Page 32 of Beyond The Break

They say when you reach a point where the sport causes fear, then it’s time to quit. This isn’t a sport that you can be successful in if you fear the what-if’s. That fear can quickly become dangerous out in the water, and I can’t afford another injury. I have to get my head in the game.

“Griffin?” Her voice pulls me out of my head, and I look over at her, clearing my throat.

“The leg you usually kick with is your back foot, the one that’s attached to the ankle leash. The other foot is your front foot.” I move my arms to the side of the board.

“Using your arms to help you pop up on the board, slide your front foot forwards and into a solid standing stance.” I perform the action very slowly and I have her do that a few times until I feel like she’s got it aced.

“Let’s go try it in the water a few times before practice is over,” I say.

She hops off the top of her board and picks it up before we walk out into the water. I wait for her to position herself properly in the water before I hop on my board.

“When paddling, make sure you use smooth and powerful strokes. The faster you paddle the smoother your journey to the front line is. Otherwise, you risk noodle arms.”

“What are noodle arms?”

“Tired arms, and they won’t do you any good if you’re competing with other surfers to catch a wave.”

She nods in understanding, and we paddle out. I help her catch her first wave after a few attempts and the sound of her excited squeals is enough to convince me to try to stand on the next one.

I feel a sting of pain as I execute the movement, my leg beginning to shake involuntarily, but once I’m standing the pain fades away and I ride out the rest of the wave. The exhilaration causes my heart to race, but in a good way. I jump off my board at the end and when I come back up for air I find Gabriel clapping with a grin that stretches across his face as he stares at me and nods.

Although it’s a rookie achievement, seeing him impressed lights a fire under my ass and I paddle back to Eliana. Teaching her how it’s done is my key to getting back into Gabriel’s good graces, and it just might help me get her out of my system.

ELEVEN

ELIANA

As I standunder the hot water of the shower, exhaustion seeps deep into my bones. I start to gently massage my sore muscles, groaning at the pleasurable pain. I didn’t think our first surf lesson would leave me feeling so beat up, but it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something.

I let out a startled shriek as someone pounds their fist against the bathroom door, nearly causing me to fall in the shower. I shut off the water and jump out, wrapping a towel around my hair and then my body before approaching the door. Whoever is on the other side of the door bangs on it again, my heart rate increasing.

I’ve always had this irrational fear that someone would break into my home while I’m showering. What if the person on the other side of the door ends up being my killer? I slowly open the door and peek through the crack only to see Griffin standing with his palms pressed against the frame of the door, the muscles in his jaw flexing as he stares at me with a dark expression.

Not as scary as a potential serial killer breaking into the house, but still scary, nonetheless.

“Hi?” I say, confusion seeping into my voice.

What could possibly be so important that he felt the need to interrupt my shower?

“Look, I get you have your needs,” he starts, as he pushes his way into the bathroom, “we all do.”

I take a few steps back. “What are you talking about?”

He closes the bathroom door behind him and raises a single brow before his gaze drops down to my towel and burns a path along my body. I hate that I like it so much, seeing him lose his senses around me. I know his intentions are to get rid of me, so I should naturally hate him, but I can’t deny the pull of chemistry between us. I pull my towel tightly against my body, even though I really want to let it drop to the floor, and his eyes dart away as he clears his throat.

“All of your moaning during your shower, can’t you do that shit in your bedroom when everyone else is asleep?”

I blink twice.

Oh god.

My face and neck come aflame as I realize what he thought I was doing in here. Playing with myself has crossed my mind before, but I’ve always talked myself out of it mostly because I’m scared it will hurt. But for him to think I would do that while I shower, loud enough for him to hear, is absolutely mortifying.

“T-that’s not—I-I was just massaging my sore muscles,” I sputter, “I wasn’t—I don’t do that!”

“Of course you don’t,” he says, sarcastically.

He leans against the door and his jaw clenches, his sharp bone structure standing out even more. He crosses his muscular arms across his chest as he studies me, tilting his head to the side as I feel my face grow hotter.

---