by Ella Miles
He laughs.
“And dive,” I say.
We both dive down into the water. When I come up for air, I see that Wes has, too, but he’s going to have to take one or two more dives down to get to where I am. I wait patiently as he does. When he finally reaches me, he is breathing heavily. He’s in decent shape, but the ocean definitely takes a different toll on the body if you aren’t used to it.
“So, why do you want to learn how to surf anyway?” I ask.
“My fiancée. She’s spent many summers here, and if we are going to live here full-time after we get married, I figured I’d better learn how to surf. I know she loves it even if she rarely makes time to surf anymore. I want to be able to do something with her that she enjoys and not look like a total imbecile.”
I nod. “I think you are going to need more than one lesson today to accomplish that.”
“Yeah, well, I was told you’d only do the one.”
“I think I could fit you into my schedule for the next couple of weeks.”
“That would be great.”
I look back to the camera crew, who is growing impatient. “I need to get up on the board to ensure I get paid. After I go, give it your best shot. You’re going to fall if you even get up, but I think that is what they are wanting.”
Wes nods. “Yeah, I figured.”
“But don’t worry; I’ll have you surfing. Just give me a week or two.”
I see the next wave coming. It’s not perfect, but then nothing ever is. I wink at Wes, and I take off with the wave.
I don’t have to think as I surf; I just do. I’ve done this so many times before, and this wave is nothing compared to the larger waves that I often surf. Still, I respect the wave, the ocean. I know that, every time I come out here, I’m putting my life at risk. That this could all be over if I’m not careful. So, I try to keep my thoughts on what I’m doing and not on Sloane. Not on the plan that has practically fallen into my lap.
I reach the shore and jump off the board before I remember that I’m being filmed. I make sure to smile as I kick the board up with my foot and then carry it all the way up the beach. I turn my attention back to Wes, who is sitting on his board, looking completely clueless and completely terrified.
I watch the next wave come, but it is going to be much too strong for him. “Hold off till the next one!” I shout.
He nods and tries to maintain his position as the next wave comes. It really doesn’t matter which wave he tries. I doubt he even manages to stand on the board his first time out.
I watch as another wave begins. “This one, Wes! Start paddling and then try to stand!” I shout.
Wes begins paddling and then starts trying to climb up onto the board. His timing is off, but somehow, he muscles his way up until he is somewhat upright. Then, he immediately falls over as a wave crashes down on him.
He comes up for air a couple of seconds later, looking a bit dazed but otherwise fine. He slowly makes his way back to the beach and then falls to the ground.
“I don’t know how you are able to make that look so easy. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stand up on the board,” Wes says, panting hard.
“Well, you won’t ever be able to do what I just did unless you plan on devoting your next twenty years to surfing. But I can at least get you upright your next time out.”
I extend my hand to him, and he takes it and stands up.
“Same place tomorrow?” Wes asks.
I glance over at the police cruiser that is creeping by far too slowly, staring at us.
I laugh. “No. We are going to try a much tamer beach next time.”
It’s taken me three weeks to get Wes to stand on a board and do anything that resembles surfing. It has been much longer of an investment than I initially planned. I thought one week, maybe two, and then I’d not only have him surfing, but he would also have made me his best man. Apparently, I’m better at making friends with women than with men.
“I told you I would have you surfing,” I say to Wes as he trudges up to his car.
“Woohoo! That was awesome! I can’t wait to show Sloane on our honeymoon.”
I place my surfboard into the back of my truck. “Where are you going on your honeymoon?”
“Australia and then New Zealand. Sloane has always wanted to go. She’s the adventurous type. She wants to surf, scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef, hike in the forests. I, on the other hand, just want to avoid being eaten by anything and kick back and enjoy the food. She’ll be impressed though that I took surfing lessons and can sort of surf now.”
I smile every time Wes talks about Sloane. I can’t help it. I’ve learned a lot about her from my time with him. And everything that I have learned makes me want to claim her more. Makes me want her more. And this new fact is not any different.
“I think, with a little more practice, you are definitely going to impress her.”
Wes opens the door to his car. “Hey, you want to come out with us tonight?”
I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t want to be a third wheel.”
Wes laughs. “I didn’t mean, me and Sloane. I meant, me and the guys. They are kind of throwing me an informal bachelor party tonight. You should come.”
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t leave me alone with my cousins. They are the absolute worst. I need at least one normal guy who is on my side tonight.”
“All right, fine. I’ll come hit the bars with you tonight. But you owe me for putting up with your cousins.”
“First round is on me.”
I nod. “Done.”
* * *
I get to the saddest-looking bar on the island, where Wes texted me to meet them. I frown as I stand outside the building that looks like it could collapse at any minute. I’m not one to judge a book by its cover. After all, I’m nothing like what I appear on the outside. But this is absolutely ridiculous. If they weren’t going to pick a strip club, they could have at least picked a clean bar that had average-looking waitresses who were scantily clad.
