"I can't count that high."
She laughs. "You don't…" Her nose scrunches. "You don't really try to sleep with women for the sake of racking up conquests?"
"Fuck no. That kind of long-term goal setting is way beyond my abilities."
"Uh-huh."
I nod.
She shakes her head. "Then why so many women?"
"Why so few guys?"
"I had a boyfriend. He was—"
"Ouch."
"Not ouch. Just—"
"Your tone. It's bad." I take a cross-legged seat next to her.
She shakes her head as she leans back on her heels. "Maybe I'm bitter about the breakup."
"Maybe he's a terrible lay."
She half smiles. "What's it to you? Don't you… What are we?"
"You tell me."
"I hate you."
"You like me."
She shakes her head.
"Then why are you here?"
"You gave me a choice."
"If you hated me, you'd have done the shitty tattoo."
"Maybe." Her gaze goes to the ocean. "Where does that leave us?
"We're rivals."
"Rivals." She bites her lip. "I guess that's about right. Well, dick face—"
"You keep calling me that, I'm gonna get hard."
She rolls her eyes. "I'm sure you've never stuck around long enough to realize this, but when you're with someone for a while it can get stale."
"Ex wasn't creative?"
"This is really none of your business."
"Not holding a gun to your head." I want all of Chloe's secrets. But I don't want to take them. I want her to give them to me.
The breeze rolls over us. This is a perfect beach day. Warm sun. Gentle breeze. Salty air. Quiet scenery. In a few hours, this place will be a mob scene. But right now? It's perfect.
She turns to me. Brushes my bangs from my eyes. "Your client was right."
"About?"
"You have an emo haircut."
"You like it."
She shakes her head, but it does nothing to hide her smile.
"You're right. I've never stuck around with anyone."
"Why not?"
"Why'd you leave your ex?"
"Is this one of your games?"
"Sure, yeah."
She leans back on her elbows. Looks up at the sky. "Aren't we here to surf?"
"Say the word. I'll grab a rental board."
Her eyes get hazy. Dreamy. "How does the game work?"
"Truth for truth."
She nods. "Okay. Deal. But you first." She looks up at me. "Why don't you stick around?"
"It's easier."
She shakes her head. "I need a deeper dig than that."
I scratch my head. "Sunshine, you've made me forget my point completely."
"That's not an answer. Why is it easier? What is it you want or don't want?"
"I want to come."
"If it was just that, you'd fuck yourself. Nothing easier than that."
She's got me there.
"You… you went through the effort to seduce me."
"I liked you."
"But I'm sure… are you telling me you don't try to seduce women?"
Try is the wrong word, but I do make an effort. "I show women a good time."
"And it starts when you meet them. Not when you take their clothes off."
"Yeah."
"So what's easy about that? Let me tell you, as someone who's had both… casual hookups and relationships. A relationship is a lot easier if your goal is getting laid on the regular."
"Is that why you were with—"
"Alex. No. I loved him. Well, I thought I did. Now… I don't know." Her gaze shifts to the ocean. "I loved the guy I thought he was. But he wasn't that guy."
"How?"
"It's still your answer."
I don't actively think about why I do anything I do. Fucking a different woman every night is fun. It's a thrill. A challenge. A hobby even.
I leave because that's all I want.
One night. One time. No emotional attachments.
I don't hurt them.
They don't hurt me.
"I don't want anyone getting attached," I say.
"You or them?"
"Both."
"Ah." Her eyes light up with epiphany. "Dick face does have feelings."
"Don't tell anyone."
She pulls an imaginary zipper over her lips. Catches herself doing it. "Fuck, that's your gesture isn't it."
"Yeah, but—" I copy the gesture.
She laughs. Pushes herself up enough to play swat me. "Do you ever sleep with the same woman more than once?"
"Yeah. Sometimes. If I'm sure we're on the same page."
"Is that easier?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Feelings always get involved."
"And you're afraid of intimacy?"
Something twists in my gut. Something I don't like. "You're gonna have to dumb that down for me, sunshine."
"Hmm."
"Hmm?"
"You got defensive. That must be it."
"You studying psychology?"
"Just Psych 101 in college. I'm sure you've never experienced this, but… when you spend a lot of time sitting out dances, watching everyone else, you get to be pretty good at reading people."
"It's your turn."
"It is." She stares at the sparkling blue ocean. The sun breaks through a cloud. Casts light over the azure water, the beige sand, the white and red lifeguard stand. "Alex was pretty good. Neither one of us was all that experienced when we started. We learned together. He made an effort. But we both got complacent. Fell into a routine. I guess you could say the passion died."
"How long did that take?"
"Six months or so."
Fuck, that's an eternity. "How long were you together?"
"Three years."
"Why'd he leave?"
She shakes her head. "It's my turn."
"Shoot."
"No." She shifts onto her knees. "I think it's time to hit the water."
"I won't forget it's your turn."
"I know."
Chapter Eleven
Dean
I drop the rental surfboard next to Chloe. "You know how to do a pop-up?"
She pushes herself to her feet. "Yeah."
"Show me."
"Is this a challenge?"
No. It's safety. So she doesn't fall off the board and break her neck. But that isn't the way to push her. "Show me."
"You don't believe me?"
"Just show me."
"Fine." Irritation flares in her expression. It fades to that fire in her dark eyes.
She steps onto the board. Drops to her stomach. "This is barely smaller than your surfboard."
She's right, but, I can't say I'm disappointed. Being board-free leaves us with a lot of options for what we do after this. "You want to prove you can do it or you want to sass me?"
"Sass you."
"Then carry on."
"You can't make me surf."
"I know."
"Oh. Good." She looks to the teal board. Places her hands next to her chest. In one seamless motion, she jumps to a perfect surfing stance. "I know what I'm doing."
"When did you last surf?"
"Um…"
"That recently?"
She flips me off.
I blow her a kiss.
She laughs. Waves it away. Ducks to avoid it.
"Humor me," I say.
She tilts her head to one side. "My life is humoring you." The hurt in her voice is gone. It's all fire. She isn't thinking about her ex or whatever it is that knocked her off track. She's here with me.
It feels good, having her attention. Watching delight spread over her face. Maybe a huge part of Chloe hates me. But she loves the way she hates me. She loves teasing back. "Do five more."
"I'm doing them because they're a good idea."
"Uh-huh."
"Not because you said."
"What's scarier—me having a good idea or you doing what I say?"
"Good question." She drops to her stomach. "I'm getting used to the latter."
"Are you?"
"I worked with you twice this week."
"And?"
"It's a job." Her eyes light up as she laughs.
"You still have five."
"I'm good for them." Her hands go to the board. In one swift motion, she jumps to her feet.
Her form is good. Her sheer power is fantastic. She's strong and she's tiny. Makes it easy for her to manipulate her bodyweight.
The aikido obsession shows.
I try to focus on her technique, but it's hard with the way her tank top hugs her tits. Fuck, she's hotter than she was in high school. Strong legs. Tight ass. Perfect tits.
They're bigger than they were.
How the fuck is that possible?
Chloe isn't the surgical enhancement type. Must be… fuck, I don't care what it is.
Only how much I want my hands on them.
"There." She jumps off the board, brushes her hands together in a no sweat gesture. "That's six."
Sounds about right.
Her chest heaves with her inhale. She's flushed and sweaty. From the exercise, but that's not where my head is going. "Any other lessons?"