Page 44 of Dream (Fighting Fate)

I’d improved a lot since that first day too. A lot of what I’d learned when I was younger was coming back to me, and I was now angling and getting better at my carving. The last time we went out, I even managed a bottom turn. It felt good, especially when the guys gave me encouragement and cheered.

As I ducked under a wave—another thing I’d gotten better at—I came up and smiled as I paddled out to meet the guys. “All right,” I yelled. “Make way. The professional is here now.”

The guys hooted and hollered, playing along with my satire humor. This, I was going to miss.

Chapter 26

Josh

I loved watching Liv surf. She’d actually surprised me with how fast she’d picked it back up again, and even though the guys didn’t say anything, I knew they were pretty impressed with her too. I could see it their eyes.

We stayed out there for another hour. I was starting to get tired, but Liv looked like she was having too much fun to call it quits. Well, that was until I saw the shade of her lips. They were blue.

“Shit, Liv. Your lips are blue. How is that even possible? It’s summer!”

She laughed, but agreed. “I told you I got cold easy, but yeah, I’m feeling pretty damned cold right now.”

We paddled in, riding the boards on our stomachs. I gave her my towel to wrap around herself, seeing as she didn’t bring one down with her, and I carried her tote up the trail.

“Just leave your board near that shower there. I’ll wash it off for you,” I said, indicating the outside shower.

Turning around, I put her tote down near the door to the wet room and hosed off my feet. When I turned back, Liv had stripped off her wet suit and was stepping under the cold spray in just her bikini.

I froze. I hadn’t seen her in her bikini this close before, and it seemed to be shutting my brain down. Well, one of them anyway. The other one was well and truly standing to attention.

She sucked in a harsh breath and squealed a little as the water washed over her beautiful body. It was so toned and fit, but curvy and feminine at the same time. Goosebumps spread all over her, and her nipples tightened. I swallowed. Hard.

She quickly ducked her head under the spray, trying to wash off the salt as fast as she could. There was something I was supposed to be doing, but I couldn’t quite remember what it was . . .

When she whimpered a little, it came to me. Clearing my throat, I opened the door to the wet room and stood to the side. Liv looked over at me questioningly.

“I have a warm shower right here, if you’d prefer that?”

Her eyed widened a little before she shut the water off and darted past me at the speed of light. “Why didn’t you tell me!”

I laughed. “I just did!”

I grabbed her tote and brought it in for her, hanging it up on a hook before walking back to the door and closing it. I didn’t know why I was shutting myself in with her, but the only way I was leaving right now, was if she told me to.

The instant the hot water ran over her skin, she sighed and closed her eyes. Tilting her head back under the flow, she pushed her hair back, running her fingers through its length to get the salt out. A slow, contented smile spread over her lips.

Holy motherfucking shit. I was so screwed.

I leaned against the wall to watch her. I didn’t know why I was torturing myself like this. I was probably going to need that cold shower outside after she was done.

She opened her eyes and looked over at me, giving me a wide grin. Yeah, I really needed to get out of here. And dressed. Lots of clothes would be good.

“Are you going to give me a turn?” I said, somehow thinking I could perhaps get her to leave.

She blinked at me, her smile never faltering. “Feel free to jump right in whenever you want.”

Fuck.

I knew I shouldn’t. Some little voice was weakly protesting inside my head, but my body was already reacting. I needed to be in there with her. Before I’d even made the decision to do it, I was moving toward her.

I could feel the warmth coming off her body the closer I got to her. I expected her to move when I got there, scoot over to let me under the spray, but she didn’t. She just looked at me with a cheeky little grin on her mouth. A cheeky little evil grin.

This was going to end badly if I didn’t get a handle on the situation. I knew that much. Reaching forward, I put both my hands on her waist, knowing they would feel cold to her. She gasped and laughed, but she didn’t move. Gently, I pushed her backwards, moving with her until I was standing under the spray and she was only getting the off spray.

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