Page 59 of Daddy Down Under

I swallowed hard, grateful he couldn’t see my face. “Yeah. Just…thank you. For all of this.”

His hands stilled for a moment, then resumed their soothing motions. “Anytime, baby. Anytime.”

He put some sunscreen on himself, then wiped his hands off on a towel and rummaged through that big bag again. Good god, what had he brought? He pulled out a large, insulated container. “You must be starving.”

My stomach growled in response, and I realized I was, in fact, ravenous. “You brought food?”

Ocean grinned, opening the container to reveal an array of gourmet sandwiches, fresh fruit, and what looked like homemade cookies. “Courtesy of the Queen Victoria’s kitchen. I had Mike arrange it before we left.”

I stared at the spread, then at Ocean, feeling a warmth in my chest that had nothing to do with the sun. “You thought of everything, didn’t you?”

He shrugged, but I could see the pleased look in his eyes. “I wanted you to have an amazing day.”

He might not see it, but to me, this was a big deal. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had put this much thought into taking care of me. My meals were usually rushed affairs, eaten alone at my desk or in high-end restaurants with business associates. This simple picnic on the beach with Ocean felt more nourishing than any Michelin-star meal I’d ever had.

“Thank you. This is really thoughtful of you.”

Ocean’s smile was as bright as the sun above us. “Eat up. You’ll need your strength for round two of Cash vs. The Waves.”

I groaned dramatically but couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I bit into the sandwich. As I savored my meal, my mind drifted. Ocean lounged beside me, and my eyes kept drifting back to the sight of him, my heart swelling with a mix of desire and something deeper. Something that terrified me as much as it thrilled me.

Once we were done eating, I discovered he hadn’t been kidding about us not being done. He had me practice jumping onto the board in the water—which was one thing when he held it steady but quite another when I was on my own. But after about half an hour, I managed a few times in a row, and he declared me ready to ride my first wave. God help me.

“Alright.” Ocean flashed me an encouraging smile as he paddled on his own board. “Remember what we practiced on the sand. Feel the rhythm of the water.”

I nodded, trying to project more confidence than I felt. “Right. Rhythm. Got it.”

As a larger wave approached, Ocean called out, “This is your wave! Paddle hard!”

I lay on the board and paddled furiously, my arms burning from the exertion. The wave lifted me, and I struggled to push myself up as Ocean had shown me. For a brief, thrilling moment, I thought I had it, but then the board slipped out from under me, and I tumbled into the surf with a less-than-dignified splash.

Sputtering, I emerged from the water to hear Ocean’s warm laughter. “Not bad for a first try! You almost had it.”

I couldn’t help but laugh despite my bruised ego. His optimism was too damn sweet. “Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, as they say.”

“Trust me, the ocean’s a patient teacher. She’ll give you plenty of chances to get it right.”

We tried a few more times, each attempt ending with me face-planting into the water. But Ocean’s unwavering encouragement kept me going. His patience was intoxicating. I wanted to succeed as much for him as for myself. I wanted to make him proud of me.

“You’ve got this,” Ocean called as another promising wave approached. “Remember, bend your knees and keep your eyes on the horizon!”

This time, as I felt the wave lift me, something clicked. My body seemed to know what to do before my mind could overthink it. I pushed up, my feet finding purchase on the board. And suddenly, I was standing.

“Holy shit!” A grin split my face as I rode the wave. The wind whipped through my hair, salt spray on my lips. For those few glorious seconds, I understood why Ocean loved this so much. I felt free.

As the wave petered out and I lost my balance, toppling back into the water, I heard Ocean’s triumphant whoop. “That was fucking beautiful! You’re a natural!”

I emerged from the water, breathless and exhilarated. “I did it! I actually did it.”

Ocean paddled over, his eyes shining with pride. “You sure did. How’d it feel?”

I shook my head, searching for words. “Like closing a billion-dollar deal while skydiving,” I finally managed, earning a delighted laugh from Ocean.

As we bobbed in the water, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Ocean’s face. His enthusiasm was infectious, his joy in my small victory genuine.

“Ready to catch another?” Ocean asked, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

I held up my hands. “I want to end on a high note, so I’m done. But thank you.”

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