Beach House

by Annie Seaton

  “Rosie, look at me.” She lifted her head and blinked away the tears of embarrassment. How much worse can this get? Why hadn’t she taken the damned things down before he’d arrived? Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that Taj would end up in her bedroom. However innocently.

  “I’m flattered. In fact I’m more than flattered. I’m really stoked that you had surf posters of me on your bedroom wall.”

  She kept her voice low, conscious of his thumb slowly stroking her cheek. “I’ve always admired your surfing.” That was as much as she would admit to. His thumb moved over to her lips and she lifted her head slowly. The look in his eyes mirrored what she was feeling and the movement of his lips towards her was as natural as the next breath she took. Slowly and gently his lips covered hers and Rosie closed her eyes as a different sort of warmth rushed through her.

  Everything she’d imagined in her dreams was in that kiss. It was nothing like the sexual moments they’d shared that morning. A gentle passion, a kindness, and a friendship sealed as their lips met and clung for a few seconds.

  Slowly he pulled his head back and a quizzical smile crossed his face. “We still have some things to talk about, though.”

  “I guess we do.” Rosie stepped back and folded her arms across her chest. She still wasn’t ready to open up to him.

  Chapter 11

  By six o clock, they were all sitting around the kitchen table, eating Sonia’s meatballs. Rosie grinned; no matter how many times Sonia tried it on, no one would call her Ocean Lily. She’d managed to calm down as Taj had followed her downstairs. For some reason, her awkwardness in his company had fled and she was getting used to him being around. If you could take the inheritance and the house out of the mix, everything would be pretty good.

  “Tell me about your days.” Taj put his fork down and rubbed his stomach. “I’m interested in how you all work. “I’m not used to this alternative health stuff. It sounds fascinating.”

  Rosie tipped her head to the side, wondering if he was genuinely interested or just being polite. Sonia had done the usual aura reading when they’d all sat down, but skipped by Taj, saying, “I did his before,” by way of explanation.

  “Mine was good. Yoga classes back to back all day.” Sally smiled serenely. “What better job could there be?”

  “I had three readings and then I read a really interesting article on past lives. Rosie, did you know you can take someone back when you do massage?”

  Rosie shook her head as scepticism crossed Taj’s expression. “No, you know me. Straight old sporting injuries.” No way would she admit to being interested in it with Taj in the room. He just didn’t seem the sort of guy who appreciated alternative anything.

  Sonia frowned at her and then swung around to Taj. “What about you? How did you fill in your day?”

  Rosie put her head down and thought about how the day had started and the familiar quiver settled between her legs. His sexy voice across the table made it even worse. She could still feel the vibration of his lips on hers.

  “Not good. I went back to the specialist and he didn’t have good news for me.”

  Rosie’s interest was piqued. “What’s wrong with your knee?”

  “Nothing according to the quack.”

  “So you can surf again?”

  “If I want to risk it locking out there. But I don’t particularly fancy drowning if it happens two hundred metres offshore.”

  “Why don’t you let Rosie take a look?” Sonia’s smile was as innocent as that of the cat that got the cream.

  Taj shrugged and his eyes met Rosie’s across the table. “Guess I’m prepared to give anything a go.”

  “Anything?” Her voice was cold. “No point having a treatment with me if you’re not prepared to open your mind.”

  “Is that a challenge?” His smile was innocent. Just as innocent as when he kissed her this morning. Her heartbeat skittered up a notch, hoping, praying he’d decline.

  “I’m prepared to have a look if you’re prepared to open up your mind.”

  “It’s my knee that needs treatment.” The smile slipped a little from his face. “Okay. I’m game. When?”

  “Why don’t you do it tonight? We’ve both got appointments. Might as well all get to work.” Sally looked as innocent as Sonia. Honestly, she’d kill the pair of them when she got a chance.

  “Sounds good to me,” Taj agreed.

  Rosie held his deep blue stare. “Eight o’clock then. My therapy room is third from the left on the ground floor.

