(Complete Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances #1-5)

by Michelle Mankin

  “There’s a good lump building behind us.” Only years of practice and familiarity with this beach allowed me to focus on her and the set pattern at the same time. “Now!” I ordered.

  She popped up weight balancing as I had shown her on the beach earlier and she managed it fluidly. Caught the decent sized wave, got the swell underneath her just right and even ducked into a crouch to take the curl for a couple of seconds until it collapsed on her.

  Water nymph. Surf goddess. Otherwordly.

  By the time she surfaced flipping her heavily saturated hair out of her eyes, I was there to claim her. “You were brilliant.” She grinned nearly as big as me as she clung to the board. “Unbelievable for a first time. I think you’re a natural. Let’s do it again.”

  Her eyes darkening she shook her head. Vehemently.

  “Babe, it takes a while to learn to read the waves well enough to exit at the end of a good barrel like that,” I cautioned. She had no reason to be discouraged.

  “Linc, I know you love surfing as much as I enjoy singing and I certainly love watching you. But I am done.” She enunciated each word. “Totally wiped. My knees were shaking the entire time. I’d much rather be a spectator than a participant.”

  I couldn’t fathom how anyone could quit after a ride like that. Since I had been a little grommet surfing had soothed my restless soul. But I could respect her wishes. “Sure. I’ll take you in.” I propped my elbows on the board to lean across and kiss her hard, licking the salt from her lips.

  When she reopened her eyes she looked a little dazed, but she perked up by the time we waded in and all the guys congratulated her on her ride.

  “Unbelievable.” Ash shook his head.

  “Freakin’ unbelievable,” Dominic clarified.

  “Pretty sweet,” Ramon said with his board under his arm and the surf surging around his ankles. “But why are you coming in?”

  “I’m good with being one and done. It was fun but a little too scary.”

  Ramon and Ash both looked at her like she was crazy.

  “Chicks,” Dominic commented drolly as we all tossed our boards into the water and headed back out. “Go figure.”

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  * * *

  Simone

  With Karen sandwiched between Dominic and Ramon, the threesome led the way on the sidewalk ahead of us. Linc had his own board under his left arm and me tucked into his right, a place I very much liked being. Whistling under his breath Ash trailed along just behind us.

  Even after hours of surfing, the guys were still full of energy. I had an even greater admiration for what they did after my one and only maiden voyage.

  “How much further is it, Ash?” Karen threw the question over her shoulder. “I’m starving and my feet hurt,” she complained.

  “It’s just up ahead, Q2.” Dominic had coined the nickname for Karen the day he had discovered that she had been both homecoming and prom queen at our high school. “But I’d be happy to carry you, if it pleases your majesty,” he teased reaching for her, but she shimmied away from him giggling.

  “No. I’ll do it,” Ramon insisted. He frowned as he jostled the taller surfer.

  Grinning Karen took off running across a closely cropped lawn. Both surfers dropped their boards and pursued her each tugging on one of her arms when they caught her.

  “This is it,” Ash explained tipping his head toward the one story white stucco home with its red clay Mission roof tiles and arched Mediterranean windows.

  “Nice house,” Karen observed bumping a hip against Dominic and Ramon in turn as she easily yanked her arms free. I agreed with the assessment, admiring the classy architectural notes and well-tended flower beds filled with thriving purple topped Kangaroo palms.

  “Thanks,” Ash responded before insisting that Dominic and Ramon pick up their board from where they’d discarded them earlier on the lawn.

  “You and Linc seem pretty serious.” Karen linked her arm with me while the guys went to store their boards in the garage.

  I nodded.

  “I’m happy for you, Simone.” Her hazel eyes twinkled in the late afternoon sunlight. “But I’m gonna keep an eye on him just in case. I don’t want him breaking your heart right before you go back to college.”

  I tensed at the mere thought that the end of Linc and me might come before we’d really even had a chance to begin.

  “Hey.” She touched my arm. “Don’t disappear on me. I like this daring new version of you that he seems to bring out. I was just teasing.” She studied me a beat as the guys came back around to the front of the house laughing and jostling each other as guys seem fond of doing.

