A thousand images flooded my head and I felt sick. I hated this. 揈xplain.?My tone was rougher than I meant.
She covered her face again. 揙h my God. Okay, he did this thing where he put his hands on me and like, pulled my, um, lady parts apart and it hurt.?
I wanted to murder this guy. This fucking guy who didn抰 know what he was doing, put his grubby little hands all over my Hannah and made her uncomfortable. He ruined an experience for her that should have been amazing. He should have rocked her world and instead, he made her not like sex.
揥as that too much information??She lifted her head, shot me a tentative glance, and I quickly cleared my throat and shook my head.
揘ope. He sounds like a dumbass.?
She laid her head back down on her board and snorted. 揧eah. He was.?
We were quiet a moment. I had the urge to pull her board closer and put my mouth on hers. To race her back to shore, throw her over my shoulder, and take her back to my bed, where I抎 give her a do-over of every sexual experience she had ever had.
With me, it would be better. Hotter. I抎 make her writhe under me. I抎 go down on her until she pulled my hair and gasped my name and couldn抰 handle how good it felt. I was desperate to see how she looked while she came, all hazy and flustered and breathless.
A twinge hit me in the gut. She wanted long term. True love. If I did well next month, I抎 be on a plane, and she抎 still be here.
Beck, though. Beck would stay in Queen抯 Cove, same as Hannah. Despite wanting to smack the look off his face every time he smiled at Hannah, he was a decent guy.
I wanted Hannah to be happy.
The thought of him touching Hannah made my fists clench, though.
揥yatt??
揗mm??My gaze snapped back to hers.
She lifted her eyebrows. 揑s the third date rule real? Where you should sleep with someone on the third date??
My stomach twisted and I could feel it all over my face, this anguish. This torn feeling.
揃ookworm, if you抮e worried about things with Beck, just do what feels right.?
She frowned at me. The wheels turned in her head.
I shrugged, hoisting myself up onto my board so I could lay beside her. 揈ven if he does buy you dinner, you don抰 owe him anything. You don抰 have to sleep with him or even kiss him tonight. The third date rule is bullshit. You can sleep with him on the first date or the tenth date or never, if that抯 what you want.?We locked eyes. 揧ou抮e the boss. Understand??
She gave me a tiny nod.
揃eck is a good guy and he抣l be patient with you. He better be.?
She made a humming, thinking noise and let out a breath, laying back on her board and gazing up at the sky. She relaxed and we floated, listening to seagulls, waves hitting the shore, and the occasional laugh of someone on the beach or whoop of one of the other surfers.
Later, as we padded across the sand back to the surf shop, Hannah grinned at me.
揑 always feel so much better after being out on the water in the mornings with you.?
My heart squeezed. 揟he water will do that.?
She shook her head. 揑t抯 not just the water. I like hanging out with you. You always make me feel better about things I抦 worried about.?
Heart, meet sledgehammer. I had the urge to pull her in for a hug but I held back. Instead, I shrugged. Casual, like always. Noncommittal. 揧ou can talk to me about this stuff. Hope you know that.?
She nodded. 揑 know.?She reached out and gave my arm a quick squeeze. The contact of her cold hand against my skin sent a jolt through me. 揝o, what抯 my homework, professor??
揚rofessor??I lifted an eyebrow and ignored the way my cock stirred when she called me that.
揧ou have a nickname for me.?She shrugged, a cute little smile on her face.
I beamed at her, so hard my face hurt. 揑 like it.?
揝o, homework.?
揜ight. Uhhh厰 I thought, narrowing my eyes. 揈asy one today. When you go on the date tonight棓 even saying the words made me sick, 摋only do what you want. Don抰 do anything you don抰 want to. Wear whatever you want. Drink champagne, not beer.?I took a step closer to her and her mouth parted. 揂nd if you don抰 want to kiss him, don抰。？
She nodded. 揙kay.?
I held her gaze for a moment. Her blue-green eyes were so pretty. 揙kay.?
There. Knowing her, she抎 stick to her homework, even if it was difficult. Even if he pressured her. The tension in my chest settled a fraction.
But what if she wanted to push things further with Beck? I remembered the way she laughed at the farmer抯 market, when he talked easily with her. The way she looked up at him, starstruck.
The tension in my chest was back.
I thought about Hannah抯 date with Beck all day. I thought about it as I taught surf lessons, as I helped a customer buy a wetsuit, as I ordered replacement surf boards, as I surfed that evening.