Sparks Like Ours

by Melissa Brayden

  Gia pulled Elle in and kissed the top of her head. “Then how will I conquer the surf world?”

  Elle slid on top and rested on the backs of her forearms. “Well, you won’t have to worry about that, because I’ve already done it.”

  Gia’s mouth fell open. “Temporarily.”

  Elle shook her head and found those lips again, the ones she would never tire of. “You can be number one at kissing.”

  Gia considered this. “I accept. And while we’re on such a roll, we should maybe try our hand at sleeping. Don’t you have an early Trainers shoot?”

  Elle sighed. “Yes. Damn it. Why do I always get the early slots?”

  “Because you wake up looking beautiful.”

  She paused. She’d been complimented on her appearance before. But the words hit her in a whole new way, making her feel special. Maybe because Gia wasn’t someone, like so many people she knew, who handed out compliments hand over fist. She was sincere and honest, and when she turned that attention on you, it felt like you were a hundred feet tall. “You’re sweet to say that.”

  “It’s true.”

  They shared a kiss and eventually drifted off, tangled up in each other in the most perfect way. Elle’s heart felt as if it might burst, and she was pretty sure she fell asleep with a smile on her face. She was right earlier. The world would never look the same again, and that was beyond okay with her.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I could eat these guys all day,” Autumn said, as she reached for another handful of fries. They’d met up at the Apple Pan in West Los Angeles because they apparently had the best burger and fries, at least according to Autumn’s most recent research. These outings were something she and Gia tried to do at least once a month, steal some time for just the two of them to catch up. No matter how awesome their group friendship had turned out to be, one-on-one time was important.

  Gia looked around the quaint diner outfitted with red and white décor, a faux brick wall outlining the pick-up window from the kitchen. “Yeah, we’re gonna need some of that pie once we’re done, too.”

  “You are the very best date for any pregnant woman. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  Gia paused with a fry midway to her mouth. “Can’t say they have.”

  “Well, it’s true. Your athlete’s appetite is the perfect match for my cravings. We could go far together over the next few months. You hear me?”

  “I do, and you’re on.” They made the cheers gestures with their individual fries in a food pact neither would likely forget. “Next time, let’s get these with cheese,” Gia said, gesturing to the fries.

  “Oh my God, it’s like you’re some kind of wizard.”

  Gia laughed. “Kate’s not big on fun meals?”

  “She indulges me in whatever I want. Makes midnight runs for sweet and sour shrimp if that’s what I’m after, but I’m eating her under the table, you know?”

  “Yeah, well, there’s three of you.”

  Autumn pointed at her. “Thank you for saying that! You deserve a medal.”

  “Not necessary. And how long until we meet them now?”

  “Twelve weeks and two days. I’m not counting or anything.” In actuality, Autumn’s stomach had grown considerably in just the past couple of weeks. She was tiptoeing her way into the third trimester, and it was clear this thing was actually happening, and soon.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Got some energy back, which is nice for the afternoon rush. My feet are killing me, though, and I worry about you guys constantly. I’m a hormonal worrying person now. A mother hen on steroids!”

  “What’s got you worried? We’re fine.” Gia reflected on her night with Elle. More than fine, actually. She smothered the dreamy smile that threatened.

  “No, you’re not. Had’s all stressed out about the store pressures, but she doesn’t want to burden anyone with the details, so she holds it all in, which is not at all healthy. Izzy’s buried under a mountain of work now that she’s producing as well as writing, and I’m worried she’s not coming up for enough air. And you—”

  “What about me?”

  “You’re different lately.”

  “Different how? I am not.”

  “Your head is in the clouds, maybe in a good way. I can’t tell, but my protective side is on alert just in case.”

