Page 62 of Secrets in Love
In three days, she had changed me.
We stood on the edge of the bluff. Some Soviet-era-looking radar thing and a series of tin sheds stood beside us. “Did you bring me here to toss me off and be done with me?”
“I know it’s super cliffy and rocky, but the waves are worth it. This is one of the best spots, and because of the scaling required, it’s not as packed with idiots and posers. And look at all the old radars and stuff. It was a spy station or something in the cold war. Everyone calls it radars, but the proper name is Camp Hero.”
“Camp Hero, eh? Guess I better man up and show you how it’s done.”
After much cursing, huffing, and puffing, we made it to the water’s edge, and my focus shifted from imminent death to much more pleasant pursuits, like watching Evie’s overalls fall to the sand. During her epic Finn rant, I tried to make her happy the best way I knew how…by being a creep. “Can’t wait to see your tiny bikini, Gidge. It’s been waaaaay too long.”
Predictably, she’d rolled her eyes and tutted, but I caught the huge smile before she could hide it. “Hate to disappoint, but I’m wearing a one piece.”
Now, technically, it may have indeed been one piece of material, but it was a very small piece, a good portion of which was eaten by her luscious ass as she stood before me with her board tucked under her arm. The white suit made her somehow-still-Aussie-bronzed skin glow even brighter, and her golden-blonde hair waved in the breeze. She turned to face me with a smile that stopped time itself.
“God, I’ve missed this so much.”
“Me too, Lil Gidge. Me too.”
My ego took a light beating as I stepped into Finn’s wetsuit. “I’d forgotten how frickin’ wide your brother is. Jesus, he must cost a fortune to feed.”
“He does. I think you eat more, though. That’s why you’re so full of shit.” She chuckled merrily to herself as her swimsuit slid farther up her ass before disappearing. “Zip me up?”
Gulp.
I almost broke my neck rushing to her. “Sure.” My hands began to shake.How do zippers work again?I held the tag between my thumb and index finger and pulled. Each tooth clicking into line ricocheted through my body as my knuckles brushed against hers. I saw the rise of her back as she inhaled, and I waited for the fall, but it didn’t come. She held her breath till the zipper slid into place on the elegant neck I had to stop myself from licking. After brushing her hair away, I traced a finger along her shoulders and leaned in. “All done, Gidge. Wanna do me?” She exhaled loudly, swallowed, and said nothing, just nodded.
The same ritual we had completed a thousand times was repeated on me, though it had never felt like that. Sure, I had always loved being close to her. Exposing and seeing so much bare skin got me hot and bothered. But never had I felt the same heat coming from her. I never felt as though my heart would burst from my chest or that I could die quite happily at that moment because her hands were on me, and I never, ever thought that feeling would be shared.
But it was.
I knew it was.
She knew it was.
Time slipped into insignificance as we stood facing the water, her hands lingering on my back long after the zipper was fastened. Those hands were soon sliding around my waist, meeting, and linking across my stomach, and her head fell between my shoulders. “I’m so glad you’re here. You mean so much to me. I’m so sorry I didn’t know what I had till it was gone.”
“Neither of us did, Lil One.” I covered her arms with mine and squeezed, and my vision began to mist with tears. I may have changed a lot, but I was still not going to cry in front of my girl. “Are you ready to hit the water?”
“Yep. Just give me one more minute like this. I don’t know what will change after tonight, but I know something will.”
“Nothing is going to change. I promise.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Nate.” She sighed, her body tensed, and her arms slipped away. I watched as she picked up her board and ran into the water, obsessed over how it became part of her body as her arms cut through the rolling waves. “Come on slow poke!” she yelled over her shoulder. We only have an hour or so out here, and I want to watch you crash and burn as much as I can.”
“Be kind, Eves. I’m a bit rusty,” I laughed as I splashed into the water, catching her in a heartbeat.
“A bit rusty,” she scoffed. “Typical bloody show-off.”
We paddled our boards past the joke of a break and lay on our stomachs, waiting for something worth the effort of catching. I didn’t mind the inactivity a bit. Sure, I missed that feeling of the swell building beneath me, the heart-pumping surge of adrenaline and burning muscle as you paddled then sprung to your feet before finding that perfect balance on the crest of the wave. But I’d missed the girl lounging on the board next to me more.
“I start classes again next week.” She smiled, turning away from our mutual gaze to stare at the clouds rolling above. “You’ll have a few hours a day when you’re home alone or with Jocie. You’ll be alright with that?”
“I’m a big boy, Gidge. I’ll be just fine. Besides, Jocie is the biggest lush I know. She’ll be whipping up cocktails and lining up shots before you have your pointes on.”
“God, I wish I could argue with that, but I can’t. No doubt you’ll have more fun with her than me.”
I shook my head. “Not possible. I have more fun teasing and being bossed around by you than I do with anyone else. You’re my favorite person.”
Amusement spread over her face. “Even over Finn?”
