Twenty-Four
Justice
After a killer day of tandem surfing, we pulled into our next stop in Salinas.
Lola took her feet off the dashboard and leaned forward, checking out the adorable bed and breakfast overlooking the sea. It was a special place I’d picked for one of our stops on the trip. “Second Reef Resort. I like it.”
We both took in the majestic, castle-like resort.
“Are you sure you can afford this?” Lola said.
I pointed to myself. “You, my dear, are married to a class act. Yes, I can afford it.” I swung the van into the large parking lot. “Only the best for Mrs. Hamilton.”
We stepped into the cozy reception area where a crackling fire burned in a rock fireplace. As was the custom in most of these Northern California inns, happy hour was in full swing, complete with a boatload of killer wines from one of the many local vineyards. Lola’s eyes grew wide as she held my hand and dragged me to the buffet. “Whoa. Check out all this cool stuff. Gouda cheese, brie, pumpernickel, rye, strawberries.” She clapped her hands together. “Even chocolate.”
“Beats the Velveeta cheese I had planned.”
“I’m getting one of everything,” she said.
“You do that while I check us in.” I didn’t say it, but my hunger was for A-game hot sex with my bride.
I glanced over my shoulder with a smile at Lola. She looked like the proverbial kid in a candy store, gathering up platefuls of food and fine wine.
After I’d checked us in and Lola had gathered her feast, we passed through the parking lot on the way to our room. “You gotta be fucking kidding me,” I said as I caught sight of Devin’s caravan.
Lola sucked in her breath. “What’re they doing here?”
At that moment, Kristin stuck her head out the window, and gestured toward Lola with a gentle wave of her hand, mouthing, “Sorry.”
“Are they seriously planning on camping out here?” I said.
Lola sighed. “I did see a sign by the front desk about campers being welcome.” She shrugged. “Guess we can’t stop them.”
“Just as long as he stays on his side of the parking lot.”
We made our way to the room, and when I opened the door, Lola let out a gasp. Our suite was the ultimate lover’s paradise. A fireplace sat in one corner, and a large window opened to the expanse of the sun setting over the Pacific ocean. “It’s gorgeous!” she said.
We set down our things, and I patted the feather bed. “Why don’t you come here and let your husband take away all the stress of the day?” I grinned. “Maybe I’ll even let you suck my huge cock.”
She threw a pillow at me. “Shut up and watch the sunset with me. Then we can talk about what you’re going to do to me.”
I smiled and nearly pinched myself because I couldn’t believe I was here with Lola.
Lola and me.
Married.
I don’t think I’d ever felt happier. “Come here, babe.”
We lay down on the comfy bed, and Lola let out a dreamy sigh. “This is sheer heaven.” She smoothed her hands over the fine linens. “Feel this. Where’d they get these sheets?”
I placed my arms around her curvy body and took a deep breath as we spooned, my hard-on digging into her soft ass. “You smell so pretty. Just like sunrises and sunsets.” I loved Lola. I wanted to be with her and be her husband for real. But I knew I had no right to force myself into her life. I had left her and never looked back. We both knew the only reason I had returned was because of Uncle Seth’s terrible demise.
Almost like she was reading my mind, she said, “Where’ve you been living all these years?”
“A little town outside San Luis Obispo.”
“What, in a trailer or something?”
I tugged a strand of her hair. “No. I have a perfectly respectable apartment.”
“How’d you advertise your business?”
“The motorcycle community’s almost as small as the surfing community. Everybody knows each other.” I thought of my custom Triumph that Uncle Seth and I had worked on together and smiled. He had even helped me install a rack for my surfboard. That’s all I’d needed. My bike, my board, my clients, and a hot babe in my bed every Saturday night.
That was before.
Before Lola and I reunited.
We’d been married less than a week, but already I couldn’t imagine my life without her. It was almost like I’d been in a dream for six years and now I was awake. The dream had been a good one, but now that I was back, it was like waking up in the land of Oz. Everything felt magical, and the world glowed in Technicolor.
Loving Lola felt right.
It felt like the stars had lined up again. Like I was floating through the days with an airy step. Like I could surf all day, fix motorcycles all night and make love to my sexy sweet, lovable Brazilian babe in between every menial task I’d planned in a day.
I wanted to roam my hands all over her body and hear her breathe my name in her sleep. I wanted to wrap myself around her softness in this roomy bed and never let go.
I wanted us to wake up every morning gazing into each other’s eyes and fall asleep the same way after I’d fucked her brains out and left her limp.
I wanted to claim Lola as mine.
Lola was mine.
From the time we’d met at age twelve, I knew Lola was the love of my life. It was as though all those corny romantic movies my mom always watched where the man grabbed the woman’s head and kissed her hard dipping her into a passionate embrace suddenly made sense.
But I couldn’t tell her any of those things. Not yet.
Her voice was small. “Will you go back there after the contest?”
I stroked her hair. I wanted to ask her to marry me for real right then, but I didn’t want to freak her out. We had too much to concentrate on with the contest. Besides, how would she react? “The shop’s mine now.” I let out a heavy sigh. “All fifty grand worth of debt. And I owe something to Papaw. He hasn’t exactly said as much, but I get the feeling he depended on the income from the shop for his retirement.”
“He does all right with his automotive shop.”
“As far as we know. We thought Uncle Seth was doing okay and look how that’s turned out.”
We were silent as we watched the sun set into the ocean. The sky came alive with a dazzling display of purples, pinks, and oranges streaked with wispy white clouds. Lola let out a breathy sigh. “I never get tired of watching the sunset. We live in paradise.”
I turned her to face me and gave her a long, deep kiss. She tasted delicious, and my body responded immediately as her full breasts pressed against my chest.
