Losing Faith (Surfers Way) (17 page)

“You,” he says and huffs out a breath.

The heat of his legs against the back of mine sends a burst of excitement through my wired body. He teases me with the tip of his cock, sliding it between the wetness between my legs. In a slow burst he enters me a short way, then drives in farther and farther until I know he’s all the way in.
Heaven.

“Quade,” I mumble, fisting the pillow on the couch, bracing myself for the O that I know is coming.

“I wish you could see what I see,” Quade says, pulling out to the tip and then sliding back in until I arch my back.

“The back of my head?” I joke, and swing around as far as I can go so I can see him.

A seriousness has taken over his gaze. “Just this. Us. This has been a fantasy for a long time.”

I huff out a breath through my nose and take a breath in through my mouth. My heart is beating so hard I swear it’s about to burst. “Make me come,” I blurt out.

A cheeky smile curls at his lips. “Your wish is my dream come true.”

The pace of his rolling hips get faster with each thrust. The wooden legs of the couch grate on the timber floor. I’m moaning, out of control. Quade is huffing.

As our sounds fill the small room, I let myself go. Sparks fly behind my eyelids. A scream rips from my mouth. An electric charge shoots through to every cell in my body. I come, pulsing around Quade as he moves inside me.

“I love it when you scream,” he says. Quade grips my hips. He drives into me faster. The waves still wash over me. With a guttural moan, Quade comes. Feeling him throbbing inside me has me greedy. I want more, but can I move?

I try to push myself up to stand but my muscles fail me. They’re shaking, like crazy. I’ve been reduced to a pile of sexually satisfied marshmallow.

Quade withdraws from me. A moment later he hauls me up and carries me out of the room.

“Where are we going?” I ask, blinking to get my bearings.

“Shower,” he grunts.

“Hmm, that’d be nice,” I say in a sleepy voice.

He sets me down on my feet. I place my palm on the wall to keep me upright while he flicks on the tap.

Slap!

Quade’s hand lands with a solid slap to my arse cheek. Judging by the sound it should sting, but this feeling of euphoria is doing a good job of numbing it.

“Uh-uh. No getting tired, Lace. I told you. For two hours you’re mine.”

“You’re wrong. You have me for forever, Quade.”

“Shit. I can’t believe you let me fall asleep,” I curse as I pull my shorts on. I act annoyed but really, I was just so tired from all the sex.
The glorious, making-up-for-lost-time kind of sex that robs your body of every last smidgen of energy.

“Ah, sorry, babe. I’m just so …” He sighs. A lazy smile creeps over his lips.

“Exhausted?” I offer as I fasten the hooks on my bra and slide the straps over my shoulders.

“Happy,” he says. “Yup. Happy.”

I place my hand over my heart as his statement echoes in my ears.
Happy
. For such a simple word, it brings on such a flood of emotions. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Quade throws on a T-shirt, shorts and thongs. After finally locating all my belongings, we jump in his car. I fix my hair on the way.

Quade pulls the car up in front of the front of the Palace. Lily’s red moped is parked beside us.
I’m letting her down, too.
I plant a quick kiss on his lips and pull out the envelope from my bag.

“Can you please do me a huge favour and drop these into Cam at the pub for me?” I ask Quade, handing him the papers.

“Only if they’re really important,” he says, and gives me a lopsided grin.

I roll my eyes at his attempt to be all funny and race through the front door of the shop. I seek Dad out so I can apologise the second I see him. It doesn’t take long to find him. He’s on the phone, busily scrawling on the pad beside him on the wall. I dump my bag out the back, wash my hands and pull a clean black apron from the shelf.

When he hangs up, I walk over to him and place my hand on his shoulder. Twenty-five minutes late is a pretty poor effort on my part. “Dad, I’m sorry—”

“Take de counter. Lily will look after de phone and clear de tables in de courtyard. I’ll be out back.”

He’s definitely pissed. He didn’t even say hi.

“’Kay,” I mumble as I tie my apron on, my hands shaking. “I’m sorry, Dad, I just—”

“Lost track of time, no?” he says. His thin lips to curl into a grin.

A rush of air spills from my mouth.
He’s okay. He’s not gonna give me the guilts all night.

“Something like that. I’d say it won’t happen again, but you know. I wouldn’t want to lie to you.” I give him a soft smile.

“And I’d prefer it dat way, but one of dese days, Peppi, when you get a real job, you’ll ’ave to be on time. Yes?”

“Hate to tell you, Dad, but this is a real job.”

