Page 44 of Free Wind (Lifeguards of Barking Beach #2)

Spitting out a mouthful of saltwater, Damo rode the wave with one of the patients’ arse in his face, tightening every muscle to keep the rescue board steady as they neared shore.

He could taste bile as he glanced back, praying to see Blake behind them. There was only frothing water.

Damo had to get the patients to dry land. They tumbled off in the shallows, and he urged them up. “Go, go!”

Kat was suddenly there helping one of the women as Damo practically dragged the other to dry sand.

“I’ll check them out!” Kat shouted. “Blake got smoked!”

Dragging the rope handle of the rescue board, Damo spun and raced back into the water, searching for Blake in the impact zone. Head down, he punched through a wave, his shoulders burning as he paddled hard.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Where was he? Damo’s heartbeat thundered in his ears, as he searched. He knew all too well that getting held down by big sets was brutal. Blake could hold his own in the surf, but not in these conditions. If he’d had a head knock…

The swell period was getting longer, which gave Damo precious seconds to sit up and search. Of course that meant the sets were getting even bigger.

Suddenly, Blake appeared, gasping in a breath. Damo paddled for his life and grabbed Blake’s bare arm, hauling him over the rescue board. The relief of feeling that warm skin and hearing his ragged breaths had Damo’s head spinning.

“I’ve got ya! Hang on tight!” He ripped off the leash around Blake’s ankle, freeing his surfboard.

Both dragging Blake into position and turning them to face shore, Damo glanced over his shoulder. He’d ridden these waves all his life, and he waited a heartbeat. Then another.

Then he paddled fast, fast, fast—and they caught the wave, the force lifting them into the air in a spray of white water. Another day, he would have screamed for joy.

Not today.

Then they were in the shallows and tumbling off the board, and Damo wedged his shoulder under Blake’s and locked his arm around his waist, dragging the rescue board with his free hand. The feeling of Blake’s familiar body against him was reassuring.

He’s okay. I got him.

Damo lowered Blake to sit on the dry, hot sand and crouched in front of him, ignoring the curious onlookers. “Did you swallow water?”

Blake blinked at him, panting softly, his face red.

“Oi! Did ya hear me?” Damo demanded. “Did you swallow water?” He brushed back wet hair from Blake’s forehead, wanting to hold him and kiss him and make him good as new—and shake him for being out in too-big conditions.

Blake shook his head but looked down at his leg and poked the long slash in his wetsuit on the outside of his right thigh. “Shit.”

Damo leaned in and eyed the gash, his heart going boom. He lifted his head and shouted, “Kat! Tell Central to call an ambo! Fin chop! Big one.”

“Shit,” Blake repeated, then started and peered around with wide eyes. “Where’s Cooper?”

Icy fear licked Damo’s spine. “Is he in the water?” The thought of Cooper out there made him want to spew. He held down Blake’s shoulder, not letting him up.

“No. Making a dildo castle…” Blake jerked his head left and right.

“What? Did ya hit your head?” Damo’s pulse raced. Blake had to be heaving with adrenaline to have not even realized he’d been cut at first.

The wetsuit was compressing the cut, so Damo left it alone, not wanting to get his grubby, sandy hands on it. He held his left fingers in Blake’s face. “Look at me. Focus. Where did you last see Coop?”

“Making a sandcastle with Billy’s kids. A tower.”

Damo exhaled as he said, “We’ll find him. No dramas. Look at me.” He peered closely at Blake’s eyes. “You didn’t bang your head? Let me feel.” He gently prodded Blake’s skull through his soft, wet hair, not feeling any bumps or wounds at least.

“Don’t think so,” Blake said. “I have to find Cooper!” He tried to get up, but Damo kept him down.

“You need to stay put,” Damo ordered, gripping his shoulder.

Kat called, “Cooper’s here!” and guided him over, stopping a couple of meters away.

“Hey, Coop!” Damo said, managing a smile through his relief. “No worries, mate. He’ll be right.”

“Hey, buddy.” Blake smiled up at Cooper. “Sorry I ran off like that. Got a little banged up, but I’m fine.”

Cooper’s cheeks were blotchy, his eyes red, and Damo would’ve hugged him if he thought he could let go of Blake.

“Great parenting,” Blake muttered under his breath. “Full marks.” Louder, he said to Cooper, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“You can say that again.” Damo’s relief that Blake was relatively okay gave way to a surge of frustration. “You can’t be surfing in these conditions. And before you say you’re not a grom, you’re still not an expert. Not even close. These swells are too big for you.”

“I had to help you.”

Damo looked up sharply from Blake’s wound, which thankfully wasn’t bleeding too much despite the deep gash. “What?”

