Four Letter Word

Decision made, I palmed my phone and pulled up my recent calls. My thumbs moved hurriedly over the keypad.

Wild Girl. Eaten any innocent men alive today yet?

I hit Send. I felt good.

Keeping it playful was most likely the best way to go about this. My other thought, confessing how hard I came last night after she hung up on me, might’ve backfired.

She’d respond, all right. With a restraining order.

The front door chimed, pulling my attention off the phone.

Jamie, the same motherfucker who I wanted to beat the piss out of last night, drifted into the shop with a small group of women floating in behind him. He jerked his chin in my direction, greeted me with a smug grin, then turned his head and watched as the three ladies moved to congregate by a table covered in T-shirts and board shorts.

Stopping on the other side of the counter I was standing behind, he ran a hand through his damp hair.

“What up? What are you doing?”

I placed the phone down.

“Nothing. Waiting on that shipment of boards to arrive.”

Not a lie. I was waiting. The boards were set to arrive sometime today. I just couldn’t seem to care one way or another about it.

I nodded toward the window facing the ocean. “How’s it out there today?”

“Decent. A bit choppy.” He lifted his brow. “You tryin’ to get out? I can man the shop. I don’t have any other lessons until later this afternoon. I think three o’clock is my next one.”

I shook my head, stepped back, and leaned my weight against the table, crossing my arms tight across my chest.

Jamie and I co-owned Wax, a surf shop walking distance from the beach.

We opened the store a couple years back when both of us lived and breathed sand and salt water. Back when I did surf, it was purely for enjoyment. I craved the rush of adrenaline. The freedom and adventure it provided. Jamie was the same, but it was different for him. He was a local hero. A Dogwood Beach legend. He won three world championships back-to-back and was one of the most powerful free surfers I’d ever seen.

Kid was fucking talented. He split his days in the shop with me and out on the water.

“Where the fuck is Cole? Wasn’t he supposed to be back with our lunch by now? I’m starving.”

“He called. Screwed up the order and had to go back,” I replied.

“Serious?”

“Yep.”

“Idiot.” Jamie laughed.

His gaze trained on the three women in the store as they checked out some long boards.

“How difficult is it to remember a Chinese take-out order for three? He needs to get his ass out of the sun. I think that hippy organic sunscreen he uses is killing off his brain cells. No joke.”

“I don’t know. I had some chick stop in here the other day and ask what brand he wears. Said he gave her a lesson and smelled good, or some shit. She ended up getting his number before she left.”

Jamie straightened. He looked stunned.

It took everything in me not to crack up.

He narrowed his eyes.

“Shut the hell up. Cole got laid based on his love for the environment?”

I shrugged.

One of the three girls browsing around the shop came up to the counter. Her smile passed between myself and Jamie.

“Excuse me. Um …” She paused to bite at her bottom lip. “Can one of you help us reach those shirts up there?”

She pointed behind her at the wall of merchandise, allowing the tiny top she was wearing to ride up her body and reveal a pierced navel and a tribal tattoo surrounding it, making no attempt to cover herself after she lowered her hand.

My gaze barely lingered. I wasn’t interested.

Jamie, on the other hand, smiled and threw his arm over her shoulder.

“Sure thing, baby,” he said gently. “I can help you with that. I’ll even lend a hand if you or either of your friends want to try one on. We’re all about good service around here.”

She giggled and hid her blush behind her hair, wrapping her arm around his waist.

“Might want to check IDs before you assist with anything,” I suggested as the two of them stepped away.

That girl looked young as shit, and virgin pussy fucked with my best friend’s better judgment. Made him a thoughtless moron completely controlled by a set of tits with legs. He had a thing for being a chick’s first and rarely passed up that opportunity.

Jamie glanced back, acknowledging me with a jerk of his head, grinning like he was already sheathing up his cock and sinking himself balls deep into one of the girls while the others waited bent over and eager.

I shook my head.

Dumbass was going to get himself in trouble one of these days.

The phone on the counter vibrated, dragging my attention away from the foursome about to commence in the dressing room.

I snatched it up and glanced at the sender. My pulse jumped.

It’s a little early. I usually wait until after dinner to randomly dial up men and cuss them out. Again, I’m SO sorry. I feel awful for saying that stuff to you.

My fingers moved vigorously.

Don’t need to apologize. That was the most interesting conversation I’ve ever had.

Really?

Straight up. How did the intended guy take it? You make him cry?

I never called him.

Huh. That surprised me. She seemed dedicated to destroying that prick’s ego last night. He sure as hell sounded like he deserved it.

You should’ve. I think you had a shot at causing some serious hurt.

I don’t know.