by E. L. Todd
“Does she live on the island?”
“Yep. And she’s a pain in the ass.”
“Why?” she asked.
“She’s dating a guy I can’t stand. He’s a total loser but she won’t dump him. It’s been my worst nightmare.”
“If she’s a pain in the ass, why do you care?”
“Because I love her. She’s the only family I have.”
She gave him a sympathetic look.
“Other than my friends, at least. My grandparents are dead and my dad’s sisters live in England. She and I are on our own.”
“When did your parents pass away?”
“When I started college, so it was about two years ago.”
“That’s hard.”
He nodded. “I try to stay positive for my sister, but it gets me down sometimes.”
“You’re a good brother,” she said.
“I try. Right now I feel like I’m failing. I can’t let her end up with a douchebag. My sister is amazing and deserves better. And my dad isn’t here so I have to worry about it. Sometimes I wish I could just be her brother, but I have to be her parents too.”
“Isn’t she older than you?”
“Yes, but she’s had a hard time. After our parents died, she dropped out of school and just gave up on everything. She’s pretty much a bum. She stays at my place because she doesn’t pay for electricity most of the time.”
“Well, life goes on,” she said. “Your sister needs to realize that.”
“I know. I’m trying to get rid of this boyfriend and then I’m going to make her focus on getting back to school. She and I are the opposite. When tragedy strikes, I get absorbed in school or work. She just stares at the wall.”
“But you never give up.”
“Never.”
The waitress brought the pizza and they ate it together. Derek watched her take small bites with grace. She chewed slowly and swallowed. She only ate a few slices but Derek didn’t comment on it. When the tab came, he paid for it.
“Let’s split it,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said as he put the cash in.
She eyed him suspiciously.
Before she could say anything, Derek made his move. “Let’s go to Moo-Moo Ice cream parlor.”
“What’s that?”
“They have the best ice cream in San Diego, or so I hear.”
They left and walked to the ice cream parlor. There was an autographed picture of Mandi Moore on the wall.
They ordered their food and Derek paid for it again. Paola tried to argue but Derek wouldn’t let her reach for her wallet. They walked to the beach while they ate their ice cream. When they were near the water, they sat down. The waves were black and difficult to see, but it was obvious they were out there.
“What’d you get?” Derek asked.
“Chocolate with m&m’s.”
“Excellent choice. I got rocky road with extra marshmallows.”
“Yum.”
He held out a bite to her. “Try it.”
She stared at it hesitantly.
Derek put down his cup then placed his hand under her chin, barely touched her. “Open.”
After a moment of staring at him, she parted her lips.
Slowly, Derek put the spoon inside and watched her close her lips around it. It was the sexist thing he’d ever seen. He immediately imagined her doing that to his cock while she went down on him. Just the idea was enough to make him almost cum. He pulled the spoon away and dropped it in the bowl.
She swallowed it. “It’s good,” she whispered.
He leaned toward her and stared at her lips, making his intentions very clear. Her breathing increased slightly as he came closer. When Derek moved toward her face, he grabbed her cup without looking and set it aside. She didn’t stop him. The fact that she didn’t move told Derek everything he needed to know. She wanted his kiss.
He pressed his face close to hers and felt his heart accelerate. She smelled like wild roses on a summer day. Her lips were close to his and he could feel her warm breath touch his skin. Her eyes were heavy and lidded, watching his movements. He placed his hand on her cheek then pressed his mouth against hers. The chemistry was explosive.
He immediately sucked in a breath as soon as they touched. Her lips burned him, almost like simmering oil. They tasted sweet, like salt water taffy. Derek never kissed anyone like this. His lips massaged hers gently, making smacking noises as their skin stuck to each other. Her wet lips returned his affection. As she moved her mouth, Derek felt himself shake. It was the best kiss he ever had. Her mouth moved against him in the right way, and when her tongue slipped into his mouth, he leaned over her and pushed her to the sand.
Derek held himself over her while he kissed her, his embrace turning passionate with desire. Her fingers moved through his hair then down his back. Now that she was his, he moved his hand to her thigh and touched her legs, feeling the muscle and strength within him. Every part of her was perfect. He wanted to kiss her everywhere, taste her. His lips moved to her neck while he glided up her thigh. He never moved past the hem of her dress because he didn’t want to give her the wrong idea. Derek returned his lips to her mouth and pressed his tongue against hers.
Suddenly, she pushed him away and broke their kiss. Both breathing heavily, they stared at one another. Derek waited for her to stay something. Her eyes seemed dimmer than they did before. Her hand stayed on his chest, stopping him from getting any closer.
“I—I should go,” she said.
Derek swallowed the lump in his throat. One of the greatest moments of his life had been shattered. He moved off of her and watched her walk up the beach, retreating to her room. Confused, Derek sat there, staring at the last place he saw her.
9
Derek stayed on the beach for a long time, not understanding what just happened. He already cared for Paola a great deal. He never would have kissed her if she didn’t want him to. When he replayed the day in his mind, he didn’t understand where it went wrong. And he knew she enjoyed the moment they had. The way her fingers glided through his hair and the way she kissed him told him everything he needed to know. So why did she end it?
