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“She said she’d rather not.”
His smile fell away. Then he snickered at his own ego. Hey, a woman like Dru, one who took a little extra effort to catch, was always worth the time and energy.
“Do me a favor,” he said. “If she asks again, continue keeping it on the down low.”
“So you’re gonna lie to her?”
Truly shocked at the suggestion, Alex glared at his friend. “Of course not. I’m simply doing what I always do. Living in the moment. And in this moment, I’m teaching surfing and she’s on vacation.”
Juan smirked as he lifted his tray to his shoulder. Then he nodded toward the path Dru had taken. “You always say you’re living in the moment, amigo. Someday you’re going to meet a woman who makes you dream of tomorrow.”
Alex just chuckled and slapped Juan on the shoulder as he passed by. No point in disillusioning the guy, after all. For all Alex’s Zen approach to life, he was a realist. While he loved the concept of romance as much as the next guy and adored women in all their glory, he knew better than to think that forever and commitment were part of his vocabulary.
But a few days, the surf and the sunset?
He watched Drucilla spread her towel on the oversize beach chair cushion, then straighten. Her back was to him, but he could tell she’d crossed her arms over her belly. With a quick tug she pulled the electric-blue dress off, shaking her head to free her hair again. He watched the silvery-blond braid slide along her back and imagined his fingers combing through that silken length. His mouth pressing warm, soft kisses to those toned shoulders.
His gaze traced her back, bare now except for the strap of her purple bikini. Mouth dry, he took in the slender curve of her waist, the gentle swell of her hips. And those legs. His heart raced as if he was cresting a wave. What would those legs feel like wrapped around his hips? Those long legs anchoring him tightly as he drove into the wonder of her body?
Alex’s breath whooshed out in a jagged sigh.
Yeah. A few days, the surf and the sunset. He’d be sharing all of them with Drucilla and loving every second of it. Better yet, he’d make damn sure she loved it, too.
3
SIX HOURS LATER, Dru bit her lip, a giddy sort of terror fluttering down her back like a teasing breeze. She was crazy to be doing this. A million rational arguments competed for center stage in her mind, all telling her that she should turn heel in the sand and head right back up the dune to her bungalow.
The practical scientist in her gave a patient sigh. It wasn’t as if this was going to be dangerous. It was a controlled environment with a set time limit. She was entering into the experiment with a solid, well-thought-out hypothesis.
The horny woman in her gave a disdainful eye roll. Enough with the bullshit excuses already. She was solidly in lust with Alex, and he was exactly what Nikki had suggested. A fling. The answer to all her sexual frustrations. The kind of guy who could go all night, making her gasp and writhe and scream.
She really, really wanted to gasp and writhe and scream.
After all, this was vacation. Wild sexual romps were practically required, right? It didn’t matter that she didn’t know much about him. Or that they wouldn’t have anything to talk about. Nerdy her and a hunky surfer? No common ground at all. She was pretty sure she had other uses for his mouth, though. And she’d be back at work, with plenty of people to talk to soon enough.
She should just go for it, she thought as her stomach tumbled over itself and nerves made her light-headed.
“C’mon, you know you want to do it,” Alex teased, the grin curving his gorgeous sun-kissed face telling her he knew she was arguing with herself over the surfing lesson. A lesson she’d been second-guessing for the last hour, ever since she’d met him at the Surf Shack to get started.
Hopefully he didn’t know the details of her internal argument, though. Or that she’d be taking him up on a lot more than just the white-and-blue-striped board he was offering. Although, from his wicked grin, he very well might know exactly what she’d been thinking.
He stood there in the late-afternoon light, two surfboards stuck in the sand, one on either side of him. This section of beach was mostly deserted, the nearest people tiny pImages** at the far end of the hotel. The sun was hot, the breeze a bare wisp of air and Alex was gorgeous.
His muscles glinted in the sunshine, the light scent of sunscreen mixing with the salt of the ocean. His simple blue trunks rode low on his hips. Her gaze trailed over the dusting of hair on his chest, gliding down his belly like an arrow pointing the way to ecstasy.
She’d have to be an idiot to walk away.
“I do want to do it,” she said in a breathless rush, committing to a lot more than the lesson.
As if he realized that, the grin slid off Alex’s face. His dark eyes narrowed, taking on a smoldering look of concentration. The heat of that gaze washed over her, more intense than the rays of the afternoon sun. Her breath quickened. She sucked in her bottom lip, nibbling on the soft flesh and wondering if they could toss aside the pretense of surfing and just go back to her bungalow.
