“Cool. You know, it’s good to give a sport a second chance. I think I’m gonna like surfing.”
He barked a laugh, then left his water bottle on the counter, ruffling my hair on his way to the door. “I’m going to make sure you do.”
My brows rose to my hairline and stayed there as I followed him down the narrow stairway to the store. This surfing thing had turned out to be my best idea since…ever.
But was it really that simple?
Don’t get me wrong, My standards were exceedingly low at the moment. I’d gone through a string of one-night stands for months on end with men I hadn’t exchanged more than a few words with, and I couldn’t remember any of their names. I wasn’t proud of that. It was just a fact.
Cal wasn’t like those other guys. He seemed to be a “still waters run deep” type. But I didn’t know him…at all. I was going on horndog instincts and wild attraction. I had two surf lessons in reserve, and if they both ended with me on my knees with Cal’s dick in my mouth, I really couldn’t complain.
4
Cal
I never set out to be a surf instructor. I wanted to be a surf hero…thank you very much. The only way to achieve that goal was to be a standout. The guy who nailed every competition worldwide.
Sadly, that hadn’t panned out. So I turned my focus to building a name by making custom boards. With any luck, my long-term plan might make me a different kind of surf hero. The kind who sponsored new talent and provided gear to the pros. In the meantime, I worked for Jay doing whatever he needed at the shop and stealing away to craft new orders in my free time.
Instructing newbies was just part of the gig, but I had to admit, there was something innately satisfying about teaching someone a new skill. Luca went from barely balancing on his stomach on a board to riding his first wave within a week. Granted, he stood for less than ten seconds and wiped out pretty hard in the beginning, but he kept trying. He got knocked down and hopped back on time and after time.
Within two weeks, he’d learned to pay attention to the wind and gauge the height of the sets, which helped him find his footing more easily. By week three, he’d mastered his crouch to standing maneuver. He grew steadier at each outing, and that steadiness gave him confidence.
Within a month, he could surf.
He might not be ready for big waves, but he’d get there.
Luca’s progression was fun to watch. Honestly, he was the best kind of pupil—enthusiastic, smart, and naturally athletic. He’d laughingly told me his strategy to chase waves like he chased after a puck. Two different animals, but he had the right idea. The field of play was the ocean rather than the ice rink, but knowing how to read opportunity and finesse dangerous situations into a win was an invaluable skill set for all sports.
That struggle with uncertainty he suffered on day one didn’t happen again. He wouldn’t let it. He was determined to become a good surfer, and I had no doubt he would be. Luca didn’t do anything in small measures. He was extremely goal-oriented. If he set his mind to something, he worked hard to make it a reality.
I could see the fire in his eyes, his squared shoulders, and the firm line of his mouth. The same mouth that had sucked my dick in the shower earlier this morning.
Oops. Boner alert.
I used my board as a shield and clandestinely adjusted myself as I watched him in action, leaning into the barrel of a wave. His feet were set, his position was perfect, now he just had balance all the way in.
“Your new student is doing pretty well out there,” Rex commented, shaking water from his hair as he joined me on the shoreline with his surfboard tucked under his arm.
I nodded but made sure I had my expression under control before I glanced sideways.
“Yeah, he is.”
Fact…it was getting harder to hide the stupid smile on my face lately. It popped up out of nowhere all the damn time and took on a life of its own without my permission. If anyone knew why, they’d probably understand completely. But Luca and I kept this thing between us on the DL.
Look, I wasn’t ashamed. I just didn’t know how to explain…us. I wasn’t even sure how to talk about it, and I knew Luca felt the same way. Let’s face it, surf-instructor-slash-student-with-benefits sounded sleazy. And truthfully, surfing just gave us a reason to hang out together. We were so much more than that. We were new friends and careful lovers. If I had to define us, I’d say we were fuck-buddies in training. At least that was how it began.