  Ash jogged up the concrete stairs and opened the front door leading the way inside. Linc followed close behind casting me a backward glance as he did. Our gazes locked and held as Karen completed her thought.

  “I wouldn’t worry,” she said softly glancing back and forth between Linc and me as her bookends returned to her side. “The way he looks at you,” she whispered, “the only way it’s going to be over is if you want it to be.”

  We all followed Linc and Ash across a small tiled entryway through the corner of a casually decorated living room into a large kitchen. The Spanish style blue and red tiled counters were overflowing with boxes of snacks and bottled drinks. The glass paned cabinets were filled with brightly colored plates and bowls and mix matched glasses. It was easy to see that this well used kitchen was the heart of his aunt and uncle’s home.

  • • •

  Linc

  We must have scarfed down half of the food in Aunt Maggie’s kitchen. Standing side by side at the tile counters the girls formed a sandwich assembly line with Ash adding pickles and chips to the plates while the rest of us had waited in our seats around the whitewashed table.

  Chugging sodas and talking loudly while leaning against the counter, Ramon and Dominic were back to their usual positions flanking Karen and formulating plans for meeting up later. She was going to have to choose between those two soon or things were going to get ugly.

  Ash was across from me seemingly lost in thought as he rearranged his discarded crusts on his plate. Simone was tracing the knuckles of my hand with her delicate fingers. Just that feather light touch alongside the titillating view of her in the mesh cover up that concealed next to nothing made my cock so hard I was having difficulty concentrating.

  “You’ve got crumbs all over your lap.” Looking up at me through lowered lashes Simone’s gaze gave away little but she had to have seen the massive hard on in my shorts. “Maybe we should go out into the backyard to brush them off.”

  Hell yeah she’d seen. The low suggestive purr of her voice had me imagining all sorts of things we could do together in the back yard. I wanted to touch her so badly. I glanced at the clock above the sink. For this to work out between us, and I needed it to, I had to be responsible with her.

  “What time do you have to be at work?” I asked while tucking a wispy strand of caramel hair behind the shell of her ear. She shivered and her nipples seemed to get even harder beneath the triangles of fabric that covered them. My cock twitched in approval.

  She licked her lips before speaking. Was her mouth as dry as mine?

  “In less than an hour,” she replied sadly a faint reflective crease appearing between her brows. “Sooner really because I have to walk to Karen’s house first to keep up the pretense before heading over to the restaurant.”

  I frowned. I didn’t like the reminder of how little time we had left today or how we had to keep that time together secret. I stood abruptly kicking back my chair. “Let me show you where the bathroom is. You can shower and change here.”

  I grabbed her hand and led her through the living room and into a hallway that led to the bedrooms and the one bath. Still holding her hand, reluctant to let her go I pushed open the door to the bathroom. “There’s all kinds of shampoo and stuff in there.” Tugging on her hand I drew her closer reveling in the feel of her soft
body against mine. “I’ll shower outside in the cabana. Make it fast, yeah? I want to spend as much time with you as I can.”

  I never got cleaned up so fast in my life. I shook my hair after toweling off and finger combing it leaving a wet footprint trail as I reentered the house. When I passed through the kitchen Karen and Dominic were conspicuously absent but Ash raised a brow and Ramon gave me a thumbs up.

  “Five minutes, Linc,” Ash warned. Not stopping I tucked the beach towel tighter around my waist and hit the back hallway just as the door to the bathroom popped open, a billow of steam heralding her appearance.

  Sun kissed skin from her slim shoulders to delicate ankles swathed in a white bath towel, my sea nymph’s hair was slicked back from her forehead and hung loosely down her back. Our eyes met, hers lifting from a survey of her own it seemed.

  “Linc.” Her lips parted on my name whether an invitation or a caution I didn’t care. Every caress during the day had been too brief. Those trailing touches along creamy soft coconut scented skin only left me longing for more.

  I snagged her swim bag from the floor outside the bathroom and grabbed her hand pulling her inside my bedroom and locking the door.

