Page 12 of Out in the Surf

I pushed my tongue between his lips and slid it alongside his. Fuck, this was good. Intense and immediately consuming—the way bad ideas sometimes were. But this was a good idea and I didn’t want to miss a single detail—like the friction of his scruff, the intoxicating smell of his cologne, and the oddly compelling taste of beer and cinnamon.

I dove deeper still, twisting and sucking until my experiment felt more like a true exploration. Damn, I liked this. A lot. I nipped his lower lip and licked it better, savoring him like a fine wine.

Luca groaned…a low, needy sound that seemed to come from his toes. That was my only warning before he grasped my face between his hands and backed me against the shadowy side of the building.

He cradled my chin with one hand and braced himself on the wall with the other, effectively shielding me from the street and caging me at the same time. The rough stucco dug into my shoulder, but I didn’t move a muscle. He surrounded me, taking up every inch of space and breathing room. He didn’t care if anyone noticed us and honestly, neither did I.

“Now what?” I rasped.

Luca didn’t answer. He just smiled—a lopsided, roguish upturn of the lips that should have pissed me off or at least made me want to take over. But he set his thumb on my bottom lip, rubbing it before licking it, and driving his tongue inside.

He immediately turned up the heat and challenged me to keep up. He was rough and demanding one moment, tender and almost sweet the next. And I was right there with him, responding with a hunger I’d never felt for anyone…ever.

I didn’t want to come up for air, but eventually the need for oxygen broke what had to be the hottest kiss of my life. I studied his chiseled features in the shadows and did a quick mental analysis.

Was I still okay with this? Yes.

Did I feel different? Not really…or maybe a little?

Whatever. If I felt different, it wasn’t a negative. I felt like I’d met my match. Not in a romantic sense. For fuck’s sake, I barely knew the guy.

No, this was more about discovering I had an innate appreciation for an even exchange of power. Apparently something in me responded to rough kisses and dominant manhandling…as my raging boner could attest.

My cock pulsed behind my zipper. The urge to adjust myself was strong, but I didn’t want to draw attention to my condition. And no, I wasn’t going to peek at Luca’s crotch. No way. I had to play this cool.

I straightened from the wall when he stepped aside, eyeing me warily. No doubt he expected me to freak out. That wasn’t going to happen, but when an awkward silence stretched between us, I willed him to break it, ’cause I sure as fuck didn’t know what to say.

“What time do you want to meet tomorrow?” Luca asked in a gravelly tone.

“Seven.”

“No fucking way.”

My lips twitched in amusement. “Eight.”

“Eight thirty,” he countered.

I pulled my keys from my pocket. “Fine. Meet me at the surf shop.”

“You’re not going back to the bar?”

“Not in the mood. See ya.”

“Wait.” Luca moved under the streetlamp. The hazy illumination had a halo effect that made him look like a superhero making an unexpected appearance in the nick of time.

“What is it?”

“Are we cool? You’re not gonna freak out or plan my surfing demise, are you? By the way, don’t even think about pawning me off on another instructor. If you’re not suited up and ready for action, I’m not playing.” He furrowed his brow and made a face. “That sounded very sexual, but—”

I barked a laugh. “I’m fine, Luca. I’m not freaked out at all. Don’t worry, I’ll be there.”

He nodded and took a step backward.

Traffic whizzed by, neon lights from the diner across the street cast a garish orange glow that somehow fit the manic pulse of the night. A party of friends spilled onto the sidewalk, hooting uproariously. A couple wove between us, holding hands as they grinned at each other. I was aware of everything and everyone around us but oblivious at the same time.

I didn’t understand this connection, yet I had no desire to fight it. I wasn’t nervous or suspicious. I welcomed the distraction from worrying about money and competitions. My focus tended to turn into an unhealthy single-mindedness when I was close to achieving a goal. I was famous for ditching parties or leaving a bar early to work on a newly commissioned board. The sooner I finished, the sooner I got paid, right?

Tonight, my body was on fire, but my mind was oddly serene. The way I saw it, whatever was going to happen, would happen. And I was ready to go along for the ride.