The next morning, I rose and went into the kitchen where our cook served me my protein shake and waffles, before leaving me in peace. No, we did not sleep through the day and my protein shake had a mixture of blood and the other nutrients needed to keep me as healthy as possible. Staci, our cook, had been with my parents for years. Her husband Taylor was our security guy. Both were also vampires. I could feel the call of the surf and so I quickly swallowed my breakfast and changed into my board shorts before heading down to Surfrider Beach.
I rode the waves for a while and after drying myself down with a large towel, I handed in my surfboard and headed to the beach cafe for one of their delicious burgers and a soda. Surfing was thirsty work.
My cock perked up as soon as I got through the door because sat at one of the booths was the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen and believe me there were some hot babes in the Bu. I felt my fangs tingle. Something about the way this woman carried herself spoke straight to my dick. Sitting relaxed, her gaze moved between her drink and the surf. She had a notebook and pen with her and would casually make a note in it. She was so caught up in what she was doing that she’d not noticed me place my food order or be delivered my drink. It was rare I got ignored in here.
So, intrigued, I picked up my drink and walked over to her, stood right opposite her and said.
“Is this seat taken?”
I wasn’t expecting her to startle and knock over her drink. Warm coffee hit the front of my board shorts as she swept a hand up to that perfect pouted mouth and said, “Oh shit.”
Chapter Three
Serena
So, there I was making notes in my book, gazing at the surf and wondering how I could get an ‘in’ with the FRAP boys when one of those very men appeared in front of me like Aladdin’s genie.
And a man he most certainly was. I thought he’d looked good on his photograph, but that failed to capture the inbuilt charisma of the man himself. He had the X-factor that was for sure. No one judging him would buzz him off stage. His face was sun-kissed, no doubt from hours spent at the beach. In fact, his presence was so blinding I knocked my coffee over, which splashed straight onto his board shorts, coating his crotch in a dark liquid which I watched drip off—every last drop.
Eyes up, Serena.
“Oh, shit.” I exclaimed, whipping my still dry, thank God, moleskin off the table and stuffing it into my purse.
“Hold up, I’ll get a cloth.” He said and left me for a moment. It gave me a minute to compose myself. Don’t fuck this up, Serena, you can start the game.
I began my act the moment he returned to the table. “Thank you so much.” I gushed at him. “Sorry. I’m not usually this careless. I was just staring at the surf. It’s so beautiful.”
“It sure is.” He said, stopping his mopping up of the table and staring directly into my eyes. “You surf?”
“Oh no. I can barely swim.” I lied. “Trying that would scare me to death. Do you?” I asked.
“Every day if I can. It’s where I feel most at home.” I could tell from his expression that this statement was honest and straight from the heart. He smiled and held out a hand to me. “Carter Cole.”
“Serena Ripley.” I’d assumed a new surname for my employment here in Malibu and thought giving myself the surname of The Talented Mr. Ripley was a touch of irony.
“I’ve not seen you around here before?” There was an inflection at the end of his sentence and he waited for me to fill in the gap in his knowledge.
“I just arrived yesterday. I’m from New York, but I’ve come to work at The Malibu Dream as their new Conference and Event Manager.” I filled him in on my make-believe back-story. How I wanted to spend some time at the beach and this seemed as good a way as any. How I’d wanted to escape the city for a while.
“Well, I doubt you’ll ever want to leave.” He told me. “Now I know this is forward of me, but can I get you another coffee and sit and chat to you a while? Only I’m feeling kinda lonely today.”
Oh, he was full of the charm all right, giving me that touch of vulnerability in his gaze. The man was a total player.
/> “That would be lovely.” I simpered. “I have no plans for today. My new job doesn't start until tomorrow.”
He went to the counter and ordered while I quickly took my compact from my purse and checked my appearance over. I didn’t want him remembering me as someone with syrup on the end of my nose or something worse.
“Coffees will be here shortly.” He said taking a seat opposite me. He was tall and muscular, and he filled the space opposite me. It seriously was like a Greek God had come visiting and sat in front of me. Maybe Neptune had come to earth?
Remember why you are here and that he’s a total bastard, I told my brain, and my traitorous core which was feeling damp and I’d not been hit by spilled coffee.
“So, have you been to Malibu before?”
“No. I’ve not traveled beyond New York before. I’ve lived quite a sheltered life to be honest.” I was going to be struck by lightning for all these lies. “My long-term relationship with my high school boyfriend fizzled out, and I decided to spread my wings a little, try new experiences. I kinda thought I'd pick somewhere totally different, but somewhere I could do the same type of job as hotel work is all I know, and so, well, I picked here. I figured if I didn’t like it I could just move someplace else.”
“You’ll not want to move. It’s like heaven on earth here.”
“So, what do you do?” I asked him.