Blended (Redemption #1) (22 page)

She locks her legs around my torso as I hold onto her. “I think that I like this side of you, Waylon Brass.”

“Mmm, you haven’t seen anything yet, baby.”

“Oh?”

I drop to my knees in the water, taking us both down as a wave crashes above our heads. She pushes up and swims to the surface and out of my grip. I follow behind her until I break the surface. She’s moving strands of hair out of her face when I lock eyes with her as she treads water. I realize that she can’t stand here so I pull her close and kiss her sea-salted lips.

“You’re captivating, Rye.”

“You think so? I was thinking just how much of a prick you are.”

“A prick?”

“Yes. All I did was cool you off,” she says through a laugh and splashes me.

I run my finger over her lips before placing a kiss against them, tasting salt and everything that makes up this gorgeous woman. “I enjoyed it, and I’m enjoying having you to myself right now.”

“You can hog me all you want.”

“I’ll take you up on that offer, be warned.”

She purses her lips and runs a hand through my hair. “Deal.”

“Are you hungry?” I ask to distract the both of us from plunging into more than a conversation in front of our spectators on the beach.

“A little, but I think I want another one of those Aussie Beach Blonde drinks.”

“Come with me, I’ll get you buzzed.”

“Don’t make promises that you can’t keep, Wade. Specifically, ones made with your fingers. I’m desperate for you since you touched me in the suite.”

“I keep my promises, Rye. You’ll just have to give me the time to prove it.” I run my hand down her back under the water, running my fingers over her piercings before we make our way back to the shore.

I take her hand, intertwining my fingers with hers while she adjusts her bikini with the other. I haven’t been able to take my eyes off of her this afternoon. She’s unquestionably the woman on the beach that has all of the men boning after her.

She’s untouchable with me around, though, and I’m going to keep it that way.

“There you assholes are,” Isla greets as we walk up to the cabana, and she’s holding one of those Beach Blonde drinks in each hand.

“Please tell me that one of those are for me,” Hadley says, and she lets go of my hand and walks up to Isla.

“Sure as shit. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen Wade drink anything but whiskey.”

They each take a drink and moan in unison while I grab a towel and dry my hair off before wrapping it around my hips.

“Baby, did you want a towel?” I ask without thinking, and Isla’s gaze shoots up to meet mine.

“Holy shit,” she says as I realize my mistake. I’ve just called Hadley ‘baby’ in front of my best friend. I’ve never called a woman anything other than her full name before, with the exception of Hadley.

Hadley sets her drink down and walks up to me to take the towel. “Thank you.”

“Uhh,” Isla voices and I stare at her as I watch her confusion turn into a smile, and I’m flooded with relief that there won’t be another bitter moment between the two of us.

I watch Hadley dry off and take a seat on the lounger again with her drink before I join her while Isla lies out in the sun.

“Thank you for bringing me here, Whiskey. It’s undeniably stunning.”

“I’m glad that you agreed to come so quickly. The thought of not seeing you for over a week wasn’t something that I was willing to contemplate.”

She blushes and takes a drink, trying to hide her pink cheeks from me. I pull her body closer, and she drops her leg between mine as I stretch out on the white cushions.

“Brass, why the fuck haven’t you gotten on a board yet?”

I chuckle at Isla and look down at Hadley. “I’m rather content right now.”

“So I’ve noticed, but you can’t come all the way down here and not surf.”

“Wait, you surf?” Hadley peers up at me through her sunglasses.

“I do. I have for years now. Maybe I should teach you one afternoon.”

“Uhh, sure, if you want to see me eat wave.”

“Oh come on, Hadley,” Isla cheers her on, “even I have done it. Mind you, I never actually stood up, but it was fun watching Wade get so frustrated with me.”

They laugh together, and I shake my head. “I’ll take you out, Hadley.”

“If you really want to, I suppose, but will you have time with all of your meetings and appointments?”

“I’m not sure, but why don’t we head down to the beach before the sun rises tomorrow and I’ll show you how to get up on the board at the very least.”

She readjusts herself so she’s seated on the lounger instead of lying against me, “All right. I’ll give it a go.”

“Now that we have that sorted, can we please go spend Wade’s money? I’m dying in this heat,” Isla says.

I watch Hadley swallow the remainder of her drink before she gets up and reaches into her bag for a cover-up. As much as I don’t appreciate the material hindering my view, I would not enjoy watching other men gawk at her as we make our way around Sydney. I grab my belongings after pulling a T-shirt over my head and hold my hand out to her. “You coming?”