  I tossed the bag on my unmade bed, the sheets still rumpled from the hours tossing sleeplessly before Karen had called. When I turned back to Simone her pretty honey hued eyes were wide with trepidation.

  “Don’t be afraid, babe.” I closed the short distance between us quickly plunging my fingers into her wet hair and tilting her head back. “I just need to kiss you again.” Taste you. Touch you. “Privately.” I lowered my head and touched my mouth to hers, satisfaction roaring through me when her lips parted for my probing tongue and her hands skimmed seductively over the water droplets along my spine to bring me closer.

  Again and again I thrust my tongue into the dark recesses of her mouth, her sweet flavor an addictive ambrosia. Moving her backward I rocked my hips between her thighs once I had her body pressed against the door.

  She whimpered and I groaned deepening the kiss when she ground her pelvis over my cock seeking relief for the fire that burned within her core. Heat licked every single inch of my skin. Suddenly the towels were too much between us. I ripped my lips from hers.

  “Linc.” Her fingers dug into my shoulders. “Don’t stop.”

  “Not planning to, babe. But I need to touch you.” I reached for the spot between her generous breasts where the towel was still knotted. Lifting my gaze to hers I silently sought her permission.

  “Yes,” she breathed.

  That was the word I longed to hear. I whipped the towel aside and pulled in a sharp breath my heart slamming madly as I took her in. Sure I had seen her all day in that bikini but seeing her without a scrap of fabric to hinder my enjoyment was another thing entirely. Her full tits had dusky rose nipples so hard they begged to be sucked. Her hips were perfectly rounded and the thatch of dark curls nestled between her shapely legs called for my cock.

  “Mona,” I groaned appreciatively, my blood on fire and my heated gaze scalded by the sexy goddess before me all tanned skin but for the paler parts her bikini shielded from the sun. I covered her mouth with my own again no longer gentle but in full out possession mode.

  I didn’t care that we didn’t have time. I didn’t care that I hadn’t yet told her exactly how I felt. I was going to show her.

  She was mine.

  I unclasped my towel, smashed my body into hers and crushed my hard lips to her soft ones. She met each thrust of my tongue with sweet slick slashes of her own. My heart raced and my mind blazed with only one purpose. She seemed to be with me. The low sexy sounds she made in the back of her throat told me so and made my already aroused cock as hard as steel.

  Filling my hands with her tits I flicked the nipples with my thumbs.

  She moaned into my mouth and I groaned shifting my body, grabbing her thigh and positioning her leg around my waist so I could align my pulsing cock with her center.

  “Linc.” I felt the shudder that rolled through her as well as the damp heat between her thighs. I was just about to lift her in my arms and throw her on my bed so I could reach the supply of condoms in my nightstand when a sharp rapping on the door startled both of us breaking us apart. Simone’s half-masted eyes widened.

  “Linc!” Ash’s shout sounded harsh after the soft feminine sighs I had been feasting on. “You and Simone need to get out of there. Fast. We gotta go. We’re gonna be late for work.”

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  * * *

  Simone

  Warmth flooding my cheeks I ducked my head into Linc’s chest. I couldn’t believe I’d almost made love to him while his cousin had been right there outside the door. Surely he had heard my moans. How would I ever look Ash in the eyes again?

  Warm fingers curled around my chin and lifted it. Before I could get totally freaked out Linc’s warm passion darkened visage filled my own. “Don’t be embarrassed,” he whispered. “Ash knows how I feel about you. I’m sorry I got so carried away. But only because we don’t have time to finish what we started.” His gaze intensified. “But we will. I promise you.”

  A louder knock than before bounced into my shoulders. “C’mon, man,” Ash cajoled sounding exasperated.

  “We’ll be right out.” Linc’s tone was gruff. “Give us five minutes.”

  “We don’t have five.” Ash sighed heavily. “You know how her dad is.”

