Page 58 of Daddy Down Under

“And this”—he ran his hand sensually down the length of a longer, thinner board—“is for when you’re ready to ride the big waves.”

His gaze flicked up to meet mine, and a thrill that had nothing to do with the upcoming lesson shot through my veins.

“Let’s start with the first one, shall we?” I asked, my voice a little hoarser than I liked.

Ocean flashed me a knowing grin. “Smart choice.”

We started on the sand, where he had me kneel on the surfboard and then jump up to my knees. The first time I tried, I ended up on my ass in the sand. The damn thing was still on dry land. How the hell did he expect me to pull this off? But Ocean never made fun of me. Instead, he corrected my posture until he felt I got it right.

Then it was time to paddle. I took a deep breath, steeling myself as I waded into the water with the surfboard clutched awkwardly under my arm. The cool waves lapped at my thighs, a welcome reprieve after the hot sand. Ocean glided effortlessly beside me, looking every bit the surf god he was.

Ocean knelt in the shallow water, holding the board steady as he guided me onto it. I straddled the rigid foam, my heart pounding from anticipation and nerves. He stood behind me, his hands on my hips and his body pressed against mine, sending shivers through me even in the cold water.

“Relax,” he purred in my ear, his warm breath tickling my neck. “I’ve got you, baby.”

“I-I’m trying,” I stammered, my grip on the board so tight my knuckles whitened. If he wanted me to concentrate, he really had to stop standing so goddamn close to me.

He chuckled, his laughter like a soothing balm on my frazzled nerves. “That’s better. Now, when I say go, I want you to paddle. You hear me?”

For the first few minutes, I was too busy frantically checking for sharks to do anything else, but then he forced me to focus and taught me how to paddle. That was a lot harder than it looked—and it explained why his arms were in such excellent shape.

“Oh, that’s good,” he praised, and my treacherous insides lit up like fireworks. I was such a slut for praise. “We’ll have you riding waves in no time.”

After about half an hour, my muscles were screaming, I’d choked down salty seawater more times than I cared to think about, and I was exhausted. “We’re done for today, right?” I asked as we headed back to shore.

“Nah, but we will take a break.”

I dragged myself onto the beach, letting Ocean take care of the surfboard. Seriously, that thing could drift off to New Zealand for all I cared. I was wiped.

When I made it to the spot where we’d dropped our stuff, I collapsed on the towels Ocean had laid out, my chest heaving as I released a laugh despite everything. My muscles ached in places I hadn’t known existed, but somehow, I was still having fun. Imagine that.

“Look at you.” Ocean’s voice carried over the sound of crashing waves as he jogged toward me. “Surfing like a pro and laughing like a kid. It’s a good look on you.”

I propped myself up on my elbows. Ocean looked like a bronze god. Droplets meandered down his smooth chest, and despite having had my fill of saltwater, I wanted to lick them off. “A pro? I think your standards might be a bit low.”

Ocean dropped beside me. He rummaged through the big bag he’d brought and offered a bottle of water. “Here, hydrate before you turn into a raisin. And my standards are fine, thank you very much. You did great for your first time, paddling those waves like they owed you money.”

I gratefully accepted the bottle, our fingers brushing momentarily. Even that small touch sent a jolt through me. “Thanks. Though I think it was more like the waves were collecting on a debt. I swallowed half the ocean out there.”

Ocean’s laugh was rich and warm. “That’s all part of the experience. You’re not a real surfer until you’ve tasted your fair share of saltwater.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I definitely qualify.”

I grinned back at him, caught up in his infectious energy.

Ocean’s voice softened. “Hey, turn over for a sec. You’re starting to look a little pink.”

I obliged, rolling onto my stomach. I heard the snap of a bottle cap, and then Ocean’s hands were on my back, smoothing cool sunscreen over my skin. “Wouldn’t want that billion-dollar skin of yours to burn,” he teased, his fingers working deftly across my shoulders.

I let out a small groan as his thumbs found a knot in my muscles. “God, that feels good,” I murmured, then immediately felt my cheeks heat at how that must have sounded.

Ocean just chuckled, continuing his ministrations. “Relax. I’ve got you.”

And I did relax, more than I had in years. There was something so tender, so caring in the way Ocean touched me. It wasn’t sexual, despite our flirtations. It was nurturing. Protective.

As his hands worked their magic, I fought back an unexpected wave of emotion. When was the last time someone had taken care of me like this? Not because they wanted something from me, not because I was paying them, but simply because they cared?

“You okay there, Cash?” Ocean’s voice was gentle, concerned. “You went quiet on me.”

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