Always Closer

by Amelia Harlow

  ‘Thank you!’ he said, calling out over his shoulder.

  We made our way down the steps, with me leading the way, and I wondered if his eyes were on me. I hoped they were on me and that he was watching my body the way I watched his. When I reached the last step, I walked on ahead to give Hudson room to get down.

  ‘So how old were you when you started learning to surf?’ I asked.

  ‘Oh, since I could swim. Maybe even before that… There’s pictures of me with floaties on my arms, surfing with my dad. I don’t remember that, but I definitely remember starting really young,’ he said.

  ‘That’s adorable.’

  ‘I try,’ he replied with a cute smile, batting his lashes.

  Hudson dropped the boards into the sand and then removed the bags from his shoulders.

  ‘I’m thinking I’ll show you a few tips here first, then we’ll get out in the water,’ he said, looking at me then out at the waves. As he watched the waves, I watched the soft strands of his hair move in the breeze, then let my eyes wander over his body.

  ‘Sounds like a plan, I’ll need all the help I can get,’ I replied, as I reached for my sunscreen.

  ‘I think you’re going to be a natural,’ he said, resting his hands on his hips.

  ‘A natural at demonstrating how gravity works, yes,’ I joked.

  Hudson laughed as he kicked off his flip flops and laid both our towels out on the sand.

  I was applying sunscreen to my face while I watched Hudson grab the bottom of his shirt and pull it up over his head. His ab muscles flexed and crunched as he ducked his head through the top of the shirt. His chest was full and strong, and ridiculously well defined.

  He dropped his shirt to the ground and started to rub sunscreen onto his beautiful tanned skin that radiated with a golden glow. One of his hands moved around in circles over his chest and abs, and I began to picture those hands moving over my body. I watched as he reached around to his back and shoulders. He must have caught me looking at him, I hoped my face hadn’t revealed what I was thinking.

  ‘Did I miss a spot?’ he asked, knowing he missed almost all of his back.

  ‘Just a bit,’ I said, as I took the sunscreen from him.

  I dropped some into the palm of my hand and began rubbing it into his back. My hand moved across his broad shoulders and down to his lower back, rubbing it in gently in slow motions as my thoughts wandered back to his hands on my body.

  ‘Turn around, I’ll do yours,’ he said.

  I was nervous about taking off my shirt. Not only was he about to see my scars, he was going to be touching them. I turned side on to Hudson and removed my shirt, placing it on the floor next to his, I also removed my shorts and dropped them to the ground. He looked out at the ocean as I removed my clothes, but I could see him out the corner of my eye sneaking a few glances. I picked up the sunscreen and handed it to him. I waited for the questions about the scars, but they never came. Instead, I just felt his large, smooth hands gliding over my skin, and over the area where the scars were until the sunscreen was all rubbed in.

  ‘All right, you ready?’ he asked.

  ‘Born ready.’

  He got me to lay down on the board which was safely on the sandy beach, then stood over me, lifting me at the hips and shuffled me a little further back down it.

  ‘Here’s good,’ he said.

  He instructed me on how to paddle, duck dive under waves and then how to jump up to my feet in one move. He demonstrated on the board next to me, jumping to his feet with bent knees and his butt pushing out in my direction just enough to get me thinking about what it looks like underneath those shorts. I jumped to my feet after watching his demonstration.

  ‘Hows’ this?’ I said, standing with my feet apart, knees bent and arms out at my sides for balance.

  ‘Very close!’ he said, as he came around and stood behind me.

  With his body almost pressing against my back, he placed his hand onto the inside of my right thigh and pushed my leg back down the board a little bit. He then grabbed my hips with both his hands and lowered me down a little, sliding me against his body and over the mound in his shorts. I could feel myself becoming aroused as the blood rushed through my body and sent a slight throbbing sensation into my bikini bottoms.

  ‘I think you’re ready,’ he said, with his body just touching mine.

  He bent down and attached the leg rope to my right ankle, then walked over to his board and attached his, turning to me when he was done.

