Surf Break Read online

  The sea air in his face felt good. The sun shone down in the cloudless sky and Pete couldn’t stop smiling. A nice day and a beautiful woman beside him was all he wanted. No responsibilities for the day except for entertaining the woman his soul needed to be with was his idea of heaven.

  Soon enough, they arrived at the cove. Pete pulled in and parked on the side of one of the sand dunes. He stepped off the bike and moved around to help Juliette. He took the bag of snacks and juice and set it on the ground. He held his hand out to her. She took it and swung her right leg out of the sidecar.

  When she tried to pull the other leg around, her hand slipped out of his and she fell back on her rear. She started laughing as she sat back in the seat, her body shaking with merriment. “Good grief, how do people get out of these things?”

  He held his hand out again. “Maybe that’s why they quit being so popular in later years.”

  “Ya think?” she took his hand again and slid her hand down to grip his wrist. “Any woman with any sense would want to be in control and drive the bike itself. Let the blasted man ride in this crazy contraption.” She knocked on the side of the car.

  Pete leaned in and grabbed Juliette by the waist. He lifted her out of the car with ease. She gasped as he held her in the air. He pulled her close to his chest and as he set her down, her body slid down his and it was all he could do not to let out a moan of pleasure at having her so close to him. There was no way she didn’t know how she aroused him. No way. She smelled like lemons. Like the bath water from her cottage the night before.

  When her feet were back on the ground, she stepped slightly away from him. His hands fell from their place on her waist. She bent down and picked up the bag. “Where are we going to have our picnic breakfast?”

  He pointed to the sand dunes. “There’s a great spot right over there.”

  Juliette followed him over to the area he’d pointed out. When they got to the one furthest from the road, Pete flopped down and leaned back on the base of the dune.

  Juliette handed him the bag and said, “We’re sitting with no blanket or anything?”

  “We sure are. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little bit of sand.” He grabbed a handful and let it sift through his fingers.

  She plopped down beside him and reached for the bag. “No. I’ve sat on plenty of beaches in my time. Now give me a Ding-Dong.” She opened the sack and peeked in. She pulled out two of the packages and handed one to Pete. He didn’t open his but watched her as she took a huge bite of one of the cakes.

  She’s so lovely, even as she eats what most women would pretend was too fattening to indulge in. I love her enthusiasm and free spirit and that she’s not embarrassed to eat junk food in front of a date.

  Juliette waved her hand in front of his face. “Hello? You’re in another world there. What’s up?”

  “Nothing. Nothing. I was just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  In response, Pete reached over and ran his right index finger over the corner of her lip.

  She recoiled and whispered, “What?”

  “Chocolate. You had chocolate on your face.” He showed her the crumb he’d wiped from her lip.

  “Oh. Okay, then.”

  “Want to tell me why you’re so afraid of me?”

  “I’m not afraid of you.” Juliette licked her lips.

  He handed her the carton of orange juice. “Here. Drink some of this. Sorry I forgot to get cups.”

  She tilted the carton and took a long swallow. She handed it back to him and licked her lips again. “Nice. I like the kind with pulp still in it.”

  When she licked her lips the second time, it took all Pete had in him not to sweep her in his arms and kiss her. Whoa, hold it together, man, don’t scare her away. She’s as skittish as a doe in the woods.

  To cover his need, he took a long swallow of the juice while she watched. When he recovered his senses, he said, “You don’t mind sharing with me, do you?”

  She laughed nervously and he added, “I promise, I’m disease free.”

  She took the container back and ran her tongue over the rim where his lips had just been. “See, I can be daring. I’m not afraid of you or your unknown germs.”

  He laughed. “But you do have some kind of fear. I’ve been around a lot of people in my life, both as a civilian and as a cop and there is something that’s bothering you. I can tell.” He winked, “after all, I’m a trained professional.”

  “What kind of fear do you think I have?” She took another bite of the chocolate snack.

  “Men. Or maybe this man in particular.” He pointed at his chest.

  “What makes you say that?”

  “The way you back up every time I get close.”

  “I don’t.”

  “You do.” He leaned in and touched his lips lightly to hers. When she pulled back, he put his hand on the back of her head and leaned in closer. “See? There you go. Backing up.”

  “No. I’m not.” She pressed closer and opened her mouth slightly.

  Encouraged, he let his tongue slide over her lips and past her teeth. She tasted of chocolate and oranges. He groaned and deepened the kiss. His hand slid from her hair and down to the side of her neck. His thumb ran up and down the side of her jawbone. His left arm snaked around her waist and her chest pressed against his.

  Just when he thought she would move away, she put her arms around his shoulders and pulled him toward her. She moved her mouth away from his long enough to whisper, “I may regret this, but darn, it feels nice.”

  “You feel nice.” He kissed her again and ran his hand down her back.

  After a long while, Juliette broke the kiss and said, “Thanks for that. I came to the beach for the summer to get back to my roots and you’ve helped me open up for the first time in years.”

  He leaned back against the sand dune but left one hand on her leg. He didn’t want to lose physical contact with her. He ran his hand across her thigh. “Tell me what you mean. You haven’t really told me anything about yourself. I know you’re a great surfer. I saw you out there yesterday.”