Her phone dinged. “Shoot.” She held up one finger. “Save that thought. Let me see who’s texting me.” She picked up the phone. “That’s weird. It’s from Kristin.” We both looked at the text.
“Hey, Lola. I’m sorry about today. Can you come to the trailer for a second? I have a small gift to celebrate you and Justice getting married.”
Lola pushed the hair out of her face. “What do you think I should do?”
“I don’t think you should be anywhere near those two.”
“Kristin’s sweet. It’s not her fault Devin’s a jerk.”
“Did she have to go and marry the guy?”
We both knew that the main reason Devin wooed Kristin was because her father was wealthy and able to pull strings for Devin. “I heard that they never had a prenup,” Lola said.
“How much money are we talking about?”
“One of the rumors I heard says she’s worth around fifty million.”
I let out a low whistle. “Damn. I guess he thinks money buys happiness. I’ll take my brand of happiness over Devin’s any day, though, thank you very much.” Even if it did include a bankrupt shop. It included the love of my life. If she would take me back.
Lola stood up. “I’ll be right back.”
I held her arm. “Slow down. I didn’t say you could go.” Lola loved it when I challenged her, and my hard-on sprung to life thinking of the hot sex we’d have tonight.
She tugged away. “You’re not my boss.”
I stood up. “I’m going with you.”
“You are not. I can go myself.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near Devin.”
She threw her hands up in the air. “I’m going to see Kristin. I’ll be right back.”
I knew there was no use fighting with Lola. I pointed to my wristwatch. “I want you back in twenty minutes.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “And what if I’m not?”
“Then I’ll die of loneliness.”
We burst into laughter, and the last thing I saw was her blond hair whipping behind her as she flew through the door.
I wandered over to our feast and picked at the cheese and crackers, took a sip of the heavenly red wine. Then I sat in the comfy chair gazing out into the night. Then I went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I checked my watch. Ten minutes. I had no right to hover over Lola, but I wanted to know she was okay.
I pushed through the door and strode into the night.
I heard the voices before I saw them. What the hell?
“You like it rough? I can be rough. Just like that loser husband of yours.”
“I said, take your hands off me right this second, or I’ll scream so loud that Kristin and your staff will hear.”
“Come on Lola. Just one little kiss? Like we used to? Kristin’s asleep.”
“If you don’t get away from me this very second you’ll be wearing your balls for earrings.”
“Funny. Are you always this funny? Just let me—”
“Filha da puta! Get your hands off me or I’ll get my husband to tear you apart one fucking limb at a time.”
I broke into a run and found Devin moving toward Lola and grabbing the back of her head. “I said,” Lola screamed. “Leave me alone!” She shoved him away seconds before his slimy lips made contact with hers.
Adrenaline shot through my body; my muscles edgy and twitchy. “Get your hands off her you motherfucker!”
Devin’s hands flew up in the air, a comically surprised look on his face. “Whoa. Slow down there lover boy. Lola and I were just having a friendly little chat.”
I rolled up my sleeves and my fists clenched. “Where’s Kristin?”
He shrugged. “Who cares? Probably in bed watching TV.” Devin acted like this situation was one big fat joke. He slapped his thigh and laughed. “You’ll fall for anything.” He wagged a finger. “Careful who texts you. Ever hear of a catfish, Justice?” He waved a dismissive hand. “Probably not. You’re stuck in the nineties with your ancient bike and your flip phone.”
At the sound of the ruckus, a couple of Devin’s staff emerged from their RV. Devin held up a hand. “It’s okay, guys.”
I wanted to kill Devin. Visions of my body sailing through the air and landing against his scrawny body with a smack filled my head. I wanted to pummel his face right into the asphalt, make him kiss the greasy road and then wash his mouth out with soap. He had nearly kissed my Lola. No and hell no.
Lola cupped my face. “Justice. Look at me.” Her eyes were wild and frantic. “No trouble, okay? Let’s just go.”
Devin took a step toward me, his eyes cold, hard and flinty. “Why are you so interested in her now? Where’ve you been while other guys were making out with your sexy Brazilian wife?” He threw his head back and laughed. “Wife, my ass. You guys orchestrated this whole thing so you could be in the contest. I can’t prove it, but I’ve got my eyes on you.”
My jaw was clenched so hard that my head hurt. I stared Devin down and limbered up my shoulders and neck. I wanted to punch the motherfucker. “You better think twice before you talk about Lola that way. None of your goddamn business what we do or don’t do.”
Lola placed one hand on my arm. “Justice … don’t—”
Devin’s voice took on a taunting quality. “Yeah? Well, it was my business at one time. I’ll never forget her sweet little—”
I whirled around and shoved Devin so hard that he stumbled backward, his arms pinwheeling for balance. He landed with a thud right against his precious white-tablecloth-covered folding table. Expensive red wine and cheese fondue spilled all over his crisp white shirt. “Stay away from her, you asshole.” I drew back my fist. “Or you’ll be wearing a black eye in the contest.”
Kristin flew out of the Airstream. “Devin! Are you okay? Oh, my God. What’s going on?”
Devin picked himself up and brushed food off his shirt. “That’s right. Go ahead and hit me, Justice. We’ll see who the better surfer is. After the contest, the shop will be mine.”
Lola grabbed my fist and pulled my arm down with force. “Stop. Don’t do something stupid. Let’s get out of here. Now.”
I glared at Devin, my heart pounding loud in my ears, my body tense. I pointed one finger at his face. “This isn’t over buddy. Not by a long shot.”
I held Lola’s hand and pulled her through the parking lot. “Come on, babe.”
As we hurried away, we glanced over our shoulders. The last thing we saw was Devin’s videographer filming the entire fiasco.