  “See you then. Thanks for dinner. I’ll clean up, seeing you girls all have to get to work.”

  TAJ POTTERED AROUND the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher after the others left him in the kitchen. As he wiped down the benches the front door opened and closed a few times, and cheery voices carried down the hall. He could get used to this; sure beat the hell out of a soulless hotel room. Flicking off the kitchen light, he headed upstairs to take a quick shower before his ‘appointment’ with Rosie.

  “Shit.” He grabbed for the hand rail as his blasted knee locked and pain shot down his leg. Gripping the rail tightly, he took a deep breath and waited for the searing pain to ease.

  “Bullshit, there’s no injury,” he muttered as he pulled himself up the last stairs. Another specialist and another opinion were needed. He’d phone his doctor tomorrow for another referral. Brennan was supposed to be the top sports doctor in the country but he’d been a waste of time.

  “Nothing wrong, my arse.”

  By the time he showered and limped back down the stairs, the house was quiet. He tapped on the door of the room Rosie had directed him to, and waited for her to open the door. He didn’t want to seem too eager.

  “Come in.” Her voice was brisk as she stepped back to let him enter the dimly lit room. A strong smell of massage oil wafted over to him as she pointed to the privacy screen at the back of the small room.

  “Strip down to your jocks, and lie face down on the table. Give me a call when you’re all settled.”

  She stepped outside as he walked over to the screen and stripped down, hanging his jeans and shirt on the hook provided. He was looking forward to this. He always enjoyed a remedial massage and Rosie’s hands on him would make it even more enjoyable.

  “I’m done,” he called out as he settled face down on the table and put his face into the soft vinyl ring, and looked down at the floor. A click was followed by soft music; the same sort of music they’d played in that alternative soul place in the Maldives. He closed his eyes as two warm hands gripped his calves and straightened his legs.

  “Hmm.” Her voice was soft but with a tinge of concern.

  “What’s wrong?” Taj tried to lift his head and look around but his position face down on the massage table made it too difficult. Rosie stretched his leg back and then the other.

  “Which knee is the bad one?”

  “The right one.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Hmm...what?”

  “Your left leg is a fraction longer than your right. Do you have back problems?”

  “No. Just the bloody knee. I’m as fit as a Mallee bull apart from the knee.”

  “Hmm.”

  Taj closed his eyes and let Rosie work her magic. He tried to focus on the remedial aspect of the massage but her firm hands sliding up and down the backs of his calves and thighs, and the smooth sensation of the massage oil on his skin sent tingles up to his groin. He swallowed and focused on the patterned carpet on the floor beneath the table. He counted the roses, thencounted the leaves on the winding stems. The tightness that had been building in his groin began to lessen, until her warm hands reached his lower back.

  God, he didn’t want to have a hard on when she rolled him over. But then all thoughts of pleasure flew out the window as her firm fingers hit a nerve at the base of his back and she pressed. Hard. Bloody hard.

  “Holy shit.” He almost jumped off the table. “What the fuck’s that?”

>   “Breathe it out.”

  “Breathe it out! I can’t bloody breathe. What the hell are you doing?”

  “You want your knee fixed?”

  “That’s not my knee.”

  “Trust me, Taj. It’s all about trigger points. Now breathe it out.”

  “Sorry but that hurt!” He regretted the stream of swear words he’d let fly and bit down on his bottom lip as she continued.

  By the time, Rosie’s fingers had worked her way over the bloody trigger points from the base of his back to his shoulders Taj was in a lather of sweat. How could such a slim-built woman have such strength in her hands?

  “Brace yourself.”

  Bloody hell! She was using her elbows on his back. He’d never had a massage like this in his life. But strangely the more pressure she applied and the greater the pain, the better he began to feel.

  “Okay.” She lifted the towel that was covering his legs and a sensation of cool air swept over his thighs as she held it up. “Roll over for me.”