  “Thanks. I started when I was very small. I love it.”

  “But you said you came to the beach to get back to your roots. If you love the sea, why leave it in the first place?”

  “Long story.” She stood and kicked off her flip-flops. “I think I’m going to wade out a bit. You coming?”

  “Yeah. Wait a sec.”

  Juliette ran out toward the edge of the surf and splashed around in the water that lapped the shore. “Come on,” she yelled back at Pete.

  He took off his sneakers, rolled up his pants legs, and got up. He walked slowly toward her and admired her exuberance as she cavorted. I hope she’s happy and excited because of my kiss. I could watch her all day. God help me, I’ve got it bad for her.

  * * * *

  Juliette watched Pete stroll across the sand in her direction. He looked so good, she wanted to run over and throw herself into his arms but couldn’t quite make herself trust him not to hurt her. He filled out his jeans very nicely. They were much more snug than the usual khakis he wore, and she felt herself flush with pleasure at how they clung to his hips. I don’t think he’s like Miles. He’s already been nicer to me in the little bit of time I’ve known him than Miles ever was. Maybe I’m different, too. I won’t take the kind of crap I used to take. Let me trust him for a little while and see where it leads. I won’t invest too much of myself. Just a little.

  She squared her shoulders and when he stood beside her, she reached over and took his hand. She looked down at his rolled up jeans. “That’s a nice look you’re rocking there.”

  He kicked some of the spume from the water’s edge up onto her calves. “You know you like it.” He held up his own hairy calf. “Check out that line. Have you ever seen a handsomer leg than this one?”

  “Can’t say that I have.” She giggled and pushed him in the side.

  He lost his balance and sta
rted to fall. She reached out to help him and instead, they both toppled over into the water.

  Laughing, Juliette landed on top of him. Pete grabbed her around the waist and flipped her over on her back. As they lay in the breakwater with it washing over them, he stared in her eyes until she stopped her laughter. When she sobered, without breaking eye contact, he ran his hand across her cheek and down her neck. His hand continued down to her breast and rested there.

  His eyes darkened with passion. “You’re so lovely, Juliette. I find myself mesmerized by you. Will you let me try to make you happy?”

  She nodded and his lips found hers. His hand slid under the spaghetti strap of her tank top and his thumb stroked her collarbone. She opened her lips slightly and he deepened the kiss. Their tongues played with each other and Juliette felt Pete’s need for her.

  Startled at herself, she disengaged her lips from his and moved slightly away.

  “What’s wrong?” Pete asked.

  She sat up and pushed her wet hair off her neck. “We’re out here in the middle of a public area. We need to stop. Anyone could see us.”

  “Chances of that are slim since this area is not very populated but I understand that this is not the place. Come on. Let’s go back to our dune and let the sun dry us out.” He stood and held his hand out to help her up.

  They walked back to the dune and when they were seated, Pete took Juliette’s hand. He brought it to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Tell me about yourself.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Besides everything?”

  She grinned. “Yeah. Besides everything.”

  “For starters, then, tell me about the surfing.”

  Her grin disappeared. “You’ve been watching me surf?”

  “Yesterday. That’s all. I saw you yesterday after you went on break when those teens were harassing you. I went outside and saw you then.”

  “I’m glad to hear it since you were starting to sound like the crazy stalker guy you said you weren’t when you knew about my weakness for Ding-Dongs.”

  Pete pulled his wet tee shirt away from his chest and shook it a bit. “I’m really not a crazy stalker, but I am crazy about you.” He let the shirt go.

  Juliette stared at the tee shirt. The wetness molded itself to his body. It was a fantastic view and she almost forgot to respond. She shook her head even as her heart soared in her chest at his words. “That’s silly. You barely know me.”

  “I know enough. Enough to know that you’re intelligent, kind, loving to your friends, and someone worth pursuing.”

  “Thanks. I feel a bit embarrassed by all that praise.” She put her hands to her cheeks. She could feel the heat from them as he talked.

  “Are you going to tell me about your surfing? Lou told me you live in town all year. You surf so well, you’re almost as good as a professional. How does someone who lives in town get that good?”

  “I was a professional.”

  “A professional surfer? Really?”

  “Really.” She nodded.

  “What happened? Did you get injured? Why’d you stop?”

  “I was injured but not in the way you think.”

  “What then?” Pete squeezed her hand that he still held.

  “I was married to another surfer. His name was Miles Gordon.”

  “You’re divorced?” Pete dropped her hand. “Or did he die? In some kind of surfing accident?”

  She barked a laugh. “No, he didn’t die. He didn’t have an accident. But he almost killed me.”

  “Really? He did?” Pete gaped at her.

  “Not in the way you think. He broke my heart. We were on a competition tour. We practically spent our lives on tour. Those go all over the world and I walked in on him in a cabana on the beach in Hawaii. He was in bed with two women. One was another surfer and the other was an islander.”

  Pete took her hand again in his and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. “Oh, baby, I’m sorry.”

