Landon

Who the hell was this guy?

Besides the fact that it was my lesson, yet his hands were all over her, he clearly wanted me to know they had history. The nature of their history was vague. Zara’s obvious discomfort could have been because of it, or because I was witnessing it. I couldn’t help but wonder why she’d arrange a lesson with this jackass. Did she want to make me jealous?

Well, it was fucking working.

Then again, why was she so tense? At one point, she even removed his hand from her shoulder with a tight smile. The fucker wouldn’t take the hint. When she flinched the next time he touched the small of her back I stepped in.

“Don’t touch her, man.”

My threat left no doubt I was serious. His eyes widened before he grinned. “My apologies.”

Zara met my eye, and I couldn’t tell what she was thinking…which was a first. Since meeting her I’d been able to read her fairly well.

We had about ten more minutes for this dumb-ass lesson to be over with. By the grace of God, the fucker caught an amazing wave giving me a minute alone with her.

“You okay?” I asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.

“I’m so sorry. This was such a bad idea.”

Relief flooded, and when it mixed with my already heated blood it caused a heady combination. Possessiveness, anger, and horniness were a dangerous mix when one was so tightly wound up to begin with.

“It’s okay. I’m just trying to understand why we are here.” I pulled her into my arms. “You have a lot of ’splaining to do, Lucy,” I said in my best Ricky Ricardo impersonation.

“I love that show.” She smiled adorably. “I do, and I will. Just to let you know, though, I never had a romantic relationship with him. I have no idea where this is all coming from.”

“Like I said, he wants you. That’s obvious.”

“It doesn’t make sense.”

Victor hooted like an idiot as he came sprinting toward us. “Fucking fantastic. You shouldn’t have passed on that one, dude.”

“My loss.” With my one arm still around Zara’s waist, I added, “In fact, I think I’ve had enough. Ready, babe?”

She nodded, trying to hide her relief. “Yes.” Her arm slipped around my waist and fuck if that didn’t turn me the fuck on.

Victor shook out his stupid surfer hair and shrugged. “Well, I hope you picked up enough during our lesson to want to try again.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure surfing is not my thing.”

“Sorry to hear that. It can be life-altering if mastered.” He stepped closer to Zara, ignoring the way we held each other and my dirty look. “Call me in a few weeks when your”—he glanced my way with a cocky smirk—“schedule clears. We’ll pick up where we left off.”

“Victor, there was never anything to pick up from. You can stop pretending.”

In that moment, I was so proud of her.

“Can we have a moment of privacy?”

“No.”

“Gotcha.” He cut his eyes upward, considering what he wanted to say. “Okay, well, I’m just going to put it right out there. I’ve always liked you, a lot. And I probably would have asked you out a long time ago if it weren’t for your father. It’s not a secret I was scared of him. But when he called me yesterday to see how I was and to catch up, I realized I’d made a big mistake.”

“You spoke to my father?” she asked incredulously.

“Yeah. So now that I know he doesn’t hate me, let me know when I can take you out.” He turned to me and smirked again. “Once you leave, of course.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“That won’t happen, Victor. Sorry.” She stepped away from my hold to grab her clothes that lay on the sand. As she dressed hastily, she glanced up at him and said, “That was pretty shitty of you. You knew all along how to push Lance’s buttons, and like an arse-hole you did.”

Surprised by her accusation, he shook his stupid shaggy head. “No. That’s not…”

“Yes, it is.” Zara placed her hands on her hips, and huffed sarcastically. “It’s actually pathetic.”

Wordlessly, she stormed off, leaving me no choice but to grab her board and follow. And as I did, I didn’t bother to hide the grin that split my face in two.

I found her leaning against the Jeep scowling.

“Would now be a bad time to say I’m super turned on?”

She laughed in spite of her mood. “You’re always turned on.”

“This is true.” I slid the board into the Jeep and walked to stand before her, placing my hands on the window frame on either side of her head. “I think you’re amazing.”

“No, I’m just a woman pissed off.”

“Remind me to piss you off more often.” Our eyes connected right before I leaned in for a chaste kiss. “Talk to me.”

“First off, I can’t believe my father called him. I was dumb to mention your lesson today. But worse than that, Victor is not the same guy I knew in high school. How did I not see what an idiot he really is?”

“People change…and if he did once have feelings for you then that would explain why he was acting like a tool. That part I can relate to.”

She twisted her mouth as if she tasted something sour. “Ugh. I feel gross. Let’s get out of here.”

“Say no more. I’m kidnapping you to my place.”

Once we got back to my bungalow, we took our lunch out to the beach and spread out on a blanket facing the ocean. Compared to the day before, the weather was perfect. The sun warmed our skin, as we lay side by side in a comfortable silence. Seeing Zara in her tiny black bikini made it hard to hide my desire.

I took her hand and pulled her closer. It was only then that I noticed her trembling from my touch.

“You’re nervous.”

“Yes,” she said, shyly looking into my eyes.

“I don’t want you to be nervous, but it’d be hypocritical to not admit I am, as well.”

