Page 12 of Beyond the Stroke

“All right,” I say. “Let’s get this done.”

“So, you have to stick your hands,” she points to the waistband of the tail, “here?”

“You okay with that?” I ask.

She presses her lips together, thinking, then slowly nods her head. “Yes.”

“Hold onto the bench.”

She grips the edge, and I attempt to wedge my hands between her skin and the stuck material.

It’s not working. I frown.

“Flip over.”

Her jaw drops. “Excuse me?”

“I need a better angle.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Gently, I guide her to her stomach. As she shifts, I catch sight of a delicate wildflower tattoo on her wrist.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

I pull my attention away from the tattoo, and slide my fingers under the waistband. The fabric clings stubbornly, but it starts to give.

“I think you got it.” She sighs with relief.

Not yet. The sides are loose, but we still need to clear her ass.

I hover over her, gripping her hips, while trying to ignore the feel of her beneath my hands.

“Almost,” I mutter.

“It’s so close. Please! Just get it off!” She groans.

With a final push, I slide my hands along the small of her back, breaking the suction. She lets out a relieved whimper.

“Ah, sweet relief,” she groans, head resting on the bench.

I tug the tail the rest of the way off. “You’re free.”

She’s still lying there when a voice cuts through the moment.

“That’s them.”

Both our heads lift in the direction of the voice. The woman who had walked by earlier with her dog is standing there pointing at us. Next to her, a security officer.

five

. . .

SUMMER

“You, arrested for public indecency. That would’ve been iconic,” Darcy says with a wicked grin, snapping her gum as she punches in her table’s order.

The Salty Pirate Café is filled with its lunch crowd. The small wood building painted in a tranquil sea-blue is located on the boardwalk just feet from Emerald Beach. It’s a good five miles down the beach from the Coral Cove Beach & Golf Club, but word about what happened there yesterday with me and Rory has already made its way through the town. The good news is that no one knows it was me. No one except my co-worker, Darcy since I told her what happened.

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