  “That’s not the least of it. I found out he’d been a louse for almost the entire marriage. It seems I was the only one who thought she was in a marriage.”

  “I can’t imagine any one who wouldn’t want you. Who’d pick some other woman over you?”

  “Thanks for that.” Her smile was rueful even as the hope grew that Pete really was interested in her.

  “It’s true.” He kissed her hand again. “So, what did you do?”

  “I left the tour and went back to college to get my doctorate in literature. I’ve been teaching at the university ever since.”

  “Ahh. The love of Ernest came from that, right?”

  She smiled. “Yeah. I’ve always loved that man and his writing. He was a master.”

  “And he was a man who loved the sea. I guess you have that in common as well.”

  “Yes, we do.”

  “Look, I have an idea. I wonder if you’d be game.” He let go of her hand and got to his feet. He held his hand out to assist her.

  Once they were both on their feet, he picked up the bag with the snacks. He grabbed the juice container and tossed it in the sack as well.

  “What was your idea? Besides picking up our trash?” Juliette asked.

  "I want to set up a surf-off."

  “What?” Stunned, she could barely breathe. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s time those boys learned that they can’t treat you like they have been.”

  “I don’t care about them. They’ll learn soon enough that they need to respect the people who are older than they are.”

  “I don’t think so, baby. They’re already old enough to know better and they still act like morons.” He turned toward the motorcycle. “Come on. Let’s get you back home. We’ve been out in the sun a long time and I bet you don’t have on sun-screen, do you?”

  “No. And neither do you.” She smiled. “And enough of this talk about a surf-off.”

  He helped her back in the sidecar and handed her the bag. When he was back on the seat, he stuck the key in the ignition and cranked the bike. They drove back to her apartment.

  When he dropped her off at the door, he leaned in and gently kissed her. Her arms snaked around his neck and her fingers ran through the back of his hair. His fingers kneaded her back as his tongue teased hers.

  Finally, he pulled away. “I have to go. I have a side job tonight at the Beach Ball Bar. They’re having a Bushwacker party and you know how those can get. The owner wanted some extra security coverage for the evening.”

  “I do know how crazy people can get with those. I mean, really, a Bushwacker is like a milk shake with liquor in it and the effect can sure sneak up on a person. Good luck with that.”

  “I’d much rather hang out here with you,” Pete said.

  “You’re already committed, so I’ll have to let you go.”

  “Are you working tomorrow?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be in at eleven. For the lunch crowd.”

  “Then I’ll be there when I take my dinner break. I hope you can sit with me for a bit.” He leaned in and kissed her nose.

  “I’ll plan my own break around it.”

  “Great. See you then.” He turned and walked back to his motorcycle.

  As Juliette watched him drive away, she realized she’d fallen hard for him. I shared a part of my soul with him when I told him about Miles’ treachery and how my life changed because of it. I’ve never shared that with anyone. Please God, don’t let that have been a mistake. Please let me have one more chance at happiness. I’ll do my best to make this time count and not blow it.

  * * * *

  The next day, after a restless night of second-guessing herself in placing her trust in a man again, Juliette rose and took a quick shower. She slid on a bathing suit with the intention of surfing again during one of her breaks or after work. She put a clean uniform on over the suit, grabbed an apron, and went out the door to her car.

  When she arrived at the restaurant, she parked her car in the are
a where she always did. She got out and walked around to the back to go up the stairs to the outside dining deck. There was a crowd gathered and the place had barely opened.

  Confused at the group of people clustered on the porch, Juliette entered the place. She gasped when the door shut behind her. Someone had decorated the restaurant with what appeared to be copies of photos of her surfing in her professional days. Streamers hung from the ceiling and balloons were tied to the chairs. It was a wild mix of colors. Juliette staggered backward and bumped into something hard. She whirled around to find she’d smacked into Pete’s chest.

  He held her by the upper arms and smiled. “Hey, baby.”

  Flustered and angry, she responded. “Don’t hey baby me. I told you I didn’t want to have a surf-off with these kids and you ignored me, didn’t you? And you probably didn’t have to work at the Beach Ball last night either, did you? You spent the night getting these pictures off the Internet, didn’t you?”

  “Whoa. Whoa.” Pete held his hands on front of his face. “This is not a surf-off. It’s merely a party to celebrate your career as a professional surfer.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to celebrate it. Maybe I’ve been avoiding it. Maybe I want to forget all about it.” Juliette stood with her hands on her hips. “Now, get rid of all this and let me get to work.”

  Pete took her hand. “Come with me a minute.” He glanced over at Lou who stood by the swinging doors that led into the kitchen and called out, “She’ll be right back.”

  Lou nodded and Pete dragged Juliette out the door and back down the stairs. He pulled her under the pilings. When he finally stopped walking, she jerked her arm from his grasp and said, “Are you done now?”

  “Huh?” Pete ran his hands through his hair until it stood on end.

  Why does he have to look so cute while he’s making me mad? I want to be furious and have the right to be and he’s got the nerve to look adorable. Darn him.

  “I said, are you done?” She repeated.

  “Done with what?” Pete looked confused.