A half smile lifted the corners of her full lips. “You are?”

“Of course.” I shifted onto my side while still holding her hand. “There is so much I want to do with you. I don’t want you pulling away if I come on too strong like you did the night of the luau.”

Remorse altered her features and she bit her lip. “I was very confused that night.”

“I know you were. Again, so was I. I barely knew you, but just spending that time alone on the beach together, with Spike, made me feel like I’d known you my whole life. And now, I feel that even more so.”

“There’s still so much we don’t know about each other, Lance.”

“That’s true.” I turned my head to look at the ocean. When I looked back into her eyes, I waited a pause before adding, “But don’t we know the important stuff?”

She mimicked my position, facing me while holding her head up with her free hand. “Like?”

I focused on our entwined hands, skimming my thumb across her knuckles. “You’re stunning, gorgeous, and beautiful inside and out, Zara.” Slowly I raised my eyes and smiled. “You’re sexy, passionate, and kind. Honest and strong. Real.” A slow smile spread over her lips. “Should I continue stroking your ego?”

“No, that’s enough.”

“Okay, then. And you know all the important things about me. I’m handsome. I’m sincere. I can be sweet and gentle, or an explosion of passion. I can be a friend, but more so a fantastic lover. I can be anything you want me to be.” With a giggle, she sat up folding her long legs between us. Refusing to let go of her hand forced our hands to settle in the apex of her thighs…her bare thighs.

“Those are the important things I need to know?”

“Well, one more thing. You now know I’m a terrible surfer.”

“Ah, right. Let’s not forget that. Is that it?”

“Yes, that’s all you need to know.” I couldn’t stand it any longer. I needed to touch her. Tugging on her hand until she lay on my chest, I rested my hands on the smooth curve of her ass. I held her against me while staring into her eyes. “Actually, there is one more thing you need to know. I’m crazy about you.”

I didn’t wait for her to respond; I didn’t have to. I knew she felt the same, and intended to use that to my advantage. My lips connected with hers in a resolute kiss, a confirmation that every single thing I said, I meant. It was also a promise that it could be so good between us. And finally, it was a question, asking if she’d please let me take us to the next step.

The familiar charged current moved between us with our lips serving as the epicenter. I hated to do so, but after a few moments I reluctantly broke the kiss and pulled away. By then the entire length of her body had pressed up against mine, and the last thing I wanted was for Kaholo or even Palu to stumble upon us in such a compromising situation.

She opened her eyes, frowning in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

My eyes darted around the deserted beach. “Let’s go inside.”

Understanding my concern, she nodded and immediately distanced herself. She stood first and I pressed up behind her. With my arm wrapped around her body, I leaned down and softly kissed the curve of her neck.

“Do you know what’s going to happen once I get you inside?” I asked against her ear.

“What?”

“You’re going to fall in love with me, Zara.”

She met my eye over her shoulder, but remained silent. From the look on her face I knew that she realized I was right.

I released her and wordlessly gathered the remnants of our lunch. Leaving the blanket on the sand, I took her hand and led her into my bungalow.

Her nerves were obvious in the way she avoided my gaze. Once I closed and locked the door, I stood before her, forcing her to look at me. “Zara, let’s just relax, talk, and be with each other. Okay?” I led her to the couch and forced her to sit. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Anything you’re having is fine.”

I took my time starting up my favorite playlist on the portable speaker and opening up a bottle of red wine. Her eyes followed my every move, and with each second that passed I could see her physically relaxing. She leaned back into the couch, tucking her feet beneath her, and smiled.

When I placed our wine on the small coffee table and sat beside her, she said, “I’m acting like a schoolgirl. I’m sorry.”

“I kind of like it,” I admitted with a raised brow. “Unless you are having second thoughts of being with me.”

“No,” she responded immediately. “That’s not it. I want to spend as much time with you as I can, Lance. I really do. I’m dreading the day you leave.”

I leaned over and buried my fingers in her hair, holding her head as I did. “Zara, me leaving doesn’t mean things have to end between us. I kind of hope they don’t.”

“Really?”

“Really. We’ll figure it out. I can come to you.”

“I’d like that.” Her apprehensive look contradicted her words.

“So, if that’s not an issue then what’s worrying you now?” I asked, skimming my thumb along the creases in her forehead.

“I’m so inexperienced.”

Those three words literally reached out with their imaginary hands and grabbed my cock…and while at it, they pumped causing it to instantly harden. Of course I knew she was inexperienced. Besides the fact that she lived in a remote location, her age and even naivety were all proof of what she’d admitted. But hearing her saying it out loud completely affected me.

“You think that bothers me?”

“No. It bothers me, though.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to worry I’m doing something wrong. I’d rather spend my energy enjoying you.”

I lied. Those three words she’d admitted earlier were just fluffers. What she said now was what released the cork that had been holding in all my desire for her, creating a geyser that no longer could be controlled.

I held her face between both hands and said, “Just leave it all up to me. Today is about you.”