Page 57 of OneTime Lovers
Her wide-eyed stare shows her surprise, followed by a squeal of delight as she pulls out a beautiful sleek board with a wave design in purple fading to pale pink. Not knowing anything about surfing, I can only assume from Cassie’s reaction, it’s a good board. The one thing I can tell, looking at the board is it looks pretty and is so Cassie’s style.
She throws her arms around Scott enthusiastically. “Oh my god, this is the best surprise ever.”
“Much as I’m enjoying the thanks, I must confess it was your husband’s idea,” Scott admits.
Cassie discards Scott instantly as she runs into Luke’s arms announcing loudly, “Best husband ever.” He smiles lovingly down at her. They are kind of cute together.
Blake unzips the other boards from their bags, propping them up against the railing. “Hey, Scott, these are awesome.” Blake’s right, the boards do look awesome, not that I have a clue. The shapes are streamlined and sleek. The artwork unique and beautiful. It doesn’t take an expert to see the quality in the craftsmanship.
A flush suffuses Scott’s cheeks all the way up and over his chiseled cheekbones as he looks at the lineup of his boards. With an appreciative audience he explains each one, the last being the new board he will be releasing next spring. I watch enthralled by his passion and enthusiasm for the boards he designed and crafted.
This is a side of Scott I’ve not seen before, the successful businessman.
“C’mon, Luke, let’s go try these beauties out,” Cassie insists as she drags Luke toward the glass doors.
Scott turns to me. “Hey, Jas, I’ve included a longboard if you want to have your first surfing lesson like I promised. You too, Bec, if you’re interested. There are a couple of wetsuits in the cardboard boxes.”
I jump up from my chair, nearly knocking it over. “I’m game. Are you coming, Bec?”
“Totally, I’ve always wanted to try it,” agrees Bec.
Blake shows Scott and me to our bedroom upstairs and the first thing I notice is the large picture window on the far wall with a panoramic view of the Atlantic. Wow, waking up to a view like that is going to be awesome.
We take turns to change in the adjoining bathroom. An unspoken agreement to guarantee no sexy distractions and as a result we are back on the deck soon after.
Cassie and Luke already have their wetsuits on and are ready to go. “Don’t start any girl talk without me,” Cassie begs Bec and me before following Luke to the beach, her new board tucked tightly under her arm. I’ve not seen Cassie look so happy since her wedding as she follows Luke to the ocean.
Scott passes me a wetsuit, while Blake assists Bec into hers. I didn’t realize putting a wetsuit on required so much intimate touching.
Scott catches me watching them and leans into me, “Do you want me to help you in to your wetsuit?”
With a grin, I tell him I’m all good. If he starts touching me like Blake is doing to Bec, there will be no surfing for us today. And I want to give this surfing thing a go now I’ve half squeezed my body into the black neoprene torture chamber called a wetsuit.
With some wriggling and writhing, much to Scott’s amusement and apparent enjoyment I manage to finally drag the wetsuit up my arms and over my shoulders unaided. Although Scott does help with the zipper. Not even a contortionist could do that up without assistance. I’m exhausted and I’m not even in the water yet.
Scott takes my hand and leads me down to the beach, explaining how to stand up on the board as we trudge across the strip of golden sand to the water’s edge. Then with a few practices on the sand, we head into the water.
In the waist-high water, where the waves are small, he holds the board steady as I lie down on it like he showed me on the beach. “Now, put your legs together, Jas.”
Laughing, I reply, “Wow, never thought I’d hear you say those words to me.”
Scott grins at me and with a couple of taps on my butt which have my blood stirring hotly, he demands, “No backchat to your instructor.” If that’s the sort of discipline Scott is dishing out, maybe he’ll be getting a lot more.
Scott encourages me to paddle toward the whitewash break of the waves. When we are on the other side of the small break, he turns me around, pointed toward the beach. Then, dropping a quick kiss to my lips he reminds me of how to pop up to stand on the board.
It’s not a long wait for what Scott considers to be the perfect wave for me. Remembering all of his instructions, I push up to stand for the first time on a surfboard.
Sure, it was only for seconds but I’m elated nonetheless by my early achievement. Hopping back on the board I paddle back to where Scott is waiting for me in the water, with a quick victory kiss. The perfect incentive. A few more attempts and I’m able to ride a small wave all the way to the beach, with a lot of hooting and hollering from my personal cheer squad, Scott.
Learning to surf is the most fun I’ve had since … I snorkeled with Scott in the Bahamas. Really spending any time with him is fun.
A few more successful rides to shore, and my arm and leg muscles are screaming with the strain of a new physical activity. I let Scott know I’m going to have to take a break on the beach, and he scoops me into a hug for a lingering kiss, then pops onto the board like a pro to paddle out to join Cassie and Luke.
Watching him disappear under a breaking wave, I hope one day I’ll be able to join him out where the big break is.
Oh my god, I’m falling so deep, I’m already planning future weekends away for us, and I wonder if it’s something he wants too.
Chapter 29
