Page 7 of One Last Memory

It literally made my mouth water and core clench.

“Ah, more?” I bit back a grimace. Even his voice was like all those delicious surfer boys on TV.

“Welcome. Put your boards down. You won’t need them for today. I’m Benji and I’ll be your instructor.” But as he spoke, I heard the Russian drawl to his words, which shouldn’t have been fucking sexy, but it was. Malia nudged me, raising her eyebrows and mouthing,“Mine.”

As if she could claim every goddamn guy here.

I shrugged her off and focused on Benji, but the more I did, the more I remembered last night and the desire I had given in to. If I were just a little bit more reckless, a little bit more unhinged, I’d ask Benji out after the lesson.

Then again, every fucking girl had probably done that and I was nothing special. My eyes dropped as I continued to listen to his tips and tricks, but I had already started zoning out, going through the motions. I didn’t want to be here anymore.Fuck you, you fickle emotions.

BENJI

Isurveyedmyclass,none too happy about the students I was dealing with today. Our little surfing operation was dying out, more and more Instagram models and rich motherfuckers coming to vacation here rather than people who genuinely wanted to enjoy the beach.

My classes consisted of a bunch of vacationers who didn’t really care about surfing or the water, just wanted to try something different to say that they did. I didn’t even have to do much. Most didn’t come back for a second lesson. The guys were ogling every nearly naked lady on the beach, the women ogling me, and every hottie that passed by. When had people lost sight of the waves, the seafoam that washed ashore, thebeachitself?

I was at the end of my rope, and I just really didn’t want to be here if I was honest with myself. It was too hot all the damn time and I wanted to go back home, visit my mother and my sisters, and just relax for the next few years. God knows I didn’t need the fucking money or the headaches that came with this job.

The company had started from a desire to build something different, something new, far away from my father. But now that he was out of the picture, there wasn’t much reason to stay here. The joy of teaching others to surf had slowly died out. My routine was getting old.

Until I fucking sawher. Super cliché.

She glistened under the sunlight with an innocence that didn’t make sense. Like she was definitelynotinnocent, but the way she seemed to look at the world? The confidence that flashed in her eyes as we made eye contact? I knew I needed to stay the fuck away from her. I’d break her in a heartbeat, but she seemed intrigued by my presence, rather than turned on. Which was a first.

Her head dipped as I continued my lesson, the confidence dwindling which fascinated me even more. She didn’t even seem to be listening either as she glided through the motions, no mistakes in sight. Her balance was perfect, odd for a beginner’s class. I kept my hands clasped behind my back as I made my way through the students, critiquing their stance and offering a tip or suggestion where I could.

I should have been ashamed of how locked my attention was on her, my gaze remaining on her form, even after the class finished.

Until it wasn’t.

A brunette hopped up to me, pressing herself against me, giggling. Her breasts squeezed my arm and I had the faint desire to shake her off like I would a cockroach. I could see the horror on the other girl’s face as her steps faltered.

“We should go out for drinks,” the brunette suggested.

I was completely against it, but I could ditch the brunette once we got there. Especially if I opened the invitation. “Yeah, there’s a tiki bar at the boardwalk. My next class isn’t for another hour. Let’s all go. First round’s on me.”

I winked at the girl I’d had my eyes on and she froze. I didn’t know what to do with that as I shook off the brunette. The brunette ran towards the girl and shook her excitedly before taking off toward the tiki bar. The girl trudged behind her, head bowed, and now I wasreallyfucking intrigued. Sure, curiosity killed the cat, but I just had so many questions.

My long legs caught up to her pretty quickly. “You don’t seem like you should have been in the beginner class.”

She huffed, head still downcast as we moved across the sand. “You would be right.”

“You know how to surf?”

“Yes, but my sisters don’t know that.”

I managed to strangle the chuckle in my throat because she didn’t seem ecstatic about the fact that I was paying her any attention. Hesitant wasn’t the right word. Terrified? Worried? Those fit the situation better, but I wasn’t sure why she would be exhibiting those emotions right now. It didn’t add up. “So, what? For their pride, you pretend you can’t surf?”

“Pride? Fuck that. I just don’t want to hear it later. That I’m trying to show off or whatever. Why the fuck am I even talking to you?” Another chuckle bubbled up in my chest as she hurried toward the bar. She was adorably awkward but she didn’t seem mad to be talking to me. Rather… she was mad about what she was talking about. As if she hadn’t meant to say all that. She was a puzzle if I had ever met one. It’s a good thing Ilovedpuzzles.

BAILEE

Fuck,Iwantedhimtoo! It was like after last night, my libido had just exploded. I hated it and loved it at the same time. I sipped at the juice in a fancy margarita glass before me, because that’s what it tasted like. But since my head was swimming, I knew the bartender had made a damn good drink. A few of them. Malia was all over Benji, although my sister kept calling him by his first name – Logan – as if she was something special. Elissa had grabbed a to-go order of nachos to share with my niece before dipping five minutes later.

Sometimes, I wished my youngest brother went on these family vacations because he would have taken all of the attention away from me completely. My parents were even more worried about his lifestyle than me, Phoenix a wild child that could not be tamed. He was still in college, halfway across the world or at least that’s what his Instagram posts showed.

All I knew is that whatever he wanted, hetook.And he looked to be having so much fun doing it, compared to the rest of the Reynolds’ children.

---