He went back to the hotel then went to her door. After taking a deep breath, he knocked. There was no answer. He knocked again but she didn’t open the door. Knowing it was futile, he walked into his room and lay in bed. Since she was just in the next room, he couldn’t sleep. He kept thinking about her, imagining his hands running up and down her legs.
When his thoughts turned sinister, thinking about her legs wrapping around his waist, begging him to move inside her, he shook his head. His cock throbbed in his boxers and he wanted to rub one out. Thinking about scent of her hair and the touch of her lips made him ooze from the tip. The physical attraction he felt for her was consuming him. He had never been more aroused by another person before. When he was kissing her, he wanted to come. If they kept going, he probably would have.
Unable to sleep, he grabbed a bottle of lotion and lathered it in his hands. He turned on his stomach and suspended himself with one arm. With his other, he started to jerk himself hard, imagining Paola underneath them. He assumed her bedroom was next to his through the wall and that made him feel dirtier. When he thought about her legs, toned and firm, and her perky ass, he rocked his hips, pretending he was thrusting inside her. Derek lived out his fantasy of her, pretending to hear her moan for him, telling him she enjoyed it. He rubbed his hand harder, feeling the formation of the orgasm in his balls.
“Paola,” he whispered, breathing harder. “Paola…”
He felt his dick twitch before he came. He caught the cum while he moaned loudly, still thrusting. When he was finished, he remained where he was, thinking about what he just did. Now he felt better getting it out of his system, but he was depressed. He wanted the real thing. Kissing her was the most sexual experience he ever had. She was driving him crazy. As soon as she came into his life, his world had been thro
wn upside down. He cleaned himself up then lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. He had his competition tomorrow but he didn’t care. That was the last thing he cared about. Now he just want Paola, wanted to have her next to him throughout the night. He finally fell asleep.
When his alarm clock woke him up early the next morning, he groaned. He changed into his wetsuit and grabbed his board before he walked to Paola’s door. When he knocked, there was no answer. He knocked against but there still was no response. He pulled out his phone and called her.
“Hey, open the door,” he said.
“I’m already at the beach.”
“Oh. I’ll be there in a second.”
She hung up without saying goodbye.
When he arrived at the beach, he registered and checked in his board. They gave him his number and pinned it to his suit. A few girls were waving at him but he ignored them. He looked for Paola but didn’t see her.
When he walked through the crowd, he spotted her near the other female contestants.
“Hey,” he said. “Are you next?”
She nodded, the anxiety in her eyes.
He placed his hand on her lower back. “You’ll do amazing, Paola.” He leaned close to her ear, his lips just an inch away. “You’ll show up all these bitches.”
She chuckled then smiled at him.
When he stared at her, he wanted to ask what happened the night before but he decided not to. She was already nervous and he didn’t want to make her upset before her big event. He grabbed her hand placed it on his chest. “Breathe with me.”
She was hesitant at first but she left her hand. Nothing was sad as she stared at his face, breathing in tune with him. His hand rested on hers and he stared at her, seeing her hair frame her face. Her eyes looked dim and lifeless, even under the California sun. She seemed so calm and reassured most of the time. But she was just as frightened as everyone else.
Derek stepped closer to her then placed his other hand on her lower back, feeling the fabric of her wet suit. When she didn’t move away, he pressed his forehead against hers. Nothing was said. She closed her eyes and breathed with him. Derek stared at her chest, watching her chest rise and fall with his. The crowd was screaming around them, cheering for the surfer on the water. Derek didn’t hear them. All he saw was Paola. Somehow, he felt all her emotions. This competition meant more to her than it did to him. Derek felt her channel her feelings, trying to make them dissipate. She never pulled her hand away from his chest and he didn’t move away either. When he looked at her lips, he wanted to kiss her but he decided not to. He just wanted to comfort her, not scare her off. And she clearly trusted him to do the right thing. He wasn’t going to ruin that.
When the announcer called her name and number, she pulled away. Before she walked past him, he grabbed her and focused her gaze on him. “You’re going to win,” he whispered.
“You think?”
He smiled. “You own everyone on this beach.”
She nodded then walked away.
The judges waited patiently for her to get in the water. When she was apart from Derek, she returned to her state of confidence and calm. From a distance, she was a different person. The fear was hidden deep, and her pride and strength shined through. She swam into the water and rode the first wave. Derek watched her carefully, feeling his mind connect with her. She took all the turns he would make, but she made some unexpected moves, which shocked everyone on the beach. Derek smiled as she commanded the waves under her board. She was graceful and elegant. He couldn’t remember seeing something more beautiful in his life. When her turn was over, she walked up the beach, dripping wet. Derek moved through the crowd until she saw him. She immediately went to him.
“You were—amazing.”
“Really?” she whispered.
He kissed her forehead. “Fucking amazing.”
She looked at him, her eyes wide.
Derek placed his arm around her waist and turned to the judges. Most of them held a perfect score. One prick gave her a 9.5. He turned to her, a triumphant smile on his face. “Told you.”
“That’s the highest score I’ve ever gotten,” she said in a mesmerized voice.