  ‘They’re not as heavy as they look,’ he said, as he lifted his board under his arm.

  I lifted the board up under my arm and we walked towards the water. We didn’t have to paddle out far to get past where the waves were breaking. Hudson stayed at my side the whole time even though I’m sure I was going very slow. He’d grab the board occasionally and help me over oncoming waves before they had a chance to break on me.

  When we reached the point beyond the breaking waves, he sat up on his board and pushed his hand through his wet hair, his body glistening in the sun as the drops of water moved over the ripples in his muscles.

  ‘Are you ready for your first wave?’ he asked.

  ‘Sure,’ I said, quite nervous about falling off and making a fool of myself.

  ‘I’ll help you, I’ll push you into one,’ he said, as he jumped off his board and swam over to me.

  He spun the board around so that I was facing the beach. He hung onto the back of the board and looked out over the ocean for the next wave.

  As the water began to rise behind me he yelled, ‘Paddle, paddle, paddle!’ Then gave me one big push. I could feel the water starting to move me along and I jumped to my feet, stood up for a second then fell backwards off the side of the board. I got tumbled about, but not for long enough for it to scare me. When my head broke through the surface of the water, I pushed my hair off my face and took a breath. Hudson was already swimming over to me.

  ‘You did it!’

  ‘Demonstrated how gravity works? I know! I told you, I’m a natural!’ I joked.

  He laughed, ‘You were up for a second, that was a great start!’ he said, ‘How’d it feel?’

  ‘That felt good, even though it was incredibly short lived.’

  He pulled my board back by the leg rope and I slid back onto it.

  ‘We’ll get you another one,’ he said, as we paddled back out.

  He smiled as he paddled alongside me and I felt like I could look into his eyes forever. They were as blue as the sky, and even more beautiful because they seemed to not only look at me, but right into me. I don’t think Alex had ever really seen me the way Hudson seemed to, this was such a new feeling for me. Again, Hudson jumped off his board and took hold of mine. He was holding onto the front of it as he swung me around again. He then moved around to the back, hanging one arm over the board and across the tops of my legs. It felt so good to be touched by him.

  ‘Remember to keep those knees bent! See this one?’ he asked.

  I looked over my shoulder at the wave forming behind me.

  ‘Yep!’ I said, and I started paddling.

  ‘Go, go, go!’ he called, then pushed me in with the wave.

  Again I felt it begin to carry me along. I jumped up and managed to hold my footing, so I kept my knees bent and hips low, riding it all the way to the beach.

  ‘Wooo!’ I heard Hudson calling from the water, but I couldn’t look back as I’d most likely fall off.

  The white wash was bubbling underneath and pushing me along with its force. When the board became still underneath me and began to sink, I jumped off into the cool water. I tilted my head back as I pushed back through the surface of the water, sweeping the hair off my face. I looked for Hudson and spotted him riding a wave across the shore. He seemed to be shifting the board under his feet as if he were walking along it, then he manoeuvred it in a few turns and I watched the different muscles on his body tighten and relax with each twist. He rode the wave as close to me a
s it would take him, then dove off and swam over. My feet were only just able to touch the bottom, so I hung onto the board and waited for him.

  ‘I told you you’d be a natural!’ he said, as he swam closer, ‘You nailed it!’

  He held up his hand for a high five, standing with most of his chest above the water.

  ‘I have a good instructor,’ I said, as our hands met.

  ‘Thanks, but I’m not that good! You should come watch Beau’s next heat with me, see how the pro’s do it -’

  He cut himself off. ‘Oh look at that!’ he said, as he pointed behind me.

  ‘What!’ I twisted around in a panic, letting go of the board and fiercely swimming backwards, kicking and splashing. He had startled me and as a result I swam erratically into him, bumping my shoulder into his chest.

  Hudson had broke into a fit of laughter as he scooped me up against him. My back was firmly against his chest and my butt was pressed up against the region between his legs. He wrapped his arms around my waist and his body jerked against mine as he laughed. I clung tight to his strong arms.

