"Can anyone make you do anything?"
A laugh escapes her lips. "You have your ways."
"Do I?"
Her gaze settles on my crotch. "Yeah."
"You think I'd stoop to sexual bribes?"
"You wouldn't?"
"Never thought about it." I might. I nod to the board. "Do five."
"Do me."
"Sure. Strip naked and grab that towel. I don't mind witnesses."
Her cheeks flush. "Later."
"Here? Really?"
"Maybe."
"You're full of shit."
She laughs. "I'm still working up to public sex." She drops to her knees, winks, spreads onto her stomach.
She does her pop-ups seamlessly.
"You've been practicing," I say.
"I'm supposed to exercise, remember?"
"Just supposed to?"
"Okay. I love exercise. I'm now one of the people I used to mock. I blame you."
"You should involve me. Invite me over to watch your tits bounce."
"Hmm. I'll consider that." She does one last pop-up. Smiles as she sticks the landing. "Are you okay?"
"Huh?"
"You were weird the other night. Insistent. Like you were frustrated."
I was. I am.
Dean and I haven't talked since our fight. Last night, we closed out the shop without a single word. It's weird. I hate it.
"Let's get in the water," I say.
She tilts her head to one side, assessing my words. Slowly, she nods.
She follows me. Groans in agony as the water hits her toes.
Water rushes into my wetsuit. It's freezing for a second, then it's warm. Comfortable.
The chill against my hands and toes feels good.
Exhilarating.
She takes the board, slides onto it, paddles over a cresting wave.
Fuck, is there any view of Iris that doesn't make me desperate to tear her clothes off?
I swim out to meet her.
She pushes herself up to a seated position, legs spread over the board, calves in the water.
"You look like you've done this a million times," I say.
Her smile spreads over her cheeks. "Who says I haven't?"
"You secretly know how to surf?"
She nods.
"Prove it."
"Uh…" She looks down at me. Lowers herself onto her stomach so we're eye to eye. "Why were you all freaked?"
I place my arms on the board. Stare back into her eyes. "Wasn't important."
"It was. Or I wouldn't be here at seven thirty." She shifts onto her back and stares up at the white sky. "Your sister okay?"
"Last time I checked."
"Something is up."
"Just a fight with Dean."
"Oh. Because of me?"
"Because of me. I don't want to think about it right now, sweetness."
"Okay." She runs her fingers over the back of my hand. "Does that mean we can go have sex?"
"Yeah. After this."
"Really? After this? You wouldn't leave right now?"
Of course I would. "If you want to know, ask."
"No. We're here. I should—"
"You like surfing."
"Maybe."
"You love it."
"I admit nothing."
"You love hanging out with me."
She turns toward me. Her lips press into a smile. "Possibly. You're cocky."
"You're adorable."
She presses herself onto her elbow. The water rocks her back and forth. "What did I do?"
"Just your smile."
"That's all it takes?"
"Yeah." I've got it bad. It's like a sickness, but I don't want the cure.
She stares into my eyes. She's seeing something, working something out.
But I have no idea what it is.
"You feeling better?" I tread water. It's what I've been doing the last few years. Staying in place.
It's been good. Comfortable.
But I'm done with that phase.
I want to move forward. To her. With her.
"I'll get there eventually." She rolls onto her stomach. "You look cute contemplative."
"Right back at you."
"You know, we still haven't gone bareback."
It's a good thing this water is so fucking cold or I'd already be hard. "You derailed that last time."
She smiles. "You complaining?"
"Fuck no."
"'Cause I can never—"
"Fuck no."
She smiles, victorious.
"I thought you were here to surf."
"I can't decide." She presses herself onto her elbows. "You sure you don't want to talk about Dean?"
"I'll work it out eventually." A wave rolls under us, crests, falls. It's too small, too close to shore. This set is shit. "You want to talk about your sister?"
"No." She follows my gaze to the horizon. "We're awfully evasive for a couple, huh?"
"At least we know."
"We can put it in our wedding vows." Her cheeks flush. "Not that we… I mean, this could be a while, and it could even be that one day, but I'm not shopping for a dress yet."
"Good. We'll elope."
The water rocks her board back and forth. "Will we?"
"Yeah. In Vegas. At that drive through chapel."
She laughs. "No drive through."
"But it's my dream."
"Guess we can't get married."
"What about Elvis?"
"I can do an Elvis theme."
"I'm gonna wear a studded leather jumpsuit."
"Of course."
I adopt my best Elvis voice. "TCB, baby. Taking care of business."
She laughs. "That was awful."
"You do better."
She shakes her head.
"You really can't do a drive through?"
She nods.
"Fuck, is this why they say marriage is compromise?"
"I think so."
"All right, sweetness. I'll give that up for you."
"I'm not sure if I can ask you to make that kind of sacrifice."
"You're worth it."
She is.
I…
I'm falling in love with her.
The water washes everything away.
We make lunch, watch sci-fi on the couch, drink way too much coffee.
She packs her stuff after dinner. "I have class early."
"I know."
Her eyes find mine. Her cheeks flush. She wraps her arms around her chest. "We still haven't ahem."
"Aren't you leaving?"
"Yeah."
"So you're just cruel?"
She laughs. "I guess I like thinking about you desperate and wanting."
"I'll get you back for that."
"I know."
"I think I figured out this shit with Dean."
"Yeah?"
"Meet me at the shop tomorrow at six."
She raises a brow. "To…"