“I have a feeling it’ll get even higher.”
She waved her face, trying to dispel the heat. “Ohmigod.”
“You’re going to win.”
“I don’t know…”
“I do.” He pulled her to his chest. “And even if you don’t, to me, you did.” His lips brushed her forehead again, resting on her hair. It was wet and tangled, but it was still beautiful to him. The way it stuck to her neck made his spine shiver. He could taste the salt on her skin.
“When is your turn?”
“Oh. I think soon.”
“You don’t seem nervous.”
“I—I guess I wasn’t thinking about it.”
“What were you thinking about?”
“You.”
She looked down and stared at his chest. “Well, you should go to your station.”
He grabbed her hand. “If you come with me. I don’t feel nervous when I’m around you.”
“Okay…”
He pulled her to his side and watched the surfer for the male division in the water. He was good but Derek didn’t care. Instead of watching the surfer, he watched Paola. When she felt him staring at her, she turned to him.
Derek hooked his arm around her waist and held her to his chest, resting his head on top of hers. Holding her was surreal. It was the first time he let himself take her in, feeling her against him. She was so small, a foot shorter than him, but she could command the room effortlessly. He’d never felt his heart hurt this much. It was painful but joyful at the same time. Her heartbeat was faint through her suit, but he could feel it against his chest. Her breasts pushed against him but he didn’t think about her in a sexual way. He shared the moment with her, forgetting about everyone around them and why they were here. Everything stilled for an instant in time, giving him what he needed. It was the moment he understood Coen’s feelings for Sydney, the way Henry felt for Ren, the undying devotion Thatcher felt for Nancy. He understood all of it. The connection formed between their souls, binding them forever. Derek knew she felt it too.
The announcer called his name and number. Reluctantly, he released Paola. He looked into her eyes for a moment.
“You’re going to do great,” she whispered.
“I’ll just copy you,” he said with a smile.
“Good luck.”
He kissed her on the forehead, realizing he already did it four times, and then turned away. Knowing Paola was on that beach, watching him, gave him the strength he needed. He was calmer than he’d ever been. When he moved into the water, he waited for the perfect wave. He knew it the moment he saw it. Derek jumped on his board and started his moves. Thinking about nothing, his mind free, he rode the waves like he was at home, trying to find peace from the stress of his life. For ten minutes, he moved across the water, his body guiding him more than his mind.
When his turn was over, he fell into the water then grabbed his board. When he walked up the beach, he immediately searched for Paola. He found her right where he left her.
“You were so awesome!”
“Well, I copied you,” he teased.
She jumped up and down, the excitement shining in her eyes.
He picked her up and held her in his arms, her feet not touching the ground.
“Let’s look at your scores,” she said, jumping to the ground.
Derek looked, shocked by what he saw.
“A perfect score!” Paola jumped up and down again. She jumped in his arms.
Derek was happy he did so well, but not as happy as he felt when she hugged him. It was the greatest joy he’d ever experienced. He closed his eyes and cherished the moment. For the longest time, all he cared about was surfing. It was his greatest dream, but now he had a new dream.
She pulled away. “Why aren’t you more excited?”
; He touched her face and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I am.”
“It doesn’t seem like it.”
He smiled. “I guess I’m just more excited about something else.”
Paola stared at him then lowered her hands.
“Let’s go out and celebrate.”
“We don’t know who won.”
“Actually, we do.”
“Well, you are cocky,” she said with a smile.
They stayed on the beach together and waited for the competition to end. Derek grabbed them water bottles and made sure her Paola was hydrated. She seemed hot. When she unzipped the top of her wetsuit, she was wearing her bikini underneath. Derek tried not to stare. He unzipped his so she would see his chest. He was doing everything he could to keep her attention.
Derek held her close while they waited. When his hand touched the bare skin of her ribs, he felt his heart accelerate. And when he felt her breasts against his bare chest, it just got worse. He thought he might have a heart attack.
When the commentators announced the final tallies, everyone turned to listen.
“Ladies first,” the man said from the stage.
Derek stared at Paola’s face, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes. He could see the desire—need—to win. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that her name would be called.
“And the winner is…”
Derek pressed his face closer to hers.
“Paola Francesca.”
“Ohmigod,” she said, covering her face.
Derek smiled at her. “What are the odds? Maybe I should be a psychic.”
Her eyes welled up with tears.
“Congratulations, baby. Now go get your medal.”
She smiled at him then headed to the stage.
Everyone cheered as she took the medal and was presented with the big check. She took a few pictures before she came down the stairs again.
“And now for the men…”
Derek didn’t care. The smile on Paola’s face was better than medal or money. She seemed so happy. It was all he needed.
“Derek Mosano.”
Paola screamed and jumped in his arms. “I knew you’d win.”
He grabbed her face and kissed her on the lips. She reciprocated before he pulled away. After he rubbed his nose against hers, he walked to the stage and received his reward. They put the medal around his neck and handed him the twenty thousand dollar check. He waved to the crowd before he left the stage. A few girls tried to talk to him but he ignored them. When he came back to Paola she wasn’t there. He looked around for her until he saw her talking to a guy and a girl.
