Promises to Keep (16 page)

Together,
they climbed the trail from the parking lot up into the dunes. Jack heard the
ocean before he could see it, and he smelled it before he heard it. When they
crested the dune, the whole Atlantic lay out before them.

Surfer
girl,
he mused, entranced.

Watching
Laura carry her board, all supple and healthy, a woman in the prime of her life
—
Jack
just had to smile.

“What?”

“You
look like a pro, pretty blonde surfer girl, carrying your board. We could be in
California.”

She
tilted her head at him and gave him another mysterious smile. “Thank you.”

"Straight
that way," said Jack as he pointed, "is Spain. Don't go too far
out."

Laura
grinned but she kicked some sand at him. He could feel the hot silicone grains
speckle his thigh.

"Don't
be a smart ass. I live here remember."

"Just
making sure." He strode out across the beach and lay his board on the
sand.

Laura
put hers next to his. "Not going in?"

"Rule
three
—
practice
first. You need to practice getting up on the board on land before you give it
a try in the water. Here, lie down on your stomach." Jack patted the top
of the long board.

Laura
did as instructed. Jack took a moment to admire the shape of her
—
lean
and lithe but still curvy in the right places. Her shorts were tight across her
rump. The thought of sliding his hand down the smooth, silky skin of her back
and across that firm butt danced through his mind.

She
spoke and brought him back to earth. "Ground control to Major Tom
—
you
still with me?"

"Uh...sorry.
I zoned out there for a second."

"The
war?" Laura looked concerned.

"No...it
was…"
—
your tight little ass
—

He
cleared his throat.

Jack
replied slowly as he thought of a less embarrassing answer. It'd be a real
downer if he said yes to her war question, although it would've been an easy
out. He figured a little white lie was best.

"Lunch.
Back home we had these great taco stands right on the beach
—
fish,
beef, chicken
—
whatever you want."

Laura
laughed and shook her head. Her green eyes sparkled playfully and her teeth
flashed. "Typical guy. Always worried about the next meal."

"That's
us. We're all just cavemen when you get down to it."

"Alright,
caveman. What next."

Jack
slid down onto his surfboard next to her. He lay on his belly and mimed
paddling with his hands in the sand. Laura followed along.

"You've
got to learn to paddle right," Jack said as he watched her. "Reach
out and take long strokes with your hands
—
first
one, then bring it back then the other. Long, smooth strokes conserve energy,
so they make you less tired. They also don't mess your balance up, like short,
choppy ones. Get into a rhythm and you'll go a lot faster than you think you
will. Got to be fast to catch the big breaks."

"OK,
OK. It seems easy enough."

"That's
because you're not bobbing around in the water. When you get your feet wet, if
you swing your arms too wide, you can start the board rolling from side to side
and even tip over. It doesn't happen much on a wide board like yours, which is
why it's a good one for a beginner."

Laura
flailed around on the sand for a few more minutes and then looked over at Jack.
"Am I doing it right?"

"Yeah,
for sure. You've got it and you look real smooth. You look more comfortable. Do
you feel more comfortable?"

"Yep!"

"Good,
'cause now we're gonna practice the pop-up. Watch this."

Jack
brought his hands down to the sides of the board, even with his chest and then,
in a single fluid motion, slid his legs underneath him while he did a push up.

As
his legs went into a crouched position, he let go of the board and spread his
arms out for balance. Once balanced, he stood up fully.

"See?
Easy."

"OK."

With
a little hesitation, Laura brought her arms down to the sides of her board and
then pushed up. When she pulled in her legs, she went flying off the front of
the board, headfirst into the sand.

She
was so damned cute! Trying not to laugh, Jack jumped over, pulled her up and dusted
her off.

"What
the Hell?" Laura wiped the sand off from her face.

"You
pushed with your legs too soon. You have to wait until they’re directly under
you and push
up,
not
out.
"

"But
it
felt
right."

"Well,
sometimes things might feel right, but if you jump too soon, before you're
ready and stable, it'll go wrong. You have to think about it before you do it
and
while
you do it. Otherwise you’ll end up flat on your face
—
again."

