Could I be any more obvious?

“Sorry, I’m not even sure why I did that,” I spit out, trying to cover my own ass, but it’s too late because both Nate and Sage hit me with questioning looks.

There’s no way she was there to help support our surf school event. She was there to parade around in the hopes of being noticed. I’m pretty sure that’s her entire goal in life.

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