  Gia nodded. That was fair. Her head was in the clouds. Part of her loved it. The other part was scared to death about who she was in the clouds with. Elle, in every way, was amazing, but what were the ramifications of sleeping with your biggest competitor? And what kind of implications would that have for her career, long term? Right now, she didn’t seem to care. Elle had her feeling things, a lot of new and wonderful things, and she wanted to enjoy that before examining those feelings under a microscope. Because, in all honesty, who knew what she would find? “We slept together.”

  There.

  It was out there now.

  No taking it back.

  Autumn, to her credit, kept her cool. She was always dependable for a mature reaction. “You and Elle?”

  “Yep.”

  Autumn shoved a handful of fries in her mouth, and Gia grinned. She really adored the pregnant version of Autumn. The fries might have been a distraction to buy her a moment to compose her thoughts, but Gia didn’t care.

  “I feel like that’s a big step for you,” she said, around her mouthful.

  “It is.”

  “And I don’t think you’ve ever volunteered information like that before. No, I can safely say you never have.” Autumn paused. “This one matters, doesn’t she?”

  Gia sucked in air, hesitant to admit what she already knew. She nodded. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I feel like I’m falling for her, and it’s all happening really fast.”

  Autumn beamed. “I can tell. Just look at you, Gia-Pet. You look like I do when I’m daydreaming about junk food.”

  “What do I do now?” Gia asked. “I’ve never been here before. I need a map or a to-do list. I usually train for things I find difficult. How do you train for a relationship? For falling in love with someone.”

  Autumn reached across and covered the top of Gia’s hand. “That’s the best part. There’s nothing to do, no training required. Just enjoy it.”

  “Except I still have to surf against her. My mission in life for years now has been to be ranked number one. I’ve never been so close.”

  “Yeah, that part’s a little trickier, I admit.”

  “So, about that manual?”

  “I’m afraid you’re going to have to fly blind, my friend. Now I have a solid reason to worry about you.”

  Gia sighed and reached for a fry. She was worried, too, but the good overtook the concern in a welcome array of warm, sexy, and happy feelings that seemed to alternate, moment to moment. She’d never felt more like Hadley in her entire life.

  The worry would just have to wait its damn turn.

  * * *

  “So, how do you do it?” Gia asked, sitting up in bed, pulling the sheet with her. It was late morning on a Saturday, which meant she and Elle could be lazy, take some time off and enjoy the day…and each other. They certainly had the night before.

  “Oh, that could go a lot of different ways. How do I do what?” Elle grinned, reaching up and tugging lightly on Gia’s hair. “Might have to be more specific.”

  “The way you charm the public so effortlessly. I used to hate it. Now that I know the girl behind it, I’m impressed. Proud.”

  Elle smiled. “That’s a really nice thing to say.”

  “Well, it’s true. So, what’s the secret? Because I’m clearly missing it. I come off like an idiot each time I open my mouth to those media types. Even when I don’t mean to.”

  “You’ve never come off like an idiot. Even when I wasn’t your biggest fan, I never thought so. You’re just more reserved.” Elle walked naked to the back of her bedroom door to retrieve her fluffy white robe as Gia watched happily.
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  “Okay. What’s the cure?”

  Elle came back to her, tying the sash as she walked. “Lots of smiling, lots of laughing, and honestly? The ability to listen and toss the ball back to them. Keep the conversation moving with a give-and-take.”

  Gia scrunched up her face. “Can you explain that last part?”

  “Mm-hmm.” She leaned down, stole a kiss, and sat on the bed across from Gia. “It’s all about building rapport. Instead of answering a question and getting out of there, listen to what a reporter has to say, and try and continue the conversation. Do what you can to make it last. Let’s try it.”

  Gia balked, completely out of her comfort zone. “No way. Absolutely not.”

  Ignoring her, Elle mimed an imaginary microphone. “Gia, as you struggle unsuccessfully to take down master surfer Elle Britton, what’s going through your sexy mind?”

  Gia darkened and leaned into the microphone. “That it’s only a matter of time.”

  “Nope, that’s borderline brooding and too competitive,” Elle said, dropping the microphone. “Fail.”

