Key to My Heart: An Anthology of Sweet Romance

by Alice La Roux

  "He's coming over here," Jo muttered.

  Just kill me now. All three of us looked towards the seaside, at least trying to look as though we weren't checking him out.

  "Hello, ladies." He grinned down at us.

  We all looked up at him, trying to appear like we were innocent when we were anything but.

  "Hello," we all chimed at the same time.

  He looked each of us in the eye before his eyes settled on me. "Me and my friends were wondering," he said, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at his friends that were leaning against the tower. "Have any of you ever surfed before?"

  Surfed?! Seriously?

  "I have," Dani replied. She had a cocky smirk on her face, and I quickly dug my elbow in her side, silently warning her not to say another word. "So has Jo." She reached around me and tapped Jo on her back.

  Jo's arm immediately shot out, offering her hand to him. "I'm Jo."

  He grinned and I rolled my eyes at how forward these two were being.

  "I'm Drew." He then turned to Dani and shook her hand as she told him her name. "And you would be?" He turned his gaze to me and held his hand out.

  "I'm Laura," I said, placing my hand in his. I expected him to shake it as he had done with Jo and Dani, but I was completely surprised when he bent at the waist and raised my hand to his lips. He softly kissed my knuckles before replying. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Laura."

  I froze when he did this, feeling sparks from where his skin touched mine.

  He slowly released my hand and stepped back. "So, Laura, have you ever surfed before?"

  Before I could answer Dani butted in. "No, she hasn't."

  I turned to look at her, widening my eyes in warning at her for her to stop talking.

  "In fact," Dani continued, "she was just saying how much she wanted to learn how to surf."

  I was going to smother her with a pillow tonight. They were always telling me that I worked too much and that I needed to have more fun, and that's what this holiday was supposed to be—a fun, girly trip—and now, here they were, trying to play matchmaker.

  "Excellent." He smiled and took a step back. "Would you like a lesson?" He held his hand out to me once again.

  I stared up at him, not sure what to do. A summer fling wasn't really what I was looking for, but as I gazed up into his blue eyes, with his hand between us, I realised maybe this was exactly what I needed.

  I turned to look at Dani, looking for some sign from her. She was always the one trying to get me out of my comfort zone.

  She smiled at me before slowly nodding her head.

  I nodded in response before looking back at Drew and lifting my hand to his.

  Chapter Two

  Drew

  Standing near the lifeguard tower, I took a swig of the bottle of water before tossing it down into my backpack. There were a few of us that usually hung around here before our shift at the bars around this tourist spot. My heart lay with surfing though. It was the first thing I thought of at morning and the last thing at night. Some people would call it an obsession; I called it passion. I was never freer than when I was riding a wave.

  "Heads up," Thomas said. "You've got a bit of female attention."

  I rolled my eyes. What else was new? I wasn't cocky, but lately, that was nothing new. If I wasn't getting hit on at the beach, it'd happen later on at my shift at the club. Female attention was always nice to have, but sometimes a guy just wanted a break.

  Sometimes a guy just wanted something else.

  I looked over my shoulder, determined to shut this down gently. The waves were calling me, and I wasn't interested in wasting my time chatting some girl up when I could be out there in the water.

  The second I looked over and saw three girls sitting on the beach staring, I was lost. She was a beauty. I'd seen the other two in their bikinis earlier, picking up seashells, but the one in the strap top and shorts that was wedged in the middle of them had completely missed me.

  I turned and walked over, heading straight for the brown-haired beauty. I chuckled beneath my breath when I saw them all studiously staring towards the water. Innocent really didn't work on these, especially with the lovely blush that was staining Beauty's cheeks.

  I came to a stop and grinned down at them. "Hello, ladies."

  They all stared up at me before saying hello.

  I looked at each of them before settling my eyes on Beauty. She had beautiful brown hair and a slight dusting of freckles over her nose and cheeks. I had never been shy of female attention but never with one as beautiful as her.

  I had no clue what to say, so I said the first thing that came to my mind, making some lame ass remark about surfing. I had never taught anyone to surf before, but the second I said it, imagining her in the water close to me was all that I could think of. Judging from her friends’ quick remarks, I could tell that I wasn't the only one. After quick introductions were made, I held my hand out to her.

  I was desperate to hear her voice.

  "I'm Laura." She had the sweetest voice and one I could listen to all day. I slowly brought her hand to my lips, needing to convey to her just how much of a beauty she really was.

  "It's a pleasure to meet you, Laura."

  I quickly asked her about surfing, mentally chuckling when her friends quickly interfered. As I offered her a lesson, I willed her to accept. Looking into her beautiful chocolate orbs, I hoped she wanted what I was offering. I knew she was a tourist and there was no chance of anything happening, but right then, all I wanted was some time with her. Alone, preferably. Without an audience.

  She slowly turned her head to her friend. It almost felt like she was afraid to say yes—like she was afraid to open herself up and accept my offer. That's when I knew that this girl lived inside of her lane. She was a worker and most likely the responsible one out of this trio.

  Responsibility could be so overrated. Before I could say anything else, she turned her head and lifted her hand, placing it gently inside of mine. My fingers immediately wrapped around hers and I gently pulled, helping her to her feet.

