Santa's Surf School Excerpt

Taken from Santa's Surf School - Launching December 3, 2020

The night was gorgeous. A little chilly, maybe, after the warmth inside the pub, but the moon was full and high, and shining on the white caps as the waves pushed their way into shore.

He could smell the salt from the ocean, and feel the breeze the waves seemed to create. It lifted the hair around Mellie’s forehead, made him ache to run his fingers through the strands to find out if her hair was still as silky soft as he remembered.

If touching her while they were dancing in public had affected him, touching her now would be a bad idea. He could only imagine what might happen if he brushed against her out here with the rhythmic rise and fall of the breaking surf filling his ears, the moonlight sparkling hypnotically from her eyes to his. Before he could give into the temptation to find out, he shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? Such a different ocean than at home.”

He didn’t respond, knew she didn’t need a response. Instead, he stood beside her in the sand and listened to the waves as he waited for her to sober up. It startled him when she tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. For a moment, he tensed, but he didn’t move away.

“You’re really going to learn to surf?”

“Tomorrow at ten.”

She was smiling when she dropped his arm so she could turn to face him. Her face was highlighted by the moonlight, and looking at her, Travis felt his heart squeeze.

“Why is that so odd?”

It wasn’t odd. Not at all. In fact, it told him she was the same old Mellie. It made him want to join her.

“I just thought you’d changed, thought the magazine had turned you into a responsible citizen and all that.”

She snorted, swatted his chest with the back of her hand. Instead of removing her hand, though, she flipped it over so her palm was flat on his chest. She could feel the beating of his heart, and she looked down at where her fingers splayed out over the fabric of his t-shirt in response.

“Travis.”

She was facing him, and her expression was wide open. He knew what she wanted. He’d seen her like this before enough times that there was no way he could pretend to misunderstand.

“No.”

“But, you’re here. And I’m here. And I meant it when I said I missed you.”

His throat was tight and dry. He tried to swallow but that was a no go. Her lips were wet, shining in the moonlight like the invitation he knew she was making. There was nothing he wanted more than to lean in, take those lips. He took a step backwards instead.

“It’s not a good idea.”

She stepped forward, closing the gap he’d tried to put between them. With her hands on his shoulders, she looked up into the dark pools of his eyes.

“Leaving you wasn’t a good idea,” she said softly. “This…”

She never got to finish her thought. He didn’t let her finish. With her words, the control he’d been trying desperately to hold onto simply snapped, and he yanked her against him.