She stared at the house. “This is you?”
“For the past six years.”
She took a moment for the appropriate amount of jealousy. “Cool beach access.”
“My thoughts exactly when I paid too much for the place.” Elle led Gia up the steps to a back deck accessorized with two comfortable-looking patio chairs facing the shore with a table between them. She imagined Elle sitting outside, salt water drying on her skin, watching the sun go down. Didn’t sound awful at all.
Elle unlocked the back door and tossed Gia a look over her shoulder. “Hey, remember when you were distant and unfriendly?”
Gia nodded. “Remember when you were fake and attention seeking?”
“Hopefully, we’ve eliminated ‘fake’ from that sentence.”
Gia chuckled and followed Elle inside. She took a moment to orient herself to the space. Everything about the interior of Elle’s house said soft. The colors, a variety of whites and beiges, the shape of the furniture, all rounded and cloud-like. It was the perfect place to collapse after a long day’s workout. Every aspect of Elle’s home screamed “fall down right here.” Gia wanted to. Even the art on the wall communicated serenity. “You have a very chill house. I don’t know how else to say it.”
“Chill, huh?” Elle laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard it described quite like that, but yes, it’s very chill. I happen to need chill in my life. What’s your place like?”
Gia paused. “It feels significantly less adult than this. Also less comfortable.”
“Let me guess. All wall-to-wall neon surfboards?”
“Nooo,” Gia said, drawing out the lie. “I have a couch, too.”
“Wow,” Elle said, in mock appreciation. But as Gia perused the place further, Elle did have nods to their shared profession on display, just not as in-your-face as Gia did. A framed news article on the wall from a big tournament win from Elle’s teenage years. A color photo of her on the day she took the world championship. There were also photos of her with her parents, her younger brothers, and people Gia presumed were her friends. Elle’s life seemed vibrant and happy, warm even. As she took in the personal touches and got to know Elle a little better, she noticed herself smiling.
“You are a person,” she said, in teasing fashion, to Elle.
“As much as possible, yes,” Elle said over her shoulder. Her breath tickled Gia’s skin, sending a shiver inching through her. “How about a shower before dinner?”
Gia turned around and raised an eyebrow in the quiet of Elle’s living room.
The insinuation prompted Elle to falter, and the perfect smile fell from her face. “No. I didn’t mean it like that.”
Gia didn’t mind seeing Elle on defense. It was too rare an occurrence for her not to enjoy it. She couldn’t stop herself from pushing back. “Because that’s what it sounded like. So, not an invitation, then?” Gia asked, with a raised eyebrow.
Elle exhaled, understanding that she was being teased. “The eyebrow again, huh? You can use the guest bathroom, through there.”
Gia followed Elle’s gaze and grabbed her bag. “Thanks. I’ll be quick.” The hall bathroom had Gia captivated. Matching light blue hand towels, and little soaps carved into different shapes. Seashells, anchors, and starfish. Foaming hand soap, and the thick kind of tissues you find in all the good hotels. Elle had her life together, that was for sure.
Gia took a quick shower, dried off with the fluffiest towel she’d experienced in a quite a while, slid into her jeans and white slouchy top, and headed to the kitchen, where she found Elle already showered and unpacking a delivery bag.
“Food’s here.”
Gia glanced at the front door and back to Elle. “How is that possible? I took a ten-minute shower. Are you capable of stopping time?”
Elle smiled. “It’s from an all-natural restaurant around the corner. I have a delivery service already scheduled several times a week. Just asked them to make it two tonight.”
“That easy, huh?” Gia joined Elle in the kitchen, glancing up at the copper pots and pans that hung from above the center island. More adulting. “So, what are we having?”
“Lots of baked chicken, broccoli, twelve-grain bread, and jalapeno corn which, trust me, will blow your mind.” Elle tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear, and Gia attempted to stay focused on the conversation.
“Mind-blowing corn? I’m in.” Good save.