  Taj obliged and settled his head on the low pillow she eased beneath his neck, grateful that there was no hard-on tenting his boxers. Hell, his whole body was as weak as a kitten.

  He closed his eyes again as she started on his feet and worked her way up his legs, kneading muscles and stretching his legs.

  “I’m not hurting your knee?”

  “Uh-uh. All good.”

  Her hands left him for a moment and he let his mind drift. He was back surfing the Pipeline at Oahu. The air rushed past him and he could feel the spray on his face as he curved down the face of the perfect wave. The flawless water tube held him as his legs stretched and the board flipped and weaved as the power of the wave took him down the face. He flopped onto the board and let the white water take him into the shallows as the sun warmed his back. Gradually his doze lifted as the warmth spread to the front of his legs. His right knee was burning hot and he opened his eyes with a start, expecting to see a heatpad on his leg. He pushed himself up to his elbows and stared.

  Rosie had her hands in a horizontal plane hovering about six inches above his right knee.

  “What the—”

  “Sssh. Lie back down.”

  He lowered himself and watched quietly as she focused on his knee. Although he was now wide awake, a deep calm rushed though him and he relaxed his body as the warmth lessened on his knee. Rosie lifted her hands and with one finger she lightly rested it on his knee, his lower stomach, his chest and his throat before lightly touching the top of his head.

  “Stay there as long as you like. When you’re dressed we’ll talk out on the front porch.”

  He watched as she walked to the door and turned with the sweetest smile before she slipped outside.

  ROSIE SAT ON THE FRONT porch watching the moonlight dance on the waves. She’d filled two glasses with iced water from the dispenser in the foyer that there was there for their clients. She was exhausted. As her fingers had travelled over Taj’s body, all sorts of fantasies had filled her mind. She’d had to fight to focus on being professional. The temptation to lower her head and let her lips follow her fingers had been overwhelming. Once he’d rolled over and she’d sensed the toxic energy, she’d called on everything she had to balance his physical state. The heat that had come from her hands had surprised her. It was the strongest healing she’d ever done and she had no doubt that his knee would be okay now.

  She jumped as the door opened and Taj pulled up the chair beside her. She passed him the glass of water and watched his throat muscles work as he drained it. The moonlight played on his golden hair and her breath caught. No matter what happened in her life, she would never be able to put aside her feelings for him. Now that she’d met the flesh and blood Taj Brown, everything she’d known was true.

  “Thank you. I needed that.” He put the glass down on the table between them.” I don’t know what you did in there but I feel bloody amazing. So calm, and yet energized. I even dozed off while you worked.”

  “I didn’t hurt you too much?”

  He grinned at her and his perfect teeth flashed in the dim moonlight.

  “A little, but I’m tough. Sorry I let fly with the f-bomb.” He tilted his head to the side and observed her. “What was that thing you did at the end?”

  “With your knee?”

  “No, with your fingers.”

  “The long explanation or the quick one?”

  “The quick one will do for tonight.”

  “I balanced your chakras. I listened to your body as I worked and I found what was needed.”

  “Oh.”

  She’d expected a sceptical reply, but Taj looked at her thoughtfully. “Whatever it was, I feel great. I could grab my board and go for a surf right now.”

  She pulled a face at him. “Ah, it’s a bit dark for that.”

  “Seriously, do you think my knee would hold up for a surf in the morning after...whatever it is you’ve done.”

  Rosie tried not to smile too smugly but she had no doubt the Reiki treatment had fixed the imbalance in Taj’s body. “Trust me; your knee will be fine now.”

  A nervous jolt ran up her arm as he reached over and took her hand. “Thank you.”

  The words were simple but his tone was heartfelt.

  They sat there quietly watching the lights across at Bondi Beach. Even though it was dark, crowds of people walked the esplanade, joggers were still out on force and the sound of music from the units next door added to the mood of the night. The silence was companionable. Taj kept hold of her hand and Rosie reveled in the feel of his skin against hers. It was hard to believe she’d only known him a few days; it just felt right.