  ‘What is it? What did you see!’ I demanded, still looking around.

  As his laughter broke apart he was able to get out the word ‘Dolphins.’

  I tried to splash some water up at his face. ‘Way to freak me out!’ I said, as I twisted to look at him.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he laughed, ‘but look, look!’ He pointed straight ahead of me to where three fins were poking out of the water.

  ‘Do you see it?’ he said, as he hung his head over my shoulder, his face almost pressed against mine.

  A smaller dolphin had surfaced briefly, then they all began swimming away.

  ‘Awww! They’re so beautiful.’

  ‘So are you, Mae,’ said Hudson’s soft voice in my ear. His breath sent a shiver down my neck, and I loved the way my name sounded rolling off his tongue.

  I turned around to face him and my eyes moved to meet his. I could feel a wide smile growing across my face. Our chests were pressed together and I could feel my nipples harden as they rubbed through my bikini top against him. The water was lapping against our skin as we bobbed up and down with the ocean. I draped my arms over his shoulders and around his neck, I felt so close to him in that moment and everything else began to fade away. He ran his hand down my back and looked into my eyes moving his face towards mine. He was looking at my lips then back at my eyes until finally he moved closer and our lips met. Our mouths pressed together as he gently sucked one of my lips between his and I sucked his soft lip between mine. A deep moan vibrated through his chest as he pulled me tighter against him. I felt such a rush wash through me, it felt so good to be held by him and taste his lips. Everything felt so dreamy under that morning sun. Our kiss grew stronger and more passionate, with our tongues sliding against each others and our breaths becoming heavier. Hudson’s hands slid down to my butt, then he lifted me up against him and directed my legs around his body. With my legs spread apart and wrapped around him, I could feel his hard abs graze against the flesh between my legs, and it shot such a rush of excitement through me. I could feel that flesh in my bikini bottoms start to throb and ache for more of his touch. His tongue slid against mine and I encouraged him with my body, as I pushed against his abs.

  There was a sudden splash of salt water in our faces and Hudson lost his footing, then our lips came apart. He took a few steps, digging his feet into the sand managing to keep hold of me. I let out a sort of wail of surprise in the commotion and we laughed as we became steady again in the water.

  ‘Sorry,’ he said, ‘I should have kept my eyes on the waves but I was very, very distracted.’ He lowered me down from his arms now that he and I were both able to stand comfortably.

  ‘I can’t say I was paying attention to the waves at all,’ I said, as I moved my arms from his shoulders, slid them down over the curve of his chest and floated back into the water. Hudson was smiling at me as he pushed his hand through his wet hair. His bicep crunched up into a bulge on his upper arm and his skin looked beautiful, glowing in the sun. I walked over to where my board was now bobbing in the lull of the waves. I pointed it back out towards the ocean, pulled myself onto it and began to paddle.

  ‘Now remember, eye’s on the ocean,’ Hudson teased, as he jumped back onto his board, and began paddling out beside me.

  I imagine he must have caught me gazing at his body quite a few times, I could hardly resist looking at him. He was so sexy, and so playful. Every time he made me laugh, I could feel myself wanting to be closer to him. We made it back out past where the waves were breaking and continued to catch the waves in towards the beach, with Hudson pushing me into most of them until I was able to paddle hard enough to catch my own. He would catch the occasional wave, and make it look so easy while I fumbled about on the small ones for most of the morning.

  CHAPTER SIX

  My arms had grown quite tired, so we caught one last wave back to the beach. I had made it back in before Hudson, so I carried my board up onto the dry sand and laid it down. I turned around to see Hudson jogging up the beach with the board under his arm. As he moved towards me I could see the muscles of his chest move and his abs contract with each stride. He was so big, and so beautiful. When he reached me, he dropped his board down next to mine.

  ‘I hope you’re going to take a lot more lessons from me.’

  ‘Am I that bad?’ I asked.