“C’mon,” he invited instead of following it up, though. Maybe the lurking terror in her gaze made him hesitate. “It’s time. We’ve already waxed the boards and gone over the basics. The next step is to hit the water.”
Nerves, this time having nothing to do with the sexual tension filling the air, jumped in Dru’s stomach. She eyed the seven-foot-long surfboard. Then she glanced at the vivid blue water of the Sea of Cortez.
“Maybe we should go over the safety rules again,” she said faintly.
Alex smiled and rubbed a reassuring hand up and down her bare arm. His touch melted her fear with an onslaught of lust. Dru’s breath hitched. A look of wicked pleasure crossed Alex’s face.
He trailed his hand up and down her arm again, but this time the move was slower. Softer. More tempting. Dru’s heart skipped a beat, then tumbled so fast she could feel it pounding against the slick fabric of her sedate one-piece swimsuit.
His fingers traced down again, leaving a heated path in their wake. He moved closer. Just one step. That’s all it took to fill her senses with him. His body’s warmth. His scent. His sexual energy.
The whole world narrowed as that energy engulfed her. The sound of the surf, the heat of the sun, they faded. She stared up at his face, the olive skin and high cheekbones. His full lower lip, perfect for nibbling.
Without realizing it, her tongue slipped out to touch her upper lip. The desire in his midnight eyes intensified. But he didn’t move. Dru wasn’t sure if he was holding back to torture her or if he was too much of a gentleman to hit on a student.
So any moves were up to her. Her. The woman whose last successful hit on a guy had involved a lame joke about the periodic table. Dru’s heart sank to join the stressed-out butterflies bouncing around in her belly.
Taking the chickenshit route, she leaned backward instead of forward. Her body screamed in fury at the denial of pleasure. As always, though, her mind was stronger. And her mind was warning her that if she didn’t learn to surf, she’d fall all over Alex, do wildly unspeakable things to his body, roll off with a gasp and realize she wouldn’t have a damn thing to say to him other than thank-you.
And while she had great hopes of plenty of orgasms to thank him for, the practical scientist in her insisted that they find some common ground to discuss between sexual bouts.
At least, that was her pathetic excuse.
“I guess I know the rules well enough,” she murmured.
He gave her a brief, inscrutable look, then gestured to the sea.
“You’ll catch on quickly once we get started.” He arched his brow, making it obvious he was talking about more than just surfing. “This part of the beach gets the smaller waves, it’s pretty mellow. Perfect for getting the feel of the board.”
A long, rocky spit of land separated this bit of water from the vastness of the rest of the sea. Here, the water was much calmer, the waves babies compared to the huge breakers crashing off to the left of the rocks.
She wasn’t reassured. She was a hardly an athlete. Sure, she could swim. But she was more at home in a pool than the sea. The alternative was mind-blowing, meaningless sex. The sex sounded so much better than surfing, but a girl had to have some standards.
“Okay, let’s do it,” she said. Then she winced.
Alex just laughed. A loud, booming sound that melded perfectly with the pounding surf.
Relieved that he didn’t seem to hold her hesitation against her, Dru picked up the surfboard he indicated. It was too wide to fit under her arm the way he carried his, so she followed his instructions and—feeling more clumsy than sexy—carried it balanced on her head.
“Wouldn’t this be better earlier in the day?” she asked, struggling to balance the board while her feet sank into the shifting sands as she followed him down to the shore.
“Nah, this is the perfect time. Everyone is still at siesta, so it’s quiet. Besides, I have the feeling you’ll be a quick study. We’ll get through the basics and I’ll bet you’re on the board by this evening. There’s nothing like surfing at sunset.”
“Like you were last night?” She gave him a curious glance, wondering at a life filled with such trouble-free pleasures. How did he stand the simplicity of it? Was that as much a part of his appeal as his gorgeous face and broad shoulders? That easygoing attitude so at odds with her own life. “Do you surf every sunset?”
“As many as I can,” he admitted, glancing out at the Sea of Cortez with a look of pleasure on his face. Much as she’d stare at the stars in the night sky or a sexy man’s naked body. Joyous, contented appreciation.
Dru wanted to feel that. That simple confidence evidenced in Alex’s look. As if he saw the challenges and not only accepted them but longed to meet them head-on. But most of all, that he knew perfectly well he was up to whatever came his way.
For a woman who had to give herself pep talks on a daily basis, that look was like a drug she craved.
Then he shifted his attention, studying her. The warm appreciation remained in his eyes, along with a healthy dose of lusty interest. Dru had never had anyone look at her like that. As if the idea of being with her made him happy, horny and amused all at the same time.