“There were two patients. The other lifeguards are busy, and Trish said we had to lend a hand. I’m not on today, but I saw you and…”

Damo blinked at him. “You were rescuing me?” He wasn’t sure whether to throttle Blake or kiss him. “I’ve done plenty of double rescues. You don’t need to protect me.”

“I know, but the day we met, you were in trouble and—”

“And I would’ve handled it! That was a fluke. And yeah, it was awesome that you came to my rescue that day, but I’m not a, a—” He waved his free hand.

“Damsel in distress?” Blake suggested.

Damo pointed at him. “Bingo. I’m not that. Look—” He broke off and glanced away. They’d gathered quite an audience now, and he called out, “Back up! He doesn’t need you all watching.”

“You heard him!” Kat shouted. “Move on!”

“Bugger off!” Cooper yelled.

Bystanders giggled, and Blake and Damo shared a laugh that released a bit of the tension. With Kat and Cooper keeping a perimeter around them, Damo swallowed hard and spoke softly.

“I love that you want to take care of me. And I know it was hectic yesterday at my house, okay? I was a mess. But not here. I know this beach. I’m bloody good at my job.”

Blake nodded. “You are. I just panicked seeing you out there alone.”

“How d’ya reckon I felt having to take those two patients in and leaving you in the impact zone?”

Blake winced. “I’m sorry.”

“Good. Wiggle your toes for me?”

He did, thankfully.

Damo added, “I thought my last words to you might’ve been a bloody thumbs-up.”

Blake snorted a laugh and dipped his head. “Can I see?”

“Nope. Head up.” He tapped under Blake’s chin.

“Bossy,” Blake murmured with a grin that quickly faded. “How bad is it?”

“Yeah, look, it’s a pretty good cut. You’ll probably need a few internal stitches as well as on the outside. Good thing you were wearing your wettie.” He exhaled a long breath. “Could’ve been worse. Could’ve hit an artery. And lucky you didn’t fin chop your bloody head. Can’t believe you did that!”

Kat added, “Yeah, when Trish said we clubbies needed to help out, she meant getting overwhelmed people in from the flags, not racing out to rescue a professional lifeguard.”

“I wasn’t thinking!” Blake insisted. He gave Damo a smile. “Just feeling.”

Damo’s heart fluttered, and he couldn’t hide a smile. It was okay. Blake would be okay. They’d be okay. This was too good, and even if they both acted like pork chops sometimes, they’d figure it out. Had to.

Kat asked, “Whaddya reckon, Cooper?”

“My teacher, Mrs. Georgiadis, would say he’s an ‘enthusiastic learner’ like my best friend Kyle, but that really means you’re a handful and need to listen more.”

A few remaining onlookers close enough to hear giggled, and Damo had to give Coop a grin. “Roasted!”

Smiling, Blake reached out toward Cooper. “Nailed it on the head, mate. You sure you’re okay?”

Hesitantly, Cooper knelt beside Blake and took his hand. “I’m fine. It was scary for a few minutes. Though you looked really cool paddling out. Like a real surfer.”

“Thanks, buddy. I’ll get there. With lots of patience. And listening.”

Damo was relieved to see the buggy approach, horn blaring as it drove across the sand. Mia and Lachlan hopped out, Lachlan flying toward the water with a rescue board. Damo glanced behind him. Was he taking too long looking after Blake?

No, he’d be doing the same for anyone with a fin chop. Without thinking about giving them a kiss and cuddle.

Mia said into the radio, “Yep, bad laceration. Doesn’t look like it hit an artery, but he’ll still need that ambo.” She snapped on gloves and passed a pair to Damo, saying, “Ambos are close,” before glancing up at Coop. “You right, mate?”

Cooper nodded. “He’s my…this is my…Blake.”

Mia said to Kat, “Want to show him the buggy?”

They nodded and led a reluctant Cooper away, and Blake whimpered—letting go of the brave face he’d clearly been putting on as the adrenaline faded.

Damo was pretty sure in that moment he was in love. Head over bloody heels.

He carefully peeled up the wetsuit hem, his gut clenching to see how deep the gash went.

It was deep.

The fat of Blake’s flesh looked like red jelly with paler cubes like cottage cheese. It wasn’t natural to see under the skin like that. Damo had seen bad fin chops over the years, and this was up there.

He cleaned the wound and pressed a thick white pad to the gash as Blake groaned. “Sorry, babe,” Damo murmured.

Mia’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait, is this…?”

“He’s my boyfriend.” Damo looked at Blake uncertainly. “That is, if he still wants to be after the spray I just gave him.”

“Yes!” Blake gritted his teeth. “Definitely.” He glanced around and gave Damo a questioning look.

Damo cleared his throat and announced loudly to the onlookers who’d crept closer, “He’s my boyfriend!”