I shake my head. If I convince them to go to any other bar tonight, I’ll be considered a savior after Wes tries one drink in this place. Tonight, I need him to start thinking of me as one of his best friends. I need to start finding a way to connect with Sloane. I need to start sneaking into her life. And, if Wes isn’t that way, then I will need to find another.
I walk into the bar, still dressed in swim trunks, a T-shirt, and sandals. I don’t have to look long to find them. The three of them are sitting at the edge of the bar, all looking sad. They are the only ones in here besides an older gentleman who is behind the bar, fixing them drinks.
“Cheer up, guys. The party is here,” I say, heading over to them.
Wes smiles when he sees me, but Elijah and Cody both give me a glare that is a mix between anger and annoyance.
I don’t bother to pull up a chair because we definitely aren’t staying here.
“Close out your tabs, boys, and let me show you how a local parties in Hawaii.”
Wes immediately jumps up, but Cody and Elijah both continue to frown.
“We are in charge of the bachelor party, not you. We will decide when and if we want to go elsewhere,” Cody says.
I raise an eyebrow. “Well, you’ve chosen one of the worst dumps on the island. But, if you want to stay, be my guest. Or we could go to a bar that actually has decent drinks and chicks, most scantily clad and likely ready for a good time.”
“Aw, come on, guys. It’s my night. I appreciate you guys trying your best, but Asher knows the island better than any of us. Let’s give him a try.”
“Fine,” Cody says.
I pull out my wallet and throw some cash down so that they might like me a little better. Although I think it does the opposite of helping. I don’t really care if they like me though. I just need to convince Wes, which is easy since he’s comparing me to them.
I throw my arm over Wes’s shoulder. “Come on, let�
�s go get you drunk and see some naked chicks.”
* * *
Three hours later, and I have succeeded in getting everyone drunk, and we have had a string of naked women coming all night. I might have succeeded in my mission.
Cody is passed out at the bar, clueless to the fact that he is lying in spilled beer. Elijah has spent the last half hour in the restroom, most likely vomiting. And Wes is a stumbling mess, no longer speaking in coherent sentences.
I sigh. Why the hell I thought I wanted to spend an evening with just the guys is beyond me. I don’t even like spending time with Luca, and he’s about the only person on earth who can stand me.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many cab options on the island this late in the evening, so it is up to me to either get them home or leave them here. I should leave their asses here. They are all grown men who can take care of themselves. But I keep picturing Sloane.
I smile, thinking of her. There is one benefit to everyone being drunk out of their minds.
“Come on, Wes. It’s time to let your best man take you home,” I say, putting his arm around my shoulders and helping him to stand up.
Wes smiles as I guide him outside to my truck. I knew well enough not to get drunk tonight.
I throw Wes in the truck before I decide I’d better go get Elijah and Cody.
“Don’t tell Elijah and Cody that you’re my best man. They’ll be mad,” Wes says, slurring every other word out of his mouth.
“Don’t worry. It will be our secret,” I say before slamming the door shut.
Finally, I think as I go back to get the other two drunk assholes.
I can’t put up with these guys any longer without at least getting a glimpse of Sloane.
Phase one is complete. Now, it’s on to the more fun phase. Enticing Sloane.
It feels strange to wake up and not be teaching Wes for once. But it’s also incredibly fucking nice. I jump out of bed and glance out my window. The sun is just starting to rise over the ocean, and it looks like it is going to be the best goddamn day.
Wes already gave me a schedule of events I need to be at as his best man over the next month. I don’t have any events that I need to be at for my sponsors.
Today, I’m a free man. I can just surf.
I slip into my swim trunks and don’t bother to throw on a shirt. Then, I run out the door and get in my truck to head to my favorite spot on the beach.
When I get there, I jump out of the truck and grab my surfboard before running toward the ocean.
“Hey, man!”
I freeze and do my best not to groan.
I turn and face Wes. “Hey, what are you doing here? I thought we were done with lessons.”
“We are. Just wanted to show my fiancée what I’d learned.”
I see it in her eyes the second she spots me. Immediate recognition, regret, and anger. She recovers quickly and tucks a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear as Wes turns to grab her hand.
“This is my fiancée, Sloane Hart. Sloane, this is Asher Calder,” Wes says.
Sloane holds out her hand to me, and I shake it with a mischievous grin on my face—or at least, that’s how I imagine she views my grin.
Sloane smiles politely and shakes my hand. “I’ve tried teaching Wes how to surf many times, so I’m still not convinced that he has learned how to actually surf, even by someone as experienced with surfing as you are,” she says as she retracts her hand.
Wes laughs.
I cock my head to one side as I study Sloane. She looked up who I was, or she’d already known who I was. That has me even more intrigued with her.
“Are you underestimating my surfing skills?” I instinctively move toward her, unable to resist closing the distance between us.
Sloane holds tight to Wes, like he is going to be able to stop me.
“No, just your teaching skills and Wes’s lack of coordination.”
Wes and Sloane laugh together, like most couples do. Like they share a secret no one else knows. Seeing them happy together just makes me want to rip them apart even more.