She purses her lips and lifts her bag onto her shoulder. “I should be.”

“Dear God,” Isla spits out and starts to walk away from us as Hadley reaches for me. I pull her into my side as I let the cabana girl know that we’re heading out and to charge my company for the expenses before we fall into step behind Isla.

I’ve never understood how women are able to walk around stores for hours before settling on what to buy. I think that Isla took it easy on my credit card because Hadley was with her. Isla eventually got Hadley to agree to purchase a Burberry bag and a matching purse. I’m rather pleased that Hadley isn’t swept up in my lavish lifestyle as I’m sure many other women would be.

She may be the
normal
that I was in search of.

I’m in paradise.

I’ve been watching Wade out on the waves for an hour now, and I didn’t think that I could be so attracted to someone else as I am to him at this moment. I watch as he rides out the largest wave that I’ve seen him on this morning before he picks up his board, clamping it underneath his left arm and starts to make his way out of the water toward me. I have my legs splayed out in front of me while I lean my arms out behind me, soaking up the early morning Australian sun in a white and navy strapless bikini that he picked out for me during our shopping trip last night.

This morning when we woke up to his alarm, the sun hadn’t risen yet. He kissed me quickly and told me to get ready, and that we’d have breakfast before he goes into his meetings for the day. We got ready next to each other, all the while stealing glances in the mirrors.

After picking up his board at a friend’s house on the way, we arrived at the beach before anyone else was here. We sat next to each other as the sun decided to wake up over the ocean, spilling vibrant colors over the sky. We didn’t talk or touch each other, and I’ve never enjoyed just being around someone as I was with him this morning. Once the sun rose, he taught me how to get up on a surfboard on the sand before we made our way to the water.

We had plenty of laughs, all of which were at my expense until I told him that I wanted to see what he could do and he’s been catching waves ever since.

I’m snapped back from this morning’s memories as he comes closer to me. The roar of the waves is all I can hear until he pushes the end of the surfboard into the sand to the right of me before taking a seat beside me.

“You’re incredible, Whiskey.”

He runs his hand through his wet hair, trying to comb it out of his face as he beams at me, “You think so?”

“Are you kidding me? Those waves are huge. I could watch you do that for hours.”

“You weren’t so bad yourself. You got up rather quickly.”

I laugh and nudge him with my shoulder, “I got up twice, and once you were holding my hand.”

I watch him as he stretches his arms back and his legs out in front of him. He rests his arm behind my back so I take the opportunity to lean back against his shoulder as I look out at the crashing waves. He leans his head against mine, and I can feel the smile on his face.

“You’re beautiful, you know that? Those few times that I fell off of the board were your fault. I caught the sight of you out of the corner of my eye and lost focus on the wave. You distract me, Rye.”

I sweep sand onto his calves with my foot while he speaks, taking in his words, “Don’t blame your clumsiness on me,” I joke with him.

“I’m merely placing blame where it is due.” He swings his right arm over my body and pulls on my left hip until he has me straddling his lap.

Placing my hands on his tanned, muscular shoulders, I look down at him. “Mmm, I’m not so sure about that,” I say as I move closer to him. “Wade?’

“What is it?”

“Can we do this again before we leave the country?”

“You bet your fine ass that we can. I’d like you to get a chance to meet Liam before we leave as well. Isla and I went to college with him before he dropped out and moved down here. It was his house we went to earlier to pick up my board. I think he’d rather enjoy meeting you.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, but for now, let’s go get you fed.”

“I was hoping that you’d take me in the waves instead,” I tell him without giving up my prime spot with my pussy right above his erection.

“Did you now?”

“What? You don’t want me?”

He eyes me curiously, cautiously, before answering. “I believe that you already know the answer to that. I’ve told you that I’ll take you when you’re ready and not a second sooner.”

“Jesus, Wade. I’m dying since you fingered me. I’ll have to get myself off.”

“I’d like to watch that.”

“Ugh! Of course you would,” I huff and get up and off of him before grabbing his shirt and sliding it on over my bikini.

He gets up and pulls his board out of the sand and clamps it underneath his arm before offering me his hand.

I scowl at him before I concede and lace my fingers with his as we walk up to the boardwalk and to the black-tinted SUV that Jacobs has been driving us around in since we landed in Australia. He climbs out of the vehicle just as we arrive at it and he takes the board from Wade to secure it. Wade ushers me into the BMW and closes the door once he gets in, enveloping us in the air-conditioned interior.