  I took a step back, and her fingers tightened around mine. I led her over the sand, making my way back to where my surfboard was still leaning against the tower. I was thankful that my friends had gone, not needing any sarcastic comments or looks aimed at her.

  "So, you've never surfed before?"

  She frowned, shaking her head. "I've never, uh... "I mean." Her eyes trailed down to my chest before she swallowed nervously, looking away. "I have a bit of a fear of sharks."

  I laughed, tossing my head back. "Jaws has a lot to answer for." My comment was meant to relax her a little but as I stepped back to grab my surfboard, I saw that she still looked a little freaked out.

  I quickly zipped my suit up and grabbed the board, leading her closer to the ocean. "Relax. I've been surfing here for seven years and I've never seen a shark.

  "Really?" She skipped ahead to keep up with me, and I smiled when I saw a little bit of flushed excitement on her face.

  "Trust me." I grinned at her. "I wouldn't even go in there if I had heard of any shark attacks." I stopped a few feet in front of where the waves ended and turned to her. "Ready?"

  "For what?" she asked, sounding completely confused.

  I nodded my head towards the ocean. "For your lesson?"

  Her eyes widened before she looked at the surfboard. "In there?" she shrieked. "I thought lessons started on the beach."

  I'd have to watch myself with this one. She was intelligent and obviously knew her stuff. She was also one hundred percent correct. Surfing lessons usually did begin on the beach. First, you had to get used to the positions on the surfboard before getting in the water.

  "Normally? Yes. I thought we'd get in the water first though and get over your aversion to these sharks." I grinned down at her.

  She giggled, making my chest go tight. She had such a beautiful laugh and one I wanted to hear again.

  "Okay." She quickly took my ha
nd and allowed me to walk her into the ocean.

  She had a death grip on my hand and I knew how nervous she was.

  I walked us in until we were up to my waist. Due to our height difference, it came up to her chest.

  "Do you want to get up on the board?" I asked.

  She was holding on to the board, and I knew that by the way her body was bobbing up and down in the waves, she was no longer touching the floor.

  She stared at the board before turning back to me. "Yes, please," she whispered.

  I grinned down at her, loving the fact that I finally had an excuse to touch her.

  Chapter Three

  Laura

  Staring at the board, I could see it was too high for me to jump up—not without belly-flopping over the other side and looking like a complete idiot.

  "Ummm..." I stared up at him. "How do I...?"

  "Like this." He dipped down a little and placed his hands on my hips.

  I tensed at the contact, trying to ignore the shivers that traveled up my spine from his touch. Placing my hands on his shoulders, I itched to thread my fingers through the curls on the nape of his neck. I had never felt that before. With anyone. I had known Drew for less than five minutes, and already he was making me feel things I had no right to feel.

  He lifted me up and placed me on his board with my legs dangling over the side.

  "Is that better?" he asked, pushing me further into deeper water a little.

  The waves slowly rocked over the board and I smiled down at him as his body moved lower into the water.

  "Now you're sinking," I teased. I could still see his shoulders but I had to tease.

  "But I can swim." He grinned up at me, raising his eyebrows mockingly.

  I gasped, acting offended. "I can swim."

  "But you're afraid of the water." He stared up at me, all acts of teasing gone from his face. "Aren't you?"

  I nodded. "It's silly, isn't it? To be afraid of the water."

  "No." He shook his head. "We all have a fear of something. It's how we conquer that fear that makes the difference."

  "What are you afraid of?" The words spewed out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I'm sorry." I shook my head. "I shouldn't have asked you that."

  He opened his mouth but before he could say anything we were interrupted by Dani and Jo calling my name from the beach, waving their arms back and forth.

  "I have to go," I said.

  He nodded before reaching up and helping me down off the board. "Maybe we can take a rain-check on that surfing lesson."

  I nodded, feeling oddly disappointed that our time was being interrupted.

  We slowly made our way back to the land. When we hit the sand, Jo and Dani greeted me looking apologetic.

  "Sorry," Dani said. "We have to go if we're going to be ready for later."

  I nodded but before I could turn to say goodbye to Drew, he was already at my side.

  "What are your plans for tonight then ladies?"

  Jo grinned at him. "We're going out for some cocktails later. Do you want to join us?"

  "I wish I could." He placed his hand on his chest, still looking as charming as ever. "I have a shift at the Ace of Clubs later." He pointed up the block. "You girls should swing by?" He ended it on a question.

  Jo linked her arm with mine and began pulling me away. "Maybe we'll see you later."

  I waved at him shyly, feeling excited at the idea of seeing him again.

  We entered our apartment and before I knew it, Jo was pushing me on the bed. They quickly joined me, taking a spot on each side of me.

  "Spill. Now." We all giggled at Jo's no-nonsense tone.

  "What would you like me to say?" I defended. "He gave me a surfing lesson and..."

  "Girl, there was no surfing going on," Dani interjected.

  "Exactly! But he got her in that water," Jo said.

  They were talking over me at the moment.

  "Guys!" I chuckled. "I'm right here."

