Kennedy locked up the surf shop and started for the parking lot. She stopped and frowned, not liking the thought of heading back to an empty apartment, and instead moved around the shop toward the beach.

Families were still out. She slipped off her flip-flops and let her feet sink into the sand. When she’d first come to Miami three years ago, the older guy who owned the shop, Rex, had seen her surfing all the time and asked her if she wanted a job. It had been perfect.

Unfortunately, Rex had recently told her he was going to sell the surf shop. He wanted to retire. That made her uncertain about what she would do for work. During the school year, she worked one afternoon a week and every weekend, but in the summers, he pretty much let her be the manager. Nervous butterflies went through her lower stomach, and she thought about the audition for the radio station tomorrow. She needed to take the shot and get the job.

Deciding she needed to surf to get her mind off her nervousness, she picked up her board from the shed around the side and took off her clothes, revealing her swimsuit underneath. She needed the ocean. It was nice that she didn’t need a wetsuit. She loved evenings in Florida. Sauntering out to the ocean, she put her board in and paddled out. The thing the ocean had on everyone else in this world was that the ocean didn’t care what you looked like or how many hands you had. It just sent the waves in.

She got out to the perfect spot and then waited. A wave swelled behind her, so she started paddling, gaining speed. At just the right moment, she popped up, getting her balance perfectly, and let go. It was fabulous, the feeling of flying in the air, riding something greater than herself. She leaned on her back foot and steered the board as best she could, riding the wave for as long as possible.

Her mind flitted to thoughts of the night before, of rushing out of the dance club. Of Carrie coming home later that night and saying, “Kyle likes you. I don’t know why, but he does. Wouldn’t even dance close with me after you left.” Carrie’s words had her tossing and turning all night. She’d thought about those green eyes, and she’d thought about Carrie telling her he would be at the station doing an interview tomorrow and someone was going to win a trip with him.

As she stepped out of the ocean, she froze, dumbfounded.

Kyle was standing there in a white tank top, tattoos winding around the top of his bicep. His blond hair fell over his eyes.

Her heart rate jumped up a notch. Not knowing what to do, she turned back to the ocean. How come he was here? What the heck was he doing here? Why had he come? Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Kyle taking off his tank top and sandals. Was he coming out here?

She watched him go to the side of the surf shop and pick up a broken board that was stacked. That was where Rex had her put all the boards that needed to be fixed. It annoyed her that he’d taken a board. He couldn’t just do that. She watched as he ran into the ocean. He looked like a freaking commercial—all tanned and gorgeous.

Climbing on her board, she focused and started paddling to get the next wave. Soon she was up. She loved surfing. It was part of her. The ocean spoke to her soul. It’d been like that since she’d come to Miami to go to school.

Her gaze went to him. He was already paddling. A moment later, he was up on a wave too.

She turned her focus back, finished riding the wave in, and hopped off her board. Kyle was riding a large wave, and he was good. Dang, he was attractive. His whole body was flexed, and he had serious abs. Like an eight-pack. It wasn’t just that he was strong; the laser-like focus was hypnotizing. Not knowing what to do, she started in for the beach.

“Hey,” he called after her.

For a second, she kept walking.

“Hey.” He was getting closer to her.

She turned, pointing to the board. “That’s not yours.”

He stopped and looked down at the board in confusion. A grin washed over his face. “I know.”

Giving him a “duh” expression, she nodded. “You need to pay to rent it.”

He held up the board. “I can pay for it, but it’s broken.”

“No kidding. Do you think maybe that’s why it was sitting by the side of the shop?” She turned and marched up the beach back toward the surf shop.

He jogged alongside her. “Sorry. Look, I can pay for it.”

She shook her head, thinking she didn’t want to open the shop again. “No, it’s fine.” Annoyed, she got to the surf shop and put her board down.

He put his down next to it. “Do you pay for yours?” he asked.

“What? No—I mean, yes. We can use the boards as part of working here.” She picked up her clothes and roughly pulled them over her swimsuit. “Plus, I don’t owe you an explanation.”

A smug smile washed over his beautiful face. “Yet you’re giving me one.”

Cocky. She glared at him. “I don’t know why you’re here, but you can go.” This entire thing was crazy. What the heck did this guy want?

Before she could stomp off, he was next to her, taking her forearm. “Would you just wait for a sec?”

She stopped and looked down at his hand on her.

Quickly, he pulled back and put his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, I just want to talk to you.”

He was close, too close. She thought of dancing with him the night before and how there had been chemistry between them, just like now. “Your eyes.”

The look on his face shifted to one of amazement. Then he chuckled. “What did you say?”

Totally embarrassed, she spun to leave. “Nothing.”

Before she could get away, he was next to her again. “Listen, I texted Carrie today, and she told me you would be here.”

Her thoughts clouded. Both of her roommates were gone for the summer, yet Carrie was still interfering. “Why would you do that?”

A smile played at his lips. “What can I say? I wanted some mint chocolate chip ice cream. Been thinking about it since you left me alone on the dance floor.”

The first thing she thought was, why would he even want to see her? Why was he pursuing her? In her experience, most guys didn’t want a girl like her. Yeah, it hurt, but she was way past crying about it. After everything last night with Russell, and now seeing Kyle stare at her this way, she was confused. “I—”

“Just say yes.”

She didn’t move.

“Mint chocolate chip. C’mon, you want it, too.”

“Are you going to interview at the radio station tomorrow?” The question was out before she thought about it.

Surprise washed over his face. “What?”

She felt her cheeks warm. “Are you going to be at the radio station tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I am.” His eyes narrowed. “Are you?”

Not wanting to answer his question, but knowing it would be even more uncomfortable, she shrugged. “Carrie put my name into some contest, and I won an audition to be an intern on The Ray Ray Show.”

With a slow grin, he said, “So I guess we have a date tomorrow?”

Rolling her eyes, she took a step back. What was it with this guy’s obsession with dating her? “No, we don’t.”

He flashed her a smile and snapped his fingers. “So, wait. Since you won that contest, you are technically entered to win the trip to Jackson this weekend with me.”

All the puzzle pieces slipped into place. “Oh my gosh.” She put her hand to her mouth. She’d heard Ray Ray advertise a big contest for all the previous winners, but she hadn’t thought about it. She blinked and then pulled her hand back, telling herself to be calm. “What are the chances of that?”

His expression turned smug and catlike, like a lion in a documentary on the Wild Kingdom channel she’d watched one time. The kind where the predator was circling its prey. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll see what the universe has in store for us.”

The man figured she was already going with him, like it was already done. She stumbled back. “I have to go.”

“Don’t look so happy!” he called out after her. “See you tomorrow.”