“Well, Wes, you’d better go out there and prove her wrong for both of our sakes. I wouldn’t want her to find either of us lacking.”
Sloane frowns every time I speak, but the second Wes looks at her, a fake smile appears on her lips. It’s entertaining really, watching her.
Wes kisses her on the lips, and I study them both. When Wes kisses, he closes his eyes and lets her into his soul. When Sloane kisses, it’s clear that she isn’t fully in the moment. Her eyes don’t close all the way, and her lips don’t part all the way to let him in or so that he can fully claim her mouth with his.
Sloane gently pushes Wes away. She tries to hide it. She tries to make it seem like she wants nothing more than to be kissed by Wes all day. It’s clear that me being here makes her uncomfortable.
Wes smiles at Sloane, so oblivious and in love that he can’t even tell that she had issues with his kiss. He grabs his surfboard and then begins walking toward the water.
He pauses just before going in. “You coming, Asher?”
“Nope, this is all you.”
Wes runs into the water with his surfboard in hand and begins paddling out.
Sloane folds her arms across her chest and watches Wes with laser focus. So much focus that I am able to move until I’m standing right next to her.
“He’s good, isn’t he?” I say into her ear.
She jumps.
I lean back, away from her ear, as she turns to me.
“What are you doing? Why did you give Wes surf lessons?”
“Are you accusing me of setting this all up so that I could see you again?”
“Yes, that is exactly what I’m accusing you of.”
I fold my arms across my chest and watch her eyes linger on my abs for a second before looking me in the eye again.
I laugh. “As luck would have it, fate stepped in. My sponsors arranged the lessons, not me. It would seem the world thinks we should be together.”
“You’re an asshole, a douche bag, a bastard, a—”
I laugh. “Is that the best you’ve got?”
She narrows her eyes. “I’m engaged! What kind of man thinks I’d be willing to have a one-night stand with him, a complete stranger, on a normal night, much less when I’m about to be married? There isn’t a name so bad to describe what you are.”
I shrug. “At least none that you can call me from your pretty, little mouth.”
She glares at me, and I know she means it as a warning that I have no doubt she would follow through on if I tried anything, but all I can think is that I want to see that same passion in her eyes when I kiss her. I want to see how angry she would be if I kissed her right now. I want to feel that anger with just the tiniest hint of desire. Because I know that, once she got a taste of me, no matter how much she loved Wes, she would keep coming back for more.
“You’d better turn your attention to your fiancé. You wouldn’t want him to see that you couldn’t take your eyes off me when you were supposed to be watching him.”
Sloane huffs but doesn’t say another word as she turns her attention to Wes, who is now sitting on his surfboard, waiting for a wave. I, however, don’t take my eyes off of her. And, even though she tries her best to fix her gaze on Wes, she still looks at me out of the corner of her eye.
“Oh my God…he’s…” Sloane says.
I reluctantly tear my eyes from Sloane to look out at Wes. He’s now standing on a surfboard. He’s a little shaky but standing fairly well as he glides down toward us.
“How did you do it?” Sloane looks at me with wide eyes.
“I’m a good teacher, and your fiancé isn’t that bad of a learner.”
Sloane turns back to Wes, who is still up on the surfboard. “He’s a terrible learner. He has no coordination and no athletic ability really. He occasionally runs and lifts weights, but beyond that, nothing. I’ve been trying to get him up on a surfboard for years.
How did you do it?”
“Like I told you, I’m a pro. I’m very good at what I do. I never lose. I always get what I want. If I want to get someone up on a surfboard, I will. And, if I want to get you in my bed, I will.”
“I’m thankful to you for helping Wes, but I’m very happy that I will be the first time you lose. You will never find me in your bed. In fact, you will never see either of us again. It’s clear that Wes doesn’t need your services any longer, and we still haven’t decided where we will be making our permanent home after we are married, but I can assure you, it won’t be anywhere near you.”
I lean in close to her ear and smell the flowery perfume she is wearing. “Actually, you’ll be seeing a lot of me.”
Wes falls off the board, and Sloane’s mouth falls open as she watches him hit the rough water.
“What do you mean?”
“Just that, since I’m Wes’s best man, I expect that you will be seeing a lot of me. So, make sure you are strong enough to resist my charm if you are going to make promises about being the first time I lose.”
Wes runs toward us, carrying his surfboard. “What do you think?” he asks.
“You were incredible. I can’t believe you were able to do that,” Sloane answers. She kisses him on the lips, but it’s a chaste kiss.
“I’m ready to go again. Want to join me?” Wes asks Sloane.
Sloane looks over at me and then back to Wes. “No, I’m not feeling the best. I’d rather just sit here and watch you.”
That’s when I notice the strings of Sloane’s bikini sticking out from the neck of her T-shirt. I’d love to see her in nothing but a bikini.
“You going to join me and make me look like a fool?” Wes asks.
I laugh. “Well, I did come here to train, but you don’t need me to make you look like a fool. You already do that by yourself.”
Wes laughs and starts heading back out into the water. I turn back to my truck and grab my own surfboard.