Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 49490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49490 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
And yeah, I enjoyed the mundane chore of cleaning the kitchen with him more than I should admit. That didn’t mean anything. Other than…
Maybe we were friends now.
That wasn’t so terrible. Rob was a good guy. Once we got over this insatiable desire, it would be nice to be friends. But I sort of hoped the sex part wouldn’t end any time soon. It was too damn good.
Somehow, Rob instinctively read my body and knew exactly how hard to push me. I liked it rough, but not too rough. I liked being brought to the edge of pleasure, but I hated a prolonged tease. I liked his fingers in my ass, but I preferred his cock. He knew all that and still managed to surprise me and leave me hungry for more.
I lay on my side, studying the shape of him in the dark. His broad shoulders, chiseled muscular biceps, the sharp slope of his forehead, and his neatly trimmed beard. Rob embodied strength and safety, and yet…he carried demons with him tonight.
Don’t ask me what I was thinking, ’cause I really had no explanation for leaning in to press a kiss on his forehead. Rob stirred and mumbled incoherently but didn’t wake up. Thank God.
I wouldn’t have known how to explain my uncharacteristic twinge of tenderness or the fierce impulse I had to go to battle and fight whatever caused him anxiety. It was so unlike me that I was momentarily worried I’d come down with the flu or something. Or maybe this was how people felt about friends they slept with? If so, I wasn’t sure I liked it.
16
MATEO
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead. Let’s go get those waves.”
“Ugh. No,” I grunted, burying my head under a pillow.
“I made coffee,” Rob singsonged. “I even put some in a thermos.”
More grunting and grumbling. Rob chuckled softly and began rummaging around the room. I could hear water running, drawers opening and closing, and feel the dip in the mattress as he sat beside me to tie his shoes.
I peeked over the covers and sighed. “What time is it?”
“Six a.m.”
“Sss early.”
“I hate to remind you, but this was your idea.” Rob tugged at the duvet and swatted my ass. “Let’s do this.”
The sun was just beginning to make an appearance as we traversed the stairway leading to the beach, armed with our boards, wet suits, towels, and two thermoses. The sky was gunmetal gray, the sand was cold, and the November breeze wasn’t for the faint of heart. Nonetheless, a handful of surfers had beat us there.
I dropped our gear and motioned for Rob to turn so I could zip his suit. “Do you need a refresher lesson or any pointers…like stay away from the jetty and try not to drown?”
“Helpful. Thanks.” Rob furrowed his brow as he peered out to sea. “I went out one morning last week and wasn’t too terrible. Only fell off my board ten times.”
I chuckled. “Not bad. To be honest, I may not do much better. I haven’t been out here in a while.”
“Ah, maybe we should have a contest to see who falls off the least. Loser buys breakfast.”
“So…you’re basically inviting me to breakfast. Did I get that right?”
Rob rolled his eyes. “No, you’re buying.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Surfing was one of those quirky sports that involved intense core and leg strength yet could still be incredibly relaxing…if you weren’t toppling into the ocean every time you attempted to stand on your board.
I gave Rob credit for resilience. He wasn’t a quitter. No matter how many times he ate it, he jumped back on.
Take now, for example.
The dude wrestling his board into submission sported a big-ass grin after being tossed into the ocean…again. If I hadn’t known better, I’d think he’d just won a surfing competition, but I’d witnessed him lose his balance and plunge into the ocean over and over this morning. He was either a glutton for punishment, or he truly enjoyed falling.
“Did you see that last run?” Rob shook his head, spraying me with ocean water.
I fixed him with a death glare I had no hope of maintaining when he smiled like a kid in a candy store. I huffed instead and motioned for him to turn so I could help unzip his wetsuit. “I saw everything. You’ve already improved.”
“Thanks. I stayed on for a whole twenty seconds.” Rob peeled his suit off his arms and chest before flopping onto the towel I’d spread out.
“Not bad.” I handed him a thermos. “I forgot how much I like being out here first thing in the morning.”
Rob leaned into my side. “It’s nice, huh?”
“What’s even nicer is knowing that you’re buying breakfast.”
He tried to glare but chuckled instead.
We headed north on Highway 1 toward Santa Cruz in search of pancakes at a diner Rob had been to recently. The sun had broken through wispy white clouds, painting the hillsides a golden hue and sprinkling the Pacific with a shimmery sheen. Damn, it was a beautiful day.