And that was even more tempting than the confidence he showed facing the surf’s wild challenge.
Suddenly determined to somehow capture both Alex’s confidence and his admiration, she drew her shoulders back and lifted her chin for the last three steps through the sand.
When they reached the water’s edge, he indicated that she should attach the leg leash to her left foot. Then she lifted the board again and followed him into the sea.
Dru gasped at the chill of the water compared to the warmth of the beach. Alongside Alex, she waded out until the water reached her hips, then, trying to mimic his easy movement, pulled herself onto the surfboard.
“Let’s paddle out past the first break,” he told her, his voice just under a shout to be heard over the crashing of the waves. “Remember how I told you to cup your hands? Like you’re swimming.”
Swimming was a lot easier, Dru decided after a couple of minutes. Belly flat on the board, she struggled against the waves pushing her one way while the undertow tugged her another. She eyed the round, rock-hard muscles of Alex’s biceps as he paddled, and realized that he probably didn’t have to use weights for his fantastic physique.
Her arms burning, Dru kept her eyes on him, squinting against the spray of salt water peppering her face. Like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, he was her reward for the suffering her body was now experiencing. Maybe she should have spent more time talking to him before going along with this mad surfing idea. They had to have some area of common interest.
A wave slapped her in the face, making her gasp at the sting. Breathing and walking upright were better common ground than this, she decided with a low growl.
“Here’s good,” Alex called to her over his shoulder. He shifted, pushing up into a sitting position to straddle the board. “C’mon up.”
Abandoning any semblance of grace or even strength, Dru wiggled until she was straddling her board, too.
“You’re like those people who run marathons for entertainment, aren’t you?” she accused.
His grin flashed, but Alex shook his head. “Nah. I’ve never been much into group events. The idea of someone slapping a number on my chest and telling me what direction to aim my feet holds no appeal.”
Now that she wasn’t paddling her ass off, Dru was able to catch her breath and look around. Her chest was still heaving from the exertion, but she was blown away at the beauty of the view. Water, everywhere. Brilliant blue, fading to pale white where it washed up on the deep gold sand of the beach. All around, the water seemed to blend into the sky. It felt as if she were being held on the edge of heaven. Despite her labored breath and screaming muscles, a sense of peace washed over her.
“It’s amazing out here,” she said softly.
“You get it,” he said, his tone low but delighted. As if talking too loudly would desecrate the serenity of the moment. “No matter what is going on in my life, when I come out here, I know I can deal with it.”
Dru tilted her head, blinking against the sun reflecting off the water. “The sea gives you strength?”
“In a way.” His tone was contemplative, and he looked out at the water as he might a lover. “More like I realize out here that so much is beyond my control. It lets me see how unimportant some things are, and how vital others might be.”
Then, as if he were shaking the water out of his hair, he tossed off the philosophical mantle that was starting to fascinate Dru and glanced over his shoulder.
“And then there’s the whole man versus nature thing, too,” he said with a grin, nodding to indicate the wave building behind them. “Once you get the hang of being one with the ocean, you know how strong you are.”
Dru followed his gaze, her eyes going huge and her stomach diving down to Davy Jones’s locker. She gulped, wondering if she could ride the wave belly down. It was bound to hurt less.
“Remember what I taught you,” Alex said, already flattening his body on the board. His toes were tucked under, his hands gripping the sides of the board. “Paddle with the wave until you feel it build, then push up to your feet and squat. Keep your knees loose, focus on your core.”
Ever the good student, Dru followed his directions. As if her biceps and shoulders weren’t still aching from her earlier abuse, she paddled like hell, feeling the water swell beneath the board.
Half terrified, half numb, she watched Alex and mimicked his moves. As the wave built, she grabbed the sides of her board. Her heart pounding, she pushed up and tugged her feet beneath her as if she was doing a jumping-jack push-up. She pried her fingers from the board and stood, knees bent, arms outstretched for balance.
Already riding the wave, Alex glanced over to make sure she was okay. He shot her a huge smile and a thumbs-up.
A satisfied kind of lust settled in Dru’s churning stomach. Yes. She’d done it. In that moment, for one brief second, she knew she could handle anything life threw her way.
Thirty minutes later, Dru followed Alex’s directions and headed for the beach. She reached the shore and unhooked the tether from her ankle before rolling off the board.
The most incredible energy coursed through her body, filling her with an excitement and freedom like she’d never felt before. Unable to lift the board in her quivering arms, she dragged it out of the water with her. Breathless, she clambered up the beach. She only made it about ten steps toward the Surf Shack and couldn’t resist any longer. She plunged the board into the sand. Then she threw her arms out as if to embrace the magic of the experience and turned in a circle with a laugh.