Laura
gave him an odd look, as if what he said meant more to her than just surfing.

Jumping
in before you're ready. Is that it? Does she just jump in without thinking?

Jack
brushed this thought aside and put his instructor hat back on. "Let's do
it in slow motion and just to your knees. Once you get that, we can get you
standing up."

Laura
nodded and then carefully did as he said. She wobbled a little bit but was able
to rise to her feet. When she popped up, Jack laughed again.

"Ha!
Goofyfoot!"

"What?"

"You
lead with your right foot. That makes you a goofyfoot. Don't be bummed out, your
swami here is one too."

"Jeez,"
Laura said with an incredulous laugh, "I think you Californians are from
another planet."

"Not
all Californians, just us surfers. I'll get you up on all the lingo and in no
time you'll be saying stuff like, '
the lip of that gnarly bomb
really axed me."

Laura
giggled. "Somehow, I really doubt that." Spreading her arms, she
leaned forward. "Is this right?"

"Getting
there. Straighten up and keep your balance centered over the middle of the
board. Sometimes you’ve got to walk your board
—
move
toward the nose or the tail to balance it out. Don't look at your feet, look at
the horizon. You'll go where you look, see? If you look down, you aren't going
anywhere
but
down."

"Like
this?"

"Better."
Jack kicked some sand at her feet. "Now get down and do it again,
newbie!"

Laura
did, and she popped up once more. She did it over and over again
—
each
time she became smoother, quicker and more confident.

Finally
Jack had enough.

"Looking
good, kiddo." He took off his shirt. "Now it's time to get out there
and find us some gnarly waves
—
as
gnarly as they get
out here
anyways.”

“Is
that good?
Gnarly,
I mean.”

“It
can be both good and bad, I guess. It can mean difficult or dangerous, but also
exciting and challenging.” He gestured out to the water. “Not too exciting out
there, no barrels or curls to ride. You need BIG waves for that. For beginners,
though, this surf is
chocka
—
awesome.”

“As
long as you think so, I’m with you.” Laura jumped off the board and unzipped
her shorts. As she shimmied out of them, Jack noted that her string bikini
bottoms weren't the most efficient swimsuit for surfing.

When
she shucked off her shirt, he knew the upper part of her bikini wasn't
practical either.

This
point hit home when he caught a tantalizing glimpse of her pink areola before
she adjusted her top.

Jack
swallowed
hard
while trying to keep his eyeballs in their sockets and
his tongue in his mouth. He decided not to say anything.

Why
make her self-conscious and ruin her day? Besides, it might slip all of the way
off, and make
his day
a heck of a lot better.

"Ready?
Pick up your stick and let's go."

With
that, Jack grabbed his board, tucked it under his arm and waded out.

Laura
followed quickly. They walked together until the water was almost waist high.
Then they slid on their boards and paddled out further, with Jack shouting
instructions all the way.

"We
paddle out until we get past the breakers
—
where
white tips show across the top of the wave."

Laura
splashed him. "I know what breakers are, you goof. I've lived here for
years."

"Could
have fooled me, newbie," Jack replied, with a splash of his own.

It
was obvious to him that she was having fun. He was thrilled that she'd agreed
to come out here with him. He could only imagine how dull and tedious life got
for her in that little apartment by herself.

Laura
and he were both passionate about the ocean, and Jack wanted to share his love
of surfing with Laura. It was a freeing, relaxing and exhilarating outlet. He'd
hoped that she'd take to it, and get at least some of what it had brought to
his life.

She
deserved happiness.

"Keep
your eyes forward—towards the horizon. Paddle straight into the waves. If you
come up at an angle, they'll tip you over. You've got to cut straight into
'em."

Laura
gave a little two-finger salute. "Aye, aye, captain."

They
paddled out further, bobbing up and down as waves passed under them until they
eventually got past the breakers. Once there, Jack turned around and sat on his
surfboard. Laura did the same.

"OK.
We're all set, and you're gonna catch your first wave. Ready?"

"Hell,
yeah!"