There. He’d said it out loud at Barking—and it felt bloody fantastic. Blake the bloke was his boyfriend, and anyone who didn’t like it could get stuffed.

A few people clapped, and he could hear someone say, “Aww.”

Smiling, Mia poured the vial of gas into the green plastic dispenser. “Great to meet you. Wish it was under better circumstances. Here, suck on that, mate. Slow, deep breaths into your lungs.”

Cody jogged over, dripping wet. “How ya going here? Think we’re back under control. Jet Ski picked up a ton of people out the back. We took down the flags. No more swimming until the conditions change.”

Damo glanced at the water. There were still some people in who’d likely refused to get out, and of course the surfers wouldn’t dream of missing the huge sets. But at least the lifeguards could breathe for a minute. He prayed the kooks were staying on dry land and leaving it to the experts.

Blake screwed up his face. “Been better.”

Cody said, “Tastes gross, hey? Weirdly sweet?”

Nodding, Blake inhaled from the plastic tube, grimacing. “What’s it called again?”

“Green whistle?” Cody asked, turning to scan the water. “Methoxyflurane. It’s an analgesic gas.”

Mia tightened the bandage on Blake’s thigh. “Careful or you might declare your undying love like Cody did.”

Damo squeaked and held up his hands, staring at Mia. Of all the bloody things to say!

She said, “Kidding!”

“Still rubbish at jokes, mate,” Damo muttered. He glanced up at Cody with a grin. “Worked out pretty well for you and Liam, but.”

“What?” Cody’s laugh was awkward and high-pitched. “I mean, it’s fine! It’s great, yeah.”

Mia peered up suspiciously. “Why are you being weird?”

“I’m not!” Cody kept his eyes on the water as he flushed.

Mia frowned. “Mm-hmm.” She turned as another buggy approached. “Ambos are here.”

As Mia jogged to the other buggy, Cody dropped to his knees and hissed at Damo, “You’re not supposed to tell anyone!”

“I didn’t! You made it weird!”

Cody glanced at Blake. “No telling him until the whistle’s worn off. Loose lips.”

“Who, me?” Blake laughed and touched his mouth. “My lips are still here. Not loose.”

“There it is,” Cody said as he stood. “The whistle works its magic. Feeling cruisey now? Yeah you are.”

Blake giggled, and it was adorable. That Damo couldn’t kiss him was epically unfair. He reluctantly stood as the paramedics took over, taking off his gloves and slinging an arm around Coop’s skinny shoulders.

“Doing okay, mate? Bit scary, hey?”

“Yeah. I’m better now. He was really worried about you.”

Warmth curled through Damo. “Yeah, seems like. Are your mum and Tony about?”

“Uh-uh. They’re at my grandparents’ house. Can I go with him in the ambulance?”

Damo nodded. “I’ve got your mum’s number, so I’ll give her a ring and let her know.”

Cooper peered up at Damo seriously. “You’re sure he’s going to be okay?”

“Yep. Not gonna be rescuing anyone for a while, but he’ll be right. See?” He motioned to Blake’s sweet, goofy smile. “All good.”

Blake waved up at them, and they waved back as he said, “Goldie, I feel it in my cells. In the mitochondria.”

“Keep sucking on the whistle, mate,” one of the paramedics said. “That’s it.”

Blake did, then added, “And the lysosomes and the centrioles…”

“What?” Damo asked with a laugh. “You speaking another language?”

“I was good at biology,” he said.

Damo and Cooper laughed, and Blake seemed pleased as punch.

Kat returned and offered to sit with Cooper in the front of the buggy as Mia drove. With Damo’s help, the paramedics got Blake on his feet—well, foot—and he hopped a couple of steps as they shifted him into the back of the buggy.

Damo sat behind him, eager to have the excuse of keeping Blake upright to spread his hands over Blake’s ribs.

As they slowly made their way through the crowd, Mia leaning on the horn and Kat shouting at people to move, Blake leaned back against him, and it took every single bloody ounce of willpower not to nuzzle the nape of his neck.

Once he was on the stretcher ready to go in the back of the ambulance, Damo snagged his fingers and gave him a squeeze. “I’ll come to the hospital after my shift.”

“You’re not coming?” Blake gripped his fingers. “I’ll miss you so much.”

“I’ll miss you too.” Even with the flags temporarily down, there were far too many people on the beach who’d be tempted into the cool water for Damo to leave early. He nodded to Cooper. “Coop’s going to ride with you.”

To the paramedic, he asked, “Going to Fiona Stanley in Murdoch?” She nodded, and Damo said to Blake, “Maybe they’ll even put on the lights and sirens.”

“Ohh, cool!” Blake said with complete sincerity, and everyone laughed.

And on the clock or not, Damo had to kiss him.