At Elle’s suggestion, they skipped the kitchen table in favor of the coffee table, and sat on the floor of her living room, which wasn’t a problem because wouldn’t you know it, the accent rug was fluffy and awesome. It wasn’t the most exciting meal in the world, but in the middle of the season, it was definitely the kind of food Gia should be eating. Well, they both should.
Elle regarded Gia thoughtfully, spoon in hand. “I can’t believe you thought I was fake. I happen to be a really friendly person.”
Gia considered this as she finished chewing. “You are. But you have to admit that you lay it on a little thick when in the limelight.” But even Gia was starting to backpedal from the theory. Elle was actually a pretty bubbly person in front of the media and away from it. That’s apparently just who she was.
“It’s true that I can schmooze.” She sparkled even as she said the word, as if the thought took her there. “But that’s part of the game, unfortunately. Do you know that there are women on the tour, the top professional surfing tour in the world, that don’t have sponsorship?”
Gia nodded. She didn’t understand how they managed it. Travel alone could run past the $50,000 mark.
“Sasha Christianson, from Australia?”
“Yeah?”
Elle raised a hand in punctuation. “Number thirteen in the world and isn’t sponsored. Not by choice either, and that makes no sense. She pays for everything out of pocket. If she doesn’t win, she operates at a loss by the end of the season.”
“I know. It sucks.”
“Which means she’s probably going to be off the tour soon. How long can one person sustain that kind of financial hit? She has to eat. Pay rent.”
Elle had a valid point. The surfing world was just as sexist as any other sport out there. The women were rewarded for their appearances with ads, sponsorships, and endorsement deals. Others used their charisma to pull in the necessary cash to compete. But if you were a less-than-attractive or shy person, the going was rough, if not impossible. Didn’t matter how great a surfer you were. Your only hope was to have been born independently wealthy and bankroll your travel and tournament fees personally. It didn’t make sense.
“So, I was fourteen years old, trying to figure out how in the world I was going to make it to the next tournament, and then the next,” Elle said. “We were a middle-class family. My parents did everything for me that they could, but I was going to have to figure something else out long term. It was clear to me that sponsorship was the only way I was going to be able to make a go of surfing from a career standpoint.”
Gia started to understand. “You learned to court the media.”
“Big-time. I had to. And I got good at it.” Elle paused to bask in the glory of the corn. She pointed at Gia’s plate. “Right?”
Gia grinned. “It’s pretty good.”
“The more press I did, the more doors I noticed opening for me. Listen, all I wanted to do was surf, and I had found a way in. If we’re being honest, I didn’t mind that part of the job that much. It was fun. Still can be.”
“It’s shocking you were able to figure that out so young.”
“I’m not alone. You’re sponsored up yourself.”
“I just do my thing,” Gia said. “Been lucky, I guess. I don’t play the media game as well.”
Elle nodded. “Yeah, but the whole mysterious allure you have going doesn’t hurt. Even I was curious about you from the beginning.”
“I’m not as talkative as some of the other surfers. That part is true. What’s the name of this restaurant again? This chick
en isn’t bad.”
“The Salt and Herb. It also doesn’t hurt that you’re beautiful. It’s why you’re in all the gossip columns. People want to know what’s going on with you.”
Gia filed away the compliment to think about later. “They want to know a lot more since we started working on the Trainers deal together.”
Elle held her gaze. “I guess we’re giving them something to talk about. They just don’t know whether we’re ready to kill each other or climb into bed.”
This was an opening if Gia had ever seen one. She swallowed her bite of bread, took a sip of water, and went for it. “So how are things going with that guy you were seeing? What was his name?”
“Christopher, and we ended things. The spark wasn’t there.”
There was that damn word again. “Oh. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be. Really. Sometimes things work out the way they do for a reason. Can I take your plate?”
“Thank you.” Gia watched Elle’s journey to the kitchen. Her bare feet. The slight sway of her hips that filled out those yoga pants perfectly. Her hair that had been wet from the shower was now mostly dry and blond again. “Does it feel to you that things are happening for a reason a lot lately?”