  At the mention of my father the remaining passion smoldering in my body fizzled out. I slid my naked body along the wood of the door while looking for my bag, but he was too distracting. Even just out of the corner of my eye the view of Lincoln Savage naked was a view that demanded attention. Potent male. Fully gloriously aroused. Tanned skin everywhere except where board shorts would cover. Lean and sexy contoured muscles that my fingertips tingled with the urge to trace.

  I licked my lips. Linc took advantage of my momentary indecision grabbing me firmly by my shoulders and turning me to look at him. He stroked the pad of his thumb across my cheekbone. That’s all it took. I shivered feeling the heat of passion licking my skin once more.

  He lowered his head and brushed three warm soft kisses across the path his thumb had taken. Without consciously deciding to I stepped closer pressing my body to his. His strong hands glided down the length of my spine coming to a stop on the curve of my rear. He turned his head. “We’ll be right out,” he shouted to his cousin before turning back to me. “It’ll be ok,” he asserted his tone low and soothing. “I’ll help you get dressed. I won’t be able to walk you now but Ash will make sure you get there in time. Promise. Ok?”

  I nodded numbly my mind trailing behind him tripping on his words. What did he mean about helping me get dressed?

  He stepped away and my gaze stalled on his pale tight ass. When he turned back around and caught me staring his lips curved into a seductive half smile. “Babe, you can’t look at me like that. You gotta help me out.” He opened my bag and sifted through the contents withdrawing a nude satin bra and a matching lace thong. “You wear things like this all the time?” His gaze was hot as it traveled the length of me.

  “Yes.” I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry as the desert. My undergarments in his masculine hands made for an erotic tableau. “My mother’s French. She values fine lingerie and gives me a generous allowance to buy my own. I like the feel of them against my skin. They make me…”

  “Damn sexy,” he finished for me his voice a deep rasp. “Come here,” he ordered in that insistent way of his that made my skin tingle. As I moved toward him toes skimming over the braided rug by his bed he slid the bra strap up his wrist where it dangled. He bent stretching my lace thong open between his thumbs. “Step in.”

  Resting my hands on his firm wide shoulders curling my fingers into his warm skin I did as I was told dipping one foot and leg inside and then the other. Long masculine fingers caressed my legs and then my hips as he slid the thong into place. Heat shot like an arrow straigh
t to my sex as he lingered for a moment his grip tightening possessively his thumbs stroking lightly back and forth just inside the waistband scant inches from where I ached for them to be. If he would just delve a little deeper he would feel how hot I was for him, how much I needed him, how much I longed for him to make me his.

  My breath hitched when he glided his strong hands over my hips and down slowly smoothing the small triangle of lace at the top of my behind.

  He lifted his hooded gaze, dark blue eyes liquid with passion capturing and holding mine. “Beautiful,” he intoned reverentially as he leaned in touching his lips to mine and brushing a soft tantalizing kiss across my mouth while lovingly massaging the bared globes of my ass. When he straightened my breathing was uneven and he had my bra outstretched between his hands. I lowered my eyes to watch his masculine digits slide the delicate nude satin straps up my arms. His smooth purposeful motions and the contrast between us made me feel more feminine and pretty than the lingerie ever had.

  “Turn around,” he ordered and I did, though I did it in a daze as his capable hands arranged the silk cups over my breasts weighing and shaping them as he did so. My nipples jutted hard against the cool satin. “Fucking gorgeous,” he whispered as he fastened the clasp. “Shame to cover all that beauty.” He trailed warm fingers across my hot skin turning me back to face him.

  I gulped as I took in the stark look of male hunger on his handsome face. He sank to the bed behind him and closed his eyes briefly as if to regain control. “Linc,” I called stepping between his legs. I couldn’t stand for him not to be touching me anymore. I ran my fingers through his thick wavy hair.

  He made a low masculine sound of approval that seemed to rumble from deep inside his chest. “What are you doing to me, Simone?” He opened his eyes and the clear blue color was barely visible around the black of his enlarged pupils. “I can’t catch my breath. It’s like a massive wave has crashed over me and I can’t find the surface. All I can think about is you.” He reached for me. I felt the needful tremble in his arms as he brought me forward placing his stubble roughened cheek against my smooth abdomen.