  His deep voice interrupted her thoughts. “This is nice. I’m usually in a hotel room by myself.”

  “You don’t get home”—she shot him a grin—“wherever that is, very often?”

  He shook his head. “So what are we going to do about Aggie’s place, Rosie?”

  She shrugged. “Let’s not talk about it tonight. The night is too nice and I don’t want to worry.”

  “No need to worry. I have an idea.” He hurried on. “How about I take you out for dinner tomorrow night and we’ll discuss it rationally—without getting angry?”

  She nodded slowly. “Okay.”

  “And do you want to come for a surf with me in the morning?” His smile was wide and her stomach curled. “I’d love the company.”

  Chapter 12

  Rosie barely slept. Taj had let her hand go and bid her good night, and her dreams of him kissing her on the porch evaporated like the salt spray beneath the streetlights on the esplanade. She woke at dawn and jumped out of bed, grabbing her wetsuit and taking it to the bathroom. There was no sign of him; he’d said sunrise and she’d be out there at sunrise.

  She made her way down to the rocks and looked out, catching her breath as her gaze settled on him. He was already out there carving up the waves like there was no tomorrow. Closer to the beach, she passed a group of people watching him from the rocks.

  It was one of the most spectacular displays of surfing she had ever seen and for a moment she hesitated, putting her board down. There was no way she could go out there with him. He was the king of the surf. Pride rushed through her that he had put his trust—and his knee—literally in her hands.

  She grinned. Stuff it; she would go out there. So what if she looked like an amateur? It would be fun.

  And it was. Ninety minutes later they paddled into the shore side by side after sharing wave after wave.

  Every time Taj had passed her as she’d paddled back out, he’d let out a whoop and given her the thumbs up as he’d shot down the face, or out of the tube. Each time, she’d watched the flexing of his muscles, his chest, his back and his legs. He was beautiful to look at as he carved up the face of a wave, glorious in his element.

  Rosie slid off her board and waited in the foamy, ankle-deep water at the edge of the beach until he caught her up.

  “You are one amaz
ing woman. My knee is as good as new.” He threw his board down and grabbed her, planting his lips on hers before she could draw a breath. Heat sizzled down her legs as need rushed through her. No one had ever kissed her with such intensity. Her stomach clenched as his tongue slipped between her lips and his hands cupped her butt.

  “Woo hoo. Way to go, man.” A few other voices joined in with a cheer.

  Rosie looked around, disoriented, as Taj lifted his head and a grin crossed his face.

  “Woops, we have an audience.”

  The sound of clapping surrounded them. The crowd that had been watching Taj surf when she’d first come down had swelled, and now there seemed to be dozens of people standing there grinning at them.

  As heat rushed up her neck and into her face, a teenage boy with a boogie board ran across to them. “It is Taj Brown. Oh wow. How cool.”

  Taj shrugged but the sexy grin stayed in place. “Sorry. Welcome to my world.”

  Rosie stepped away and left him chatting, and posing for pictures as people pulled out their phones.

  “I’ll see you up the hill,” she called over her shoulder. He nodded and waved but she could feel his eyes on her as she walked up the sand.

  “Good surf, sweets?” Sally was waiting on the front porch, her iPad on her lap.

  “The best.”

  “And you’re trending on Twitter too.” Sally’s smile was wide. “Sonia was right about the auras and it looks like you’ve fixed his knee too. All you have to do now is sort the inheritance out.”

  “What? Twitter? What are you talking about?”

  Sally held up the iPad. “The power of social media. Hash tag is sexysurferTaj.”

  “Show me.” Rosie groaned as a brilliantly clear picture of Taj kissing her with his hands firmly planted on her butt filled the screen. “Oh my God. How embarrassing.”

  “Really? I thought it was all your dreams come true.”

  She grinned. Sally was right. It was just like out of her dream but this time, it was the real deal. No need to look at posters anymore.