"That's
the spirit." Jack smiled and thumbed at the ocean behind them. "Watch
for waves coming up on you. When you see a good one, lean down and paddle in
the direction it's going. Time your speed so the wave catches up to you and
then speed up to stay with it, just as it begins to break. The wave will take
over—just ride it. Then stand up, if you can. Ready?"

"Ready."

"OK.
Here comes a good one. Start paddling!"

Laura’s
arms hit the water in long, graceful pulls. Captivated, Jack watched her. The
woman looked like a pro. He could feel the roll of the wave under him and saw
it lift the back of her board ever so slightly.

"Paddle
faster," he shouted. Laura immediately dug in to the water with all of her
might. She caught up with the wave and the roll settled right in the middle of
her surfboard—right underneath her.

She
was right
there.

The
water, the wave, the speed and the angle of her board were perfect. Jack knew
she wouldn't get a better wave for her first go.

"That's
it! It's got you
—
pop up! Pop up!"

With
a barely perceptible nod, Laura braced her hands in front of her and pulled her
legs up under her. Then, just as she'd practiced, she pushed up with one smooth
motion and proudly rose to a stand.

At
first, she wobbled slightly. Jack thought she was going down but she steadied
herself and balanced. In an instant, she looked as relaxed as if she'd been
riding waves all of her life.

Quickly
turning her head, Laura gave Jack a smile and a thumbs up.

Jack
inhaled an awed breath. In that moment, Laura was
glorious
—as beautiful
a sight as he'd ever seen. His heart skipped a beat, then swelled up inside of
him, just like the wave she’d caught
.

The
bright blue sky beyond, the white frothy water around her with sunlight
rainbows blooming through the spray, made her appear almost supernatural.

She
was like a sea goddess rising up from the Mediterranean, reaching out to touch
her lover, the Sun. Right then, Laura radiated pure joy and utter peace.

She
wobbled again.

"Look
where you're going!" Jack shouted.

Laura
obeyed and hunkered down for the ride.

It
couldn't have been a better run.

Balanced
perfectly in the center of her board, her legs bent and arms out wide for
balance, Laura rode the wave all the way in, her blonde hair streaming out
behind her.

Sliding
up to the beach and onto the sand, she hopped off without stepping into the water
at all.

That
wasn't just a killer first run
—
it
was nothing short of miraculous.

Watching
her ride that board for her first time, surfing that wave with such innate
grace and style blew Jack away.

She
blew him away.

Beautiful,
intelligent, feisty and fun. Laura was unbelievable. Magical. So incredibly
perfect. He couldn’t deny how he felt anymore. Jack knew he was a goner.

If
this isn’t love I’m feeling, then what is?

Jack
sat there in the water, amazed.

"You
coming?" Laura waved at him.

"Yeah,"
he shouted back. "I'm coming."

It
took a few minutes to paddle back to shore. By the time he got there, Laura had
wrapped herself up in her towel.

She
lifted her foot and wiggled her toes at him. "What's wrong? You didn't
surf in. Scared?"

Jack
stuck his board into the sand like an old Polynesian totem and flopped down on
the sand next to her.

"No—no,
way. That was respect. I couldn't follow your boss ride. It was remarkable.
I've never, ever seen a newbie ride one all the way in like that. If I'd tried
to come in, it'd be like pulling out a velvet Elvis painting after seeing the
Mona Lisa
—
it just wouldn't be right."

Laura’s
green eyes widened with pleasure and understanding. She grinned. "So I did
good?"

"Better
than good, babe
—
frigging out of this world. Are
you sure that you've never surfed before today?"

"Never.
That was my first time."

"How
did you do it? I couldn't get all the way onto a beach until I had at least a
year’s practice," he shook his head, put his hand on his chest and gave
her a half bow. “I stand in awe.”

A
long moment passed.

Laura
had a faraway look, as if she heard something he couldn’t.

Inhaling
a deep breath, she stared out at the white-tipped, blue-green waves where they
broke over the shallows.

"It
just felt right,” she said in a quiet voice. “It was like everything came into
place, you know? The wave, the board, the wind and me all working together. It
was as if we combined to become one—the same
—
animal?
No
—
being.
Yeah, that's it. We all joined into one and everything flowed. It was just
right
."

