In her sleep, she let out a soft sigh and curled closer against my chest, and I brushed her hair off her face.
Karaoke night had changed both everything, and nothing at all. She was still my Hannah, just as she had been before we tangled these sheets up and gave each other everything. She was still the same silly, quick-smiling brave Hannah she was a week ago.
I was the one who was different.
I was the one who was head over fucking heels for her.
I was in love with her. It was the last thing I ever wanted, and yet it was goddamned heaven.
揥e should get up and out there,?she mumbled against my chest, eyes still closed.
揑t抯 the first day of Pacific Rim so we won抰 be able to.?The competition had taken over the surfing beaches for the week and they were keeping the water clear of surfers except those competing.
The warmth of her bare skin against mine made my blood hum. My cock stirred the way it always did when she was around.
She made an unhappy noise and I smiled, inhaling. Her hair smelled like tea, sunlight, her bookstore, and her hair products I had insisted she keep in the shower. I didn抰 mind skipping a couple days out on the water with her. It meant I could keep her in bed longer.
She inhaled sharply and lifted her head, opening one bleary eye. 揥hat time is it??
揓ust after seven. Relax. Liya抯 opening the shop today, remember? You told her you were packing online orders here.?
揜ight.?Her head came back to my chest. 揌ow are you feeling about today??
Today was the initial qualifier for the competition. About half of the entrants would be eliminated over the next three days, but I wasn抰 worried. It was the last two days which would determine my fate.
The pinch of concern I expected in my chest didn抰 happen when I thought about surfing against the best in the world. I still felt the rush of competition, the surge of energy to do my best and work with the water to ride the waves, but the biting worry that I wouldn抰 place well never showed up.
揑抦 fine,?I said simply. 揑抦 ready.?
If I didn抰 do well at Pacific Rim, if I didn抰 get that sponsorship deal, I抎 be right where I was now, curled up with warm, soft Hannah in bed. My bookworm.
And if I did well? If I placed higher up and scored that sponsorship and was on the next plane out of here? Panic filled my chest at the thought of leaving her. Not Queen抯 Cove. Queen抯 Cove would still be here. I could miss it and return. But Hannah, I couldn抰 leave her.
I almost asked her to come with me at karaoke night, but karaoke started and I wanted to save it for later, for a quiet moment where I could make it special.
And then I chickened out.
She might say no, but it was more than that. I teetered on the edge of something precarious. Whatever Hannah and I were doing, whatever we were wrapped up in, it was fragile. One wrong move and the entire thing could slip out from beneath us.
If I made plans for the future, they could crumble. If the plans didn抰 exist, there was nothing I could lose.
So I perched on the edge of the cliff, enjoying what I had with Hannah, terrified to move a muscle.
Her hand tucked between my torso and the sheets. She did that a lot, tucked her hand between my skin and something. Funny, these little traits you started to notice about someone once you spent all your time with them.
Today. I抎 ask her today if she抎 come with me. If she could be brave and get up in front of half the town and sing karaoke, or learn to surf when she had never tried before, I could be brave and tell her how I felt.
She made a satisfied humming noise and turned her head, pressing a kiss to my chest. My cock ached and when she shifted and slipped one of her legs over mine, she brushed against it. She opened her eyes with mischief in her gaze.
I knew that look.
揙h, yeah??I asked with a lazy grin, raising my eyebrows.
She grinned wider, still sleepy and so fucking adorable. Before she could do anything I flipped her onto her back, she was giggling, and I was dipping my head between her legs.
揙h,?she gasped as I swiped my tongue over her.
Today, I was going to be brave and ask Hannah to come with me, but right now, I had to give her another reason to say yes.
揥yatt Rhodes, Queen抯 Cove, Canada.?
I was out in the water on my board, paddling to take my place, but could still hear the cheers rise up on the beach after the announcer spoke. Hannah and my family gathered in the spectator area, seated on blankets. I had told them not to bother coming since today wasn抰 a big event, but they had insisted.
Each entrant had three waves per round and the judges took the top two scores. The wind was low today and the waves were clean. Despite today being an easier round, my blood hummed with competition. I took a moment to center myself, noticing the way the water lifted and dropped me with my torso draped over my board, listening to the sound of the waves washing against the sand and the spectators talking and laughing, and letting the cold bite of the ocean remind me who was boss.