Elle took a moment from where she stood at the sink. Her voice carried sincerity when she answered. “Actually, it does feel that way.”
Gia followed Elle into the kitchen. “Should I go? I feel like we’re treading on unstable ground here.”
Elle dried her hands and sighed. “I don’t want you to. There. I said it.”
And with those simple words, Elle had communicated a lot. For once, Gia didn’t have to get out of her own head because she wasn’t in it. She knew what she wanted, what she’d been craving. She stepped into Elle’s space, briefly met her searching blue eyes, and caught her mouth in a kiss. But it wasn’t just any kiss. Elle received her right away, her mouth soft as it moved slowly against Gia’s. The feeling that came over Gia as they kissed was so new and unexpected and wonderful that she wasn’t sure what to do except to keep going. At the touch of Elle’s tongue against her lips, Gia opened her mouth, shocked by the pure heat that shot through her at the feel of Elle’s tongue in her mouth. She was backed against the counter, and Elle was up on her toes, having taken control. So unexpected, but beyond okay. Elle moaned quietly when Gia’s hands found her waist and hauled her in. It was the most wonderful sound. Did people really fit together the way they did in this moment?
“Ahem,” a voice behind them said, and then erupted into a sputtering cough. They broke apart and turned to find a very surprised and apologetic-looking woman standing in the entryway of Elle’s home. She held a key in the air.
“Sorry. You didn’t pick up your phone, so I just popped by to pick up the red dress you borrowed. I was gonna sneak out with it, but that would be creepy and you’d probably hear me because I’m a klutz. Hi,” the woman said to Gia, with a wave. “Holly. The best friend.”
Gia nodded back, her hands still on Elle’s body. “Gia. The—”
“Number two surfer in the world. In Elle’s kitchen. Kissing her. Yeah, I gathered that part. Nice to meet you.”
Elle still hadn’t said anything. Whether she was shocked, regretful, or embarrassed remained unclear. Regardless, Gia took that cue, understanding that her presence was most likely complicating things. “I was actually just getting ready to head out. That’s what was happening. I’ll let you two—yeah.”
“You don’t have to go,” Elle said quietly. She was meeker sounding now, less confident than her usual self, which told Gia that getting out of the way was the right thing to do here. This was, after all, a new and delicate situation for Elle.
“I do, though,” Gia said. “Lots on my agenda.” She met Elle’s gaze briefly, and gave her hand a squeeze. “I’m sure I’ll see you around soon.”
Elle nodded, still not using too many words. As Gia headed to the door, she nodded to Holly, who returned the gesture with a four-finger wave. No one said a word as she exited the house in what was probably the most confusing and awkward moment of her life. She hit the sidewalk and realized one thing. Didn’t matter. The kiss back there, of earthshaking magnitude, topped any and all awkward exits for the rest of time. That kiss would go down in Gia’s history books as the most electric, the most satisfying, and maybe the most perplexing exchange of her lifetime. She could analyze the clunky ending, or revel in the captivating kiss.
She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. It was a no-brainer.
* * *
“Might just be me, but it seems we might have some things to discuss,” Holly said, breaking the silence in Elle’s kitchen.
Elle blinked several times, nodded. Blinked again. “Probably,” she said, still trying to regroup and move out of the haze she found herself in. It was a pretty nice haze, though. Why hurry?
Holly dropped her keys on the counter, set down her bag, and moved purposefully to Elle’s living room, where she took a seat expectantly on the sofa and crossed one leg over the other. “Ready when you are.” She smiled, signaling her enjoyment of this newly discovered dynamic.
Elle followed her into the living room and took a seat in the chair across from Holly. Her lips buzzed pleasantly and her stomach was fully occupied by hyperactive butterflies. Lustful ones. Her skin tingled where Gia’s hands had been, and her mind was still stuck on a loop of the moment Gia kissed her. Gia kissed her. That had actually happened, and she wasn’t able to get the world to go back to normal. Not after that.