He chuckles and moves out back, mumbling something about “believing” and “high hopes”.

I stroll out to the counter where Lily stares with wide bug eyes at me. “What the hell happened to you?” she whisper-growls.

A hell of a tongue lashing followed by bedroom gymnastics which resulted in two cataclysmic orgasms and aching muscles all over.
That’s what happened.

I clear my throat and fan my face with my hand. My skin feels as if it’s on fire.

“Traffic,” I blurt out, and then mentally face-palm myself. No traffic hotspots remotely near here. Who am I trying to kid?

Lily takes a look out front. We both watch as Quade puts down his phone and then pulls away in his truck, his tanned forearm waving from his open window as he cruises back down The Strip.

“Ah, I bet you experienced some traffic.” I don’t miss the sarcastic tone to her voice. She looks all around her. I’m not sure why, and then she leans in so close I get a good whiff of her cherry-scented lips which are perched right beside my ear. “How’s the vag holding up? By the colour in your cheeks, you look like you’ve been dicked to within an inch of your life.”

I choke. Thank God my father didn’t just hear that.
I can see the tombstone now … Died From Embarrassment.
“W-what?” I smooth my hand over my face, confirming it’s as scorching as it feels. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m right next to a wood-fire oven. I’m gonna get hot.”

She purses her lips together and nods. “You already looked all glowy and shit when you got out of hot stuff’s car.”

“I was late,” I say with a nod. “I was rushed. Shut up.” I bite down on my lip, because I’m torn between laughing at how pathetic I am at lying and spilling every detail of being “dicked half to death”.

She tilts her head to the side. “Oh, and I wonder why?” she says, nudging her elbow into my side several times and winking in such an exaggerated way. “Don’t worry, girl. I’m just happy he’s putting a smile on your face.”

My shoulders sag as I huff out a breath. “He does make me smile.”
Among other glorious things
.

“Then I’m glad, because boys generally suck at that.”

Hopefully one day that will change for my new friend. I’ll have to be on the look out for a decent guy to prove that to her.

“Not all boys suck,” I assure her. A vision of Quade sucking my nipple until I screamed his name flashes before my eyes. “Well, they do, just in a different way that has you lose your senses … oh God.” A desperate whimper escapes my mouth. “Shit, I need to stop talking.”

Lily laughs and pokes me in the side of my ribs. “Girl, you have it bad. Don’t worry. I’ll keep it on the down low from Daddy-O.” She winks.

The phone rings, and I giggle to myself as I make my way there. I think I’m still love drunk.

---

Once we’ve got through the worst of the rush, I tell Lily I’m heading out back for some water. I scull down a full glass, rejoicing as the cool liquid soothes my throat and quenches my thirst.

I peer around the corner and check on my new friend. Lily catches me and gives me another suggestive look. All shift she flashes me dumb doey-eyed looks, and every now and then she’s felt the need to thrust her hips towards the counter, thankfully when Dad has been pre-occupied and out of view of the customers in the waiting area. It’s certainly made for a fun shift, taking my mind off Quade and the aching muscles in my body, which have over-exerted themselves during the last twenty-four hours.

Speaking of muscles, I need to check my phone.

When I pull it out of my bag, there’s a message waiting for me from an hour after he dropped me off. I grin to myself at knowing that he messaged so soon.

Quade: What time do you think you’ll finish up?

I type a quick reply.

Me: It’s already dying off, so maybe nine-thirty. Why?

The phone on the far wall rings.
God, I need a minute here!

My heart speeds up, anticipating his reply. The wall phone continues to ring.
Gah!

“Pepperoni Palace, can I take your order?” Lily says in a sweet tone.

I mouth
thank you
to her. She rolls her eyes and places a hand on her hip.
I love you,
I mime in response.

My phone beeps in my hand. My feet almost leave the ground as I jump.

Quade: I wanna wake up with you

My fingers shake as I type, daydreaming of the sun streaming in on us tomorrow morning. Because it’s a Saturday, we’ll both have nowhere to be. My heart soars at the possibilities.

Me: I want that too. Pick me up then?

Quade: I’ll be waiting x

The back door opens and Dad gives me a nod. “Good news, no?” he says, looking between the phone and me. I clutch the device to my chest before he can see the most romantic words I’ve ever received electronically.

“Um, yeah,” I garble out.

Dad turns his back on me and washes his hands in the sink. “Planning on telling your old man what’s got you so … ’appy?” he asks, focusing on the wall in front of him.

“I think you know why, Dad.”