"Heavy.
Sounds very Zen. Like one of those Kung Fu Masters on TV."

Laura
wrinkled her nose and flicked some sand at him. "Don't make fun of
me."

"I'm
not. It really
is
Zen. Remember, I said it before, and I meant it.
That's how I feel when I've thrashed down into a really tight tube and
everything's going like a dream. It's cool you found that place
—
the
place of oneness. It's remarkable that you got there so fast."

"Mmm
—
"

Laura
pushed off the towel and arched her back, stretching in the sun like a
contented cat. "It was more than that. I felt in control
—
totally
in control and not just of myself—but of the whole world around me. I haven't
felt that in..." She looked off into the distance again.
"Well...ever. It was empowering. I had the power. The wave and the board
did exactly what I willed them to do. I like that feeling."

“Sounds
like you’re in the zone, babe.” Jack rolled over on his back and tucked his
hands behind his head. “It’s an amazing place to be.”

"The
zone. Yes, I am, and it is."
Laura glanced around
as if checking that the coast was clear. Her fathomless green eyes met his.
"I know something else I want to do right now, because at this moment, I
couldn't do any wrong—even if I tried."

"Yeah,
what’s that?"

"This."

Jack
gasped in surprise as Laura swiftly, smoothly rolled over on top of him so she
was astride his body. Her knees tucked up along his thighs, as if he was her
surfboard and she was about to catch the next big wave.

Their
eyes locked; emerald green against blue-grey.

Jack
went instantly hard. God he wanted her. He couldn’t recall ever being this
eager… this desperate. What was this incredible chemistry they had together?

Then
Laura leaned forward and kissed him.

Jack
felt her lips strong against his, firm but not anxious or insistent. They
tasted sweet, so, so sweet. His hands went to the silky smooth flesh of her
hips. He wanted to give in, to let himself go—but
shit!
They were on an
open beach!

“Laura,
we’re in public… what if
—
”

“Shush,”
she said, putting one cool finger to his lips. “It’s not even lunch time. The
kids are all at school and no one’s around.”

“But…”

Her
green eyes glittered. “Jack Curren, are you gonna go all prude on me? Right
when I rode a wave for the very first time? When I’m all hyped up and in the
zone?”

Jack
grinned, suddenly feeling light-hearted and much younger than he did when he
got up this morning. He was no longer a thirty-two year old war veteran with
more than his share of ongoing regrets and nightmares, where he woke up
terrified in a cold sweat.

Just
now, at the beach with his board, and with an amazing and gorgeous girl sitting
on top of him, he felt like a teenager.

“No
ma’am, I swear I won’t go all prude on you.”

He
caught a flash of her smile as her mouth returned to his. Hell
—
hers
were the lips of a woman who was in charge of her destiny, and she knew it.

Jack
couldn't resist.

He
didn’t even want to. Any high-minded impulse to stop her faded away in quick
surrender.

Laura’s
hands and movements were calm and confident. She was a woman who knew what she
wanted.

God,
he loved her for that alone.

The
taste, smell and feel of her set him alight. A sound came from his throat,
something between a growl and a hum of pure pleasure.

He’d
spent so many years being in-charge. He was like Atlas, with the weight of the
world always on his shoulders. No matter what was happening, he had to be
strong in the face of adversity. Composed and confident during a crisis. If
there was an emergency, it was his job to deal with it.

At
times, he’d just wanted to hit something
—
or
someone—but he couldn’t. As a commanding officer, forever on show, he was the
one others looked to. Jack was never free to just
be.

Normal
human reactions like yelling, crying, screaming, running and hiding or even
expressing anger, sadness or anxiety
—
these
emotions were taboo for an officer. It was up to him to hold it all together, all
of the time.

Never
once, was Jack allowed to
let go.
To respond naturally, like a normal human
being.

With
Laura taking charge, Jack was finally able to let go. The pure joy of it filled
his senses. Just the thought of her set him on fire. Her touch and her desire
were beyond anything he'd ever experienced. It was overwhelming—all
encompassing.

Oh
yeah, she’s the pilot on this flight. I’m going to sit right back and enjoy the
ride.