  ‘No, not at all,’ he said, as he laid down on his towel facing the sky and smiling to himself, ‘you’re really good... I just want to see more of you.’

  He tucked his hands behind his head and was still looking up at the sky. I removed my leg rope, adjusted my towel and laid down beside him on my stomach as I tried to play it cool.

  ‘I learnt a lot from watching you, you make it look so easy.’

  ‘It’s pretty easy once you get the practise in,’ he said, ‘I think you’ll be surfing like me in no time if you do.’

  He turned onto his side and faced me. His eyes looked deep into mine and my helpless eyes wandered over his body. It was impossible not to look.

  ‘Well, I’ll definitely take some more lessons with you, but I think it’ll take me a long time to get as good as you, so you’re going to have to be very patient,’ I said.

  ‘I’ve got all the time in the world for you,’ he said, as he took my hand and wove his large fingers in between mine.

  I would have done anything he wanted in that moment. As his smile grew and his cheeks showed the little dimples on either side of his face, it sent a wave of warmth over my body. I started thinking back to the kiss in the water, and how amazing it felt to press my lips against his. To feel his moan vibrate through me and heighten all of my senses.

  ‘Maybe you can teach me something in return,’ he said, as he slid his fingers up and down mine, ‘I noticed the easel with the painting on it out the front of your place-’

  ‘Oh no, I can’t paint. That’s my Dad, but he can’t paint either.’

  ‘Harsh critic!’ he said, leaving his mouth open in astonishment.

  ‘Oh wow, that sounded really rude didn’t it?’ I said, as I put my hand over my mouth, ‘No, no, sorry. My mum was a painter, that one was her painting.’

  I paused before continuing and struggled to get the words out, ‘She passed away recently.’

  Hudson squeezed my hand. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry,’ he said, with his head bowed down, not knowing where to look.

  ‘It’s okay, I’ve talked about it with a lot of people and every time I do it helps a little, so don’t worry, it’s okay,’ I said.

  ‘Well, please talk to me as much as you like about anything.’

  ‘Thanks,’ I said, squeezing his hand back.

  It did get easier to talk to people about my mum’s death, but it never made me miss her less.

  ‘So your Dad put the painting there?’ he asked.

  ‘Yeah, I think it makes him feel like she’s still around, likes she’s painting in
the yard and has just stepped away for a minute. He’s hung them all through the house and in the yard too.’

  ‘That’s a nice way to keep her memory alive. She must have painted a really big collection.’

  ‘She really did, she’s in every room…always watching!’ I laughed, trying to lift the mood.

  ‘So you moved here with your Dad?’ he asked.

  It was inevitable that Hudson was going to ask questions about me, and my life, but I wasn’t about to tell him about Alex. What I did tell him was close enough to the truth anyway. Although, the full truth was that I found out my dad was in this town after a call from the hospital informing me of his self inflicted injuries. The guilt he felt about what happened to mum must have got the better of him. At the time I got that call I really needed somewhere to run to, and he was my only option, so I took it. I didn’t tell Hudson all those details though.

  ‘I moved here when I found out he was sick so I could help him out a bit.’

  ‘Oh, sorry to hear that. I hope he gets better soon.’

  ‘Thanks, if the chemo keeps doing its job, then that might be the case!’

  ‘Cancer?’ he asked.

  ‘Lung cancer.’

  ‘Poor guy,’ he said, ‘had your parents been living here a while then?’

  ‘My parents both lived in the city, but after mum died Dad kind of took off and didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t know where he was to be honest.’

  ‘Oh right,’ Hudson said, unsure of what to say, ‘well, at least you’re together now. That’s a really good thing of you to do; move here to look after him.’

  I smiled at Hudson as a feeling of guilt came over me. When I received the call from the hospital, it gave me a place to run to and I was mostly thinking about myself. It wasn’t until the car was on the highway and my head was clearing for the first time that I started to feel more sympathy for my dad. It took us a bit of time to get back to normal once I moved in with him, but we got there eventually, and I’m really glad we did.