“I can see that I’m going to have to take the lead here,” Holly said. “True or false. You were just kissing Gia Malone, your rival, your former nemesis, and a woman.”
Elle could answer that one easily enough. “True.”
“Great. We’re making mind-blowing progress. Can you expand on how this romance went from tabloid gossip to a real life make-out session in the middle of your kitchen? Inquiring minds want to know.” Holly leaned in.
“That part’s a lot more complicated.”
“Step one?”
“A sex dream. Mine. About her. I told you about it. Then I told her about it. Then mild flirting. Then not so mild.” Her mind was slowly coming around and moving through the series of events, as much for herself as for Holly. “The eye contact during our ab workout earlier today was more killer than the workout itself. I think I wanted her to kiss me, Hol. I did. But I wasn’t prepared for it. Christopher was right.”
Holly’s eyes went wide. “Christopher is in on this? What the hell?”
“We’re not dating anymore. He’s gay and thinks I might be.” She covered her mouth. “Oh no! I just outed him. That’s awful. I’m a horrible friend. God.”
Holly held up a hand. “Don’t worry. He spent the weekend conga dancing from one gay club to another. The cat’s out of the bag. Big-time. I just didn’t realize he was your wingman. I’m the wingman!”
“Don’t worry. You’re still my number one.” She smiled in relief at the news about Christopher. “He did all that? That’s nice. I’m glad he’s living it up.”
“Apparently, he’s not the only one,” Holly said, by way of reminder. “Let’s get back to you, you minx on a surfboard. Who knew you had this in you?”
“Not me. That’s for sure. I wish I’d known sooner.”
“That good?” Holly asked quietly.
Elle nodded numbly. It was all she could do. She held out her hands as if searching for words and dropped them. “Now what do I do?”
“Well, I think we’ve figured out why your relationships don’t last.”
Elle had to laugh. “How pathetic of me not to get it. How dumb can I be?”
“Can I ask a more serious question now?”
Elle extended her arm, giving Holly permission and the floor.
“Do you think this revelation is about women, or just Gia?”
“Both,” Elle said without hesitation. “I notice women now. In a way I never have before. I didn’t
know to notice them before.” She paused. “But more specifically, this is about her. She’s the one I think about. No one compares.”
Holly nodded, and considered Elle’s answer. “If you were to complete the following sentence, what would it be: ‘As far as Gia goes, I want…’?”
Elle squinted. “Did you learn this from your therapist?”
“Shut up. Just try it.”
“Fine.” Elle gave her body a shake and kept an open mind. “Here goes. I want…to know more about Gia. I want to talk to her for hours until I learn as much as possible. I want to kiss her again. Big exclamation point over that one.”
“And more?”
“I think so,” Elle answered meekly. “Is that crazy? I mean, coming from me? You can be honest. Give it to me straight.”
Holly passed her a look.
“Tell it like it is,” Elle said, in amendment.
Holly got up and squeezed herself into the oversized chair next to Elle, linking their arms. “Nope. Not crazy. While I didn’t see this coming, I’ve never been prouder of you. You saw something in yourself and tackled it head-on. You’re brave and doing the right thing. I love you for it.”
Elle dropped her head onto Holly’s shoulder. “Thanks, Hol. I needed to hear that.” A pause. “Am I going to survive this?”
“I guess we’re about to find out.”
Elle looked up at the ceiling as if it would have the answers. “She left here like the house was on fire.”
“Maybe her house was on fire, if you know what I mean.” Holly bounced her eyebrows.
“I don’t, but I think you’re using a euphemism.”
“I am. You’ve been out of the sex game for…well, your whole life, so you’re going to have to work on picking up on euphemisms, innuendo, sexy talk, all of it. Just think, Elle, a whole new world is about to open up to you.”
Elle held up a hand, feeling excited but also a touch panicked. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay? It was one kiss. One very enjoyable kiss, but still just a single moment in time.”
Sparks Like Ours Page 13
