Valor on the Move (34 page)
“Oh, we’re completely freaking out, dear. But you’re lucky. Having Adriana as a sister taught us to roll with the punches, so we’ll cope with this too. No matter what, we love you. We’ll speak to you soon.” She added, “And tell Shane Kendrick we’ll have him killed if he hurts you.”
Rafa smiled. “I love you guys.”
Turning off his phone, he slipped it into his hoodie pocket and hurried back to where Shane waited with coffee and a soft, slow morning kiss.
“That’s it. Paddle. Paddle!”
Freezing water splashed his face as Rafa moved his arms in his new wetsuit. The wave was breaking, and he needed to catch it at just the right time and pop up into a crouch. It swelled beneath him, and he pushed up, trying to use his core and get his feet under him—
Tumbling through the white water, he squeezed his eyes shut and let the wave take him in. His rented board thumped into him as he found his feet. Coughing, he watched as Shane rode in the next wave, balancing so easily and carving out a line right to him. Shane hopped off his board and scooped it up, shaking water off his head.
“Okay?” Shane squeezed Rafa’s shoulder.
“Uh-huh.” He shivered. The sun was already setting and it wasn’t even five o’clock yet.
“Want to quit for today?”
“No. One more time.”
On their bellies on their boards, they paddled out. His shoulders burned, and Rafa knew his arms would ache in the morning, but he was determined. They’d spent most of the morning on the sand while he practiced popping up from his stomach into the crouch. St. Ann’s beach had smaller waves, which Shane had insisted on. Earlier there had been some local body boarders, but as the afternoon waned, they almost had the place to themselves.
When they’d paddled past the reef, they sat on their boards, straddling them as they waited for a wave. Shane squinted toward the horizon. “Might be a minute.”
Rafa breathed in the salty air as he peered around, closing his eyes as he bobbed on the water. “These beaches must be packed in the summer, huh?”
“Yep. I like it in the winter. Even if the water’s a little nippy.”
“Just a little.” Rafa rubbed his numb hands together. “Guess we won’t have that problem in Sydney.” Excitement zipped through him. “I’ve been reading about all the beaches. Maybe we can find a place near the water. Something like your friend’s house here if we can afford it. It would be so amazing to be able to see the ocean and hear the waves. Don’t you think?”
Shane smiled softly. “Yeah. I think that would be pretty damn great.” Reaching out, he tugged on Rafa’s hand and pulled him close, giving him a briny kiss. Then he glanced over his shoulder. “Here it comes. Paddle! It’s yours!”
Adrenaline surging through him, Rafa got on his stomach and paddled, feeling the power of the ocean gathering below him. All around him.
In
him. With a shout, he popped up into a crouch, thrusting his arms out for balance as the wave lifted him.
For a glorious moment, he was doing it. He was up on his board, and he was surfing, the roar of the ocean filling his senses.
Then he wavered wildly and tipped over the front of his board, slamming down to the sandy bottom and scraping along until he was deposited in the shallows. Rolling onto his back, he laid there with his board nudging him, another little wave carrying him almost to shore. Shivering, he blinked at the streak of orange across the pale blue wash of the sky.
He heard splashing. “Raf!” Then Shane was kneeling over him, his face pinched in concern and his hands tight on Rafa’s shoulders.
He grinned. “I did it, Shane. Did you see?”
Exhaling sharply, Shane’s face melted into a smile. “I saw.” He brushed back Rafa’s wet curls. “First wave, and so many more to come.” He leaned over and kissed him. “Now let’s get out of these wet clothes, hmm? And I believe someone promised to make me dinner. From what I understand, he’s an incredible chef already.” Standing with the setting sun ablaze behind him, Shane reached down his hand.
Rafa took it, and he was never letting go.
THE END
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After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy fiction, and—although she loves delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.” You can find out more about Keira and her books at her
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Be sure to check these other novels by Keira Andrews!
Gay Amish Romance Series
Contemporary
Historical
Paranormal
A Taste of Midnight
(free read!)
Fairy Tales