  Gia laughed. “But you’re a really cute reporter. Are you available later?”

  “Oh my God. Yes!” Elle pointed at her, as the corners of that fantasy-inducing mouth turned up. “You’re doing it right now! More of that.”

  “What? I was flirting with you.”

  “Then flirt with them. It’s all a game. You were charming, and likable, and had the most wonderful smile on your face as you laughed. That’s how you sell it. Worked on me.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “Beyond serious, and now I’m desperate to make out with you. That’s how good it was.”

  “Wow, that’s more than I was—” But she never got to finish her sentence because Elle’s lips were on hers, and the sash on the robe was pulled, and the rest of their morning spiraled into one Gia wouldn’t likely forget.

  She loved Saturdays.

  With the Cascais Women’s Pro lurking in just a couple of weeks, both Elle and Gia spent most of their days training with their respective coaches and their nights dining out, watching movies, and eventually falling into bed together. Sometimes they even skipped those first couple of things.

  Because they hadn’t gone out of their way to be secretive about the time they spent together, photos and ridiculous headlines splashed across the trashiest of surf blogs about them. And suddenly Gia’s requests for interviews had skyrocketed. Theo Trowebridge loved it.

  “Okay, so maybe now we pivot,” he said to the two of them, in his office. They exchanged a glance.

  “In what way?” Elle asked, leaning forward with a squint.

  “Now that you’re linked romantically in the press, we play up the sex angle a little more.”

  “No,” Gia said adamantly. Their personal life was theirs, and she wasn’t about to exploit their relationship to sell chips. It was becoming too important to her.

  “I agree with Gia,” Elle said. “That part of our story is off the table. We still compete against each other. Let’s keep it about the sport.”

  Theo looked bored and drummed his fingers. “Fine. If that’s what you’d prefer. But for the record, it’s me you should be thanking for your burgeoning love in the first place. You could show a little gratitude by keeping an open mind.”

  Gia studied him out of the side of her eye. He looked way too pleased with himself. “And why is that?”

  He opened his mouth and closed it again, seeming to change direction. “For putting you together on this campaign.”

  Elle mulled this over. “I guess that’s true to an extent.”

  “That, and the broken-down Jeep.” He laughed. No, it wasn’t a laugh. More like a childlike giggle. Was this guy serious?

  “You screwed with my car?” Gia asked, completely floored.

  “Nothing major. Just enough for you to need a ride, and I happened to know who was nice enough to offer one.” He was still laughing at his own perceived genius.

  “And let me guess? You called in the photographers who photographed us together?”

  “Bingo,” he said gleefully.

  Which prompted the sex dream, which prompted the flirting, which prompted the holy hell sex life they were in the midst of, and cut to the deeper feelings.

  With her mind completely blown, Gia didn’t know whether to deck the guy or hug him. “Let’s get one thing clear,” she said, leaning forward across the desk. “You’re done playing God, and you’re done with games. If you pull a stunt like that again, I walk, contract or not.”

  Elle smiled at her briefly in solidarity. “I’m with Gia. It wasn’t cool what you did, no matter what the outcome, Theo.”

  He held up his hands and had the decency to look contrite. “You have my sincerest apologies and assurances that I will behave myself from this moment forward. I honestly never thought it would go any further than a ride home and some photos that might stir the publicity pot. I thought you might see the humor in it, given the happy ending.”

  “We don’t,” Elle said.

  “I understand. Shall we discuss the final series of ads?”

  When they left the meeting, she and Elle walked to the elevator in silence. Once inside, they stared at each other from opposite ends of the car.

  “So, it seems our whole relationship was built on an advertising stunt,” Elle said solemnly.

  Gia nodded. “We’re a total sham.”

  A pause. “Want to get frozen yogurt and walk on the beach?”

  Gia laughed and covered the distance between them until she was staring into gorgeous blue eyes. “You sure you want to be seen with your corporately engineered girlfriend?”