  Jo rested her head on my shoulder at the same time as Dani rolled onto her side.

  "So, are we seeing hot surfer dude later?"

  "His name is Drew," I muttered.

  "Yeah, Dani. Get it right," Jo teased.

  "You two are crazy." I giggled and shuffled to the end of the bed, grabbing my stuff and taking a shower. Out of the three of us, I was the quickest in the shower.

  After a quick wash, I exited the bathroom, rubbing a wet towel over my head.

  I stopped when I saw Dani and Jo standing across the room in front of the open wardrobe with their heads together whispering. It was too low for me to hear but it was never a good thing when those two got together to plot.

  "Shower is free," I said loudly.

  They spun around with looks of guilt on their faces. Seconds later, Jo was rushing past me and slamming the bathroom door.

  "Did I interrupt something?" I asked.

  Dani walked past me and pulled the chair out at the dressing table. "Sit." She nodded her head at the chair.

  I rolled my eyes and took the seat, leaning my head back for her to comb through my knotty locks. I loved it when Dani played with my hair. It was always so relaxing.

  "I think we should curl your hair tonight."

  I shrugged, feeling my eyes begin to weigh. "I don't mind."

  "I think Drew might like your hair curly. You always look so beautiful when it's curly."

  "Um, thank you?" I sarcastically mocked. My eyes met hers in the reflection of the mirror in front of us.

  "Well, you always look pretty. I just want you..." She looked away from me, focusing back down on my wet locks.

  "What do you want?" I asked.

  Dani was never usually afraid to finish a sentence. If she had something to say, she usually just said it. She sighed before putting the comb down next to me. She moved past me and squatted down, placing her hand on my upper leg. "I want you to have something. I want you to open yourself up to more. You always work so hard and sometimes... sometimes I worry that you will wake up one day and realize your life has passed you by."

  I frowned at her, hating how deep her words cut me. The hardest thing about hearing them was because I knew that she was right. Since college, I had become so career-focused, and most days, I was handcuffed to the computer. I had become a workaholic and it drove Jo and Dani mad.

  "I'm afraid," I whispered, voicing my inner fear for the first time.

  "Afraid of what?" she asked. Sympathy filled her expression and I mentally high-fived myself for hiding my worries so well.

  "Afraid of him." I looked down at the floor, hating the sympathy that was emanating from her. "Afraid of... letting someone in. Especially someone like him." I shook my head. "What could he possibly see in me?"

  Before I could turn away, Dani reached up and took my chin in her hand, stopping me from looking elsewhere. "I don't think you realize how special you are." She smiled up at me. "Jo and I have brought you away because we want you to enjoy yourself. You work far too much and its time you learn how to have fun." She tapped her finger on the end of my nose. "Drew seems to really like you. We leave in a few days. "What's the harm in getting to know him a little before you leave?"

  I thought over her words, feeling at ease with what she was saying.

  "And if he is stupid enough to hurt you, I'll set Jo on him." She winked cheekily at me and I couldn't help but laugh.

  Jo opened the door to the bathroom behind her and her face immediately dropped when she saw Dani on the floor in front of me.

  "What's going on?" she asked.

  "Nothing." Jo smiled and turned to her. "We were just talking about tonight. I'm on hair and you need to pick a dress out for our Laura."

  I smiled at them, loving how bossy they were.

  "Ooh make it curly!" Jo said, skipping over to the wardrobe. "She always looks so beautiful when she has curly hair."

  Dani smirked and took her place behind me, continuing combing my hair.

  "Tonight is going
to be so much fun!" Jo said, doing a happy dance while she rifled through their selection of dresses in the wardrobe.

  Chapter Four

  Drew

  Standing behind the bar, I stared out at the moving dance floor, not seeing any of them. My thoughts were elsewhere. My thoughts were with the beauty on the beach. Normally, on any other shift, I would most likely already have my eye on a certain lady out on the floor. Not tonight. Tonight, my mind was elsewhere.

  Right at that moment, a group of girls came through the main doors, giggling, with their arms linked with each other. I shook my head, feeling my chest tighten as the hope deflated inside of me. I was so certain she would come.

  "Wake up!" a voice yelled at me before a wet rag hit me in the side of the head.

  I frowned, snatching it up and throwing it on the bar.

  "She not come?" Thomas asked.

  I shook my head and took a swig of water before making my way down towards the end of the bar. My silence should have been enough of an answer for him to read into what I wasn't saying.

  The night slowly wore on. Customers slowly danced their way into the night, drinks were ordered and cocktails were mixed. Me and the boys had been hit on more times than I would care to admit.

  Just after ten pm, I was busy squatting behind the bar refilling the cooler fridge with bottles of cider when I felt Thomas stop beside me.

  "I'll be with you now," I said.

  "Relax, man." He slapped his hand down on my shoulder and patted a few times. "You have a guest."

  My eyes shot up, seeking my beauty out. I didn't have to search far for her.

  There she stood a few feet from the door, looking a vision. If I’d thought she’d looked beautiful on the beach, now she looked absolutely breath-taking.

  "Laura," I whispered in awe. I didn't have any other words. The second the word escaped my lips, the most breath-taking smile graced her lips.