Page 36 of Try Me

“You feel that?” she asked.

Her voice was raspy. Full of awe.

“I feel it,” he confirmed.

He didn’t know what it was, but he felt it.

Pearl rose to her feet, spreading their clasped hands in a diamond. They soared over the long gentle wave a half mile from shore. The moving wall of water slid beneath them. There was blue below, and blue above. Blue everywhere, as far as Declan could see.

He grinned up at Pearl, unable to wipe the happiness from his face. Her hair whipped like long black ribbons in the wind. The sun shined on her upturned face, and her wet skin glistened. Pearl enchanted everyone who looked at her.

“Look out for that tourist,” she called to him from above.

Declan tore his gaze from the sleek muscles of Pearl’s thighs to the water in front of him where a grommet was attempting to stand on a short board completely unsuited for the elongated waves of Waikiki.

“Watch it, Daikon Legs!” Declan yelled as he corrected the board just in time to swerve around the man.

Pearl’s laughter sprinkled over Declan, and he risked a glance up at her before zeroing in on the wave again. When their eyes met, Pearl winked.

Declan’s body stiffened in anticipation. Pearl licked her lips, and a wicked gleam flashed in her eyes. She crouched over his shoulders, and he felt her mouth at his ear.

“Let’s show off a little,” she said.

The hint of challenge in Pearl’s voice enticed Declan to agree. “Kay,” he said.

“Reach up,” she told him. “Grab my shoulders.”

Declan slid his hands from Pearl’s up and over the taut muscles of her forearms to her rounded shoulders and into the crease of her neck, right where he’d fantasized about kissing her.

“Good,” Pearl murmured, encouraging him. “You ready?”

Declan nodded. “Ready.”

He felt her weight shift again as her hands replaced one foot and then the other. Her fingers gripped his shoulders, she straightened her arms, and then lifted her legs in a slow pike until her toes pointed to the sky.

Declan looked up at Pearl’s body, as graceful and strong as an arrow pulled tightly across a bow, and his heart shifted.

He fell hard and fast under her spell.

The wind rushed through his hair. The sun shined down on his body. And the most enchanting goddess of a woman soared above him, trusting him to keep her safe.

Declan relished the responsibility. He’d never wanted to protect anyone as much as he wanted to protect Pearl. There was so much that could hurt her. He’d seen the evils of the world Pearl wanted into so desperately, and he knew there was little he could do to save her.

“Watch the water,” Pearl said from above.

Declan focused his attention on the waves. As they neared the shore, the waters became more populated. Declan steered the surfboard around swimmers who’d stopped to stare. A crowd had formed on the beach around the camera crew, and they were cheering.

Pearl came out of her handstand and crouched over Declan’s shoulders.

“Grab my waist and pull me down,” she said.

He circled her waist in his hands, gripped her, and pulled her down to the surfboard in front of him. Arms outstretched, they zoomed toward shore.

The audience went wild as they hopped off the board. The cameraman rushed forward to film enthusiastic cheers of the crowd.

“Smile,” Pearl said.

Declan smiled until he couldn’t feel his face. Numb with exhilaration, he grabbed the surfboard and jogged up the beach next to Pearl.

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