My father snatches the handtowel from the rail beside the tap. With each passing second as he dries his hands, the teeny hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention.

He eventually turns around and stares right into my eyes. “You stayed with ’im last night?”

“Aha,” I say with a slow nod and swallow the lump itching in my throat. “Maybe tonight too.”

My father steps closer to me and rests his hands on my shoulders. He clears his throat and his nose whistles as he drags in a long breath. “Dat boy ’as broken your ’eart before, Peppi, and in doing dat, ’e broke mine.” He clenches his hand and holds his fist over his heart.

Tears spring to my eyes, reacting to his powerful words. It’s a reminder of the many times this beautiful man has been there for me. He did the best a father could do to mend his daughter’s broken spirit.

“Dad, it’s not like that. This time it’s for real.”
I love him.

Dad wipes at the crow’s feet at the corner of his eye and sniffs back.

“Don’t you dare,” I warn him.
He’s always been a softy.

“Just promise me dat you’ll guard your ’eart, Peppi. It’s too precious.”

How am I supposed to do that when I’ve just opened it up again and let Quade come rushing in?

I wrap my arms around his shoulders and hug him until my arms grow weary from the tension. Dad pulls back. “If you feel ready to stay wit ’im, if you two are serious, den I won’t stand in your way.”

“Thank you, Dad,” I whisper and kiss his cheek.

“But,” he says, a sting in the pronunciation of the letter
T
. “Young Quade should know dis. Dat boy ’ad better take care of you, otherwise ’is balls will be carved nice and fine and served up to ’im on a Peppi Special, smothered wit ghost chillies. And I will watch ’im finish every last bite, even if it kills ’im.”

I gulp down, and giggle nervously.
Time to change the subject
. I guess now is the time to bring up what I’ve been thinking about today.

“I’ll be sure to tell him. So, um, there was something I wanted to talk to you about?”

“What’s dat, love?”

“You know how you help out with the raffles with the fishing club every Christmas?”

“Yes.”

“Just a suggestion, but I’ve got an idea for something else. Something which will make a difference … long-term.”

“I like de sounds of it already.” Dad grips the doorframe beside him and closes his eyes.

I move my hands to his shoulder as he sways. “You okay, Dad?”

He opens his eyes and gives me a slow nod. “Just ’aven’t eaten much today.”

“
Dad,
you need to look after yourself,” I say and scoff.

He slips his weathered hand into mine. “I’m fine. Come, tell me all about dis idea while we cook,” he says with a crooked smile.

“Sure, but only if that involves you cooking something for yourself and you take a break out back.”

“Persistent, just like your mother,” he says through a soft laugh.

Lily grins when we return. When her gaze rests on mine and Dad’s hands joined together, her smile falters. I drop my hold and Dad keeps walking towards the oven.

I poke her in the ribs to try and lighten the mood, which just took a nosedive. “Come on, Lil. I think the counter’s feeling a little unloved. He hasn’t been dry-humped in a while.”

A forced laugh bubbles from her mouth, yet her smile doesn’t meet her eyes.

---

The next morning, I wake up in Quade’s arms. If I could, I would spend every waking moment with him … and sleeping moments for that matter.

As much as it pains us, on Saturday afternoon we go our separate ways. I have work at the Palace and Quade has Mrs Prescott’s lawn to mow and work of his own to do. So grown-up of us.

With a takeaway coffee from Willow’s in hand, I walk down the street towards the Palace.

I take a look across the road, watching the seagulls floating in the breeze, just waiting for someone to offer a stray chip.

That’s when I see her. Her auburn hair floats in the breeze as she pushes off from the railing. I’m going crazy.
Not again
.

I squint at her. “Mackenzie?” I call out.

She lifts her head. Her bluey-green eyes lock on me.

My jaw drops. It is her. “M-Mack? Is that really you?”

My heart pounds at the sight. I can’t stop the smile stretching across my face. She’s back in Runaway. I’m not crazy.

Her mouth opens, but I can’t hear if she says anything.

I look both ways and then cross the road. It’s been three years. She’s barely changed, although she looks tired. Her birthday is tomorrow, so she must be back to see her family. I’m going to have to get her a present.

“I hoped I’d see you again. Your mum said you and Byron—” I let out a heavy breath.

“Lacey, I …” Mack shakes her head. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

Oh, Mack.

Before I get a chance to hug her, Mack runs to a white Volkswagen van with ‘Carter Dairy’ in black letters printed on the side. The tyres squeal as she rips down the road.