  Elle pulled her face back in mystification. “Hey, you just called yourself my girlfriend.”

  Gia had heard it too. She hadn’t meant to make that leap, but somehow, she had, and it was out there. “I’m sorry. It just came out.”

  Elle wrapped her arms around Gia’s waist. “I love that you said it. Don’t you dare apologize. I think you just made my afternoon, Two.”

  Gia shook her head at the stupid nickname, but it didn’t distract her from the somersaults her heart was doing. They were a legitimate item now, and as odd a story as theirs might be, she was really, really happy about it.

  * * *

  When Gia arrived at the resort in Portugal, she was greeted with full-on pandemonium, the likes of which she’d never experienced. She was a surfer, not a rock star.

  “Gia! Can I get your autograph?”

  “I love the Trainers commercials. Oh my God, you guys are hysterical.”

  “Gia, Billy from Surfology. Can we set up a one-on-one with you for tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Gonna win the whole thing, Gia? What’s Elle have to say about that?”

  “Hey, your girlfriend’s hot.”

  She hadn’t so much as made it to the front desk for check-in yet, and already her life was a circus, and unlike any normal reception she was used to. She did her best to chat with each person, remembering Elle’s unofficial media training. She smiled, she laughed, she lingered longer than felt necessary, and then she got the hell out of there, eager to catch her breath and regroup.

  Quite purposefully, she and Elle had made the decision not to travel together, knowing how much attention it would attract. In retrospect, Gia couldn’t imagine it being much worse than the flurry she’d just encountered. They were, however, staying in the same room, which had her slightly on edge. Distractions during a tournament were never a good thing, and part of her process was to strip each and every one of them away. That was an impossibility when it came to Elle, as she consumed so much of Gia’s thoughts lately. This was new ground; she’d have to improvise as she went.

  She found the room number and knocked twice. “Who’s there?” she heard Elle ask.

  “Your favorite surfer,” Gia said, with a grin, knowing full well Elle would have already checked through the peephole before even asking.

  The door
opened and the most beautiful girl she’d ever seen was standing there smiling at her in jeans and a pink T-shirt. The wonderful tingle that smile inspired always amazed her.

  “I haven’t seen you in two days. Do you realize that? Sight for sore eyes,” Elle said.

  “It felt longer.”

  “Get in here so I can say hello the way I want to.” Elle stepped aside to let Gia enter. And once she was safely in the room, and the door closed, she caught Elle by the waist and hauled her in for a long and heat-inspiring kiss. The thing about kissing Elle was that Gia never wanted to stop. The warmth of her lips, the way they clung to Gia’s, the way she tasted, the way her hair tickled the side of Gia’s face, the way she murmured adorably into the kiss: It was a perfect package of everything Gia never knew she wanted. She kissed Elle in the middle of the room, up against the wall, and they worked their way to the bed, undressing as they walked.

  “You’re early in heat three tomorrow,” Elle said between kisses. “We need to remember to set eight alarms.”

  “Good thing I brought ten.”

  More kissing, and groping. Gia gasped at the way Elle tortured her relentlessly before lifting her to shattering orgasm. When Gia went to turn the tables, Elle held up a finger. “No time. We’re meeting my parents for dinner, remember?”

  She did remember.

  Two days before she was set to leave for the tournament, Gia had glanced down at her phone.

  Think you’d want to meet my family? the text from Elle read. They’re coming to Portugal.

  Gia held up the phone and looked around the table at her friends, who were halfway into Breakfast Club. “Would you say it’s a turning point to meet someone’s family?”

  Isabel glanced at Hadley, who glanced at Autumn, who glanced back at Isabel.

  Isabel set down her coffee. “Got it. I’m nominated.” She turned to Gia. “That’s the big leagues, my friend. I didn’t meet Taylor’s parents until she was a hundred percent certain I was her penguin for life.”

  Hadley looked at Gia. “Aww, I think you might be Elle’s penguin. That’s so cute.”