“Oh, my God,” she breathed. “That’s like heaven.”
Talk about exhilarating. It was the best sex she’d ever had, a chocolate binge and the view from the top of the Grand Canyon all rolled into one fabulous surge of delight. She watched Alex stride out of the sea, looking once again like a modern-day water god.
The laughter still dancing on her lips, her breath hitched at the intensity in his eyes. He wasn’t laughing with her. He was staring at her as if she was the most incredible sight he’d ever seen. The edible kind, as if he was starving and had to take a bite. Her smile fell away, her chest rising and falling with her quick breaths.
He didn’t even bother to stick his board in the sand. He just tossed it aside and strode forward. Dru’s heart tumbled over itself, it was racing so fast. Heat flared deep in her belly, so hot she wondered why her wet swimsuit wasn’t steaming.
He stopped a few inches away. Close enough for her to smell the sea overlaying his own rich, masculine scent. His hair hung in wet curls around his face, droplets of water trailing down his throat. Over his collarbone. Onto his chest. Her mouth watered. She wanted to trace that water with her tongue. Would it taste salty like the sea? Or would she taste him?
She had to know.
Just as she took a step forward, Alex reached out and cupped his hands on either side of her head. Dru’s body melted at the powerful move, her nipples beading in supplication against the tight, wet fabric of her swimsuit. He tilted her head back. His body pressed into hers, his arousal hard and obvious behind the wet cotton of his trunks as it pushed against her belly.
Before she could do more than register a surprised oh of pleasure at how hard and long he felt, his mouth took hers.
It was like surfing. Exhilarating, dangerous, addictive. His lips slid, soft and sweet, over hers. He molded her mouth gently before his tongue traced her bottom lip. She gave a sigh at how perfect it all felt.
Then he shifted. She had no idea how, but the kiss went from mellow to incendiary with just the brush of his tongue. Everything changed. She felt her world tilt, a sideways slide into a dark, intense well of pleasure. Her arms hung useless at her sides, her head dropping back in his hands, giving over total control. Helpless to do anything but enjoy, she let the passion engulf her.
ALEX HAD NEVER BELIEVED he’d find anything that enthralled him as much as the sea. Until Drucilla. Sexy, sweet and oh, God, he thought as he deepened the kiss, so freaking delicious.
Fingers tunneled through her hair, all loose and wet where it escaped its tidy braid, he held her head captive for his mouth. Teeth, tongue and breath tangled together in a wild dance of passion. His heart beat as if he was riding the highest wave; his body responded as if the touch of her mouth had flipped his switch, turning him on at full power.
Her lips tasted like salt, sun and something indefinable. Something that reached into his heart and tugged. A lesser man might have hesitated, worried that a woman he’d known less than twenty-four hours could capture him so tightly, so quickly. But Alex knew better—there was no such thing as love. Appreciation, enjoyment, respect, definitely. And sexual connection? His body’s reaction to Drucilla proved how intense those could be. But love? Pretty words was all.
Positive his heart was safe, Alex gave over to the delight he was discovering in this fascinating woman.
Her arms twined around his neck, a low purr of pleasure husky in her throat. She moved tight against his body, her smooth thighs sliding along his. Alex hummed in appreciation. Drucilla hadn’t lied when she’d said she wasn’t into games. No, this woman went for what she wanted. And from the way her hands were skimming over his arms, gripping his biceps, she wanted him.
Their mouths moved together, each slide of their lips sending him into a deeper chasm of gratification. He shifted his weight, sinking to the sand and bringing Dru with him.
She made a sound of approval, then scraped her nails lightly over his chest. Alex groaned, pleasure shooting through his body, sending his senses to high alert. Propping himself on one elbow, he deepened the kiss as he used the other hand to trace her swimsuit strap. His fingers trailed down the silken skin of her shoulder, across the delicate curve of her collarbone. Unable to resist the temptation, he cupped his palm over the swell of her breast, which was straining against the slick, wet nylon of her swimsuit.
She gasped, her back arching to press herself tighter into his hand. Alex moaned, the feel of her nipple swelling beneath making him crazy.
Dimly, the far-off voice of reason reminded him that for all their seeming seclusion, they were on a public beach. And from the feel of the sun against his shoulder blades, siesta was probably over. Which meant this beach was about to get even more public.
Definitely not how or where he wanted to enjoy his first sight of Drucilla’s naked body. Oh, no, when he got her naked he wanted all the time in the world to enjoy every nuance of her body, to revel in the colors and textures and tastes of her.
