CHAPTER THIRTY Cole

I'd spent the afternoon looking through binoculars at Chad and his buddy. The two of them were surfing alone today. It wasn't a Wednesday, so maybe that was the reason. But then again, I'd seen Chad surfing quite a bit lately. I knew he'd quit the hotel job and apparently he still wasn't working.

Once I was convinced that Bodie wasn't joining them, I decided to pretend to be out on a casual stroll in an attempt to reengage with Chad. My performance on the side of the road last week had been childish, and frankly, I was embarrassed. Chad had been kind to me that day, and I owed him an apology.

After a few pathetic back-and-forth trips on the beach, I was running out of ways to make my walk seem casual. About to give up, I turned away from the path to my house for one last lap, and that was when I spotted Chad standing in shallow water twenty feet away. He held the board over his head as he waded to shore. Having the board lifted overhead caused his abs to stand out like a roadmap to heaven, biceps swelling from the board's weight. He was a goddamned vision.

He smiled at me and dropped the board to the sand, running his fingers through his sun-bleached hair as he tried to untangle the mop. "Hey," he said, hiking his shorts up.

I preferred them where they were. With an incredible view of his tight lower stomach. And by lower, I mean he was an eighth of an inch away from exposing his pubes. I swore that every time I saw the guy, I noticed one more attribute. One more reason, on a fast-becoming long list of reasons, that he took my breath away.

Most of the time when you're exposed to a great-looking person, it doesn't take long for you to start noticing imperfections. I wasn't there yet. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure a person could ever get there with Chad. There's hot, and then there's Chad hot. Being as hot as he is, the word hot simply doesn't do him justice. He possesses something extraordinary. Perhaps his physical appearance isn't the whole package. There is this extra thing. Like an aura, or like God decided to shine a perfect light on him at all times, giving you one incredible view after another. Godlike. That was it.

I made my way to him. "Hi," I said, cupping my eyes with a hand and smiling at him. "Kind of quiet out there today, huh?"

"Yeah, it sure is. Still nice to be on the board, though," he added. "How's your walk going?" he asked.

"It's okay," I said. We stood silent, both at a loss for words, me losing courage faster than the speed of light. "Can I say something?"

"You can."

"I'm sorry about the other day," I began. "I'm just… I'm, well… I'm just outta sorts lately and I was not myself."

"We all have those days," he said, letting me off the hook too easily. "Me included."

I gazed at him in amazement. He couldn't know what I was thinking, but I was just so impressed with his sweet ways. After a few seconds, and possibly because I wasn't speaking while I continued staring, he looked behind himself in case I was looking at something or someone incoming.

He turned back, so I took a chance and finally spoke. "You have this way about you, Chad," I began. "Like right now. Being kind to me when I don't deserve your care."

"But you do deserve my care, Cole."

I dragged my toe across the sand and stared as it aimlessly drew circles of unsureness. I was out of my element, and Chad was almost too much to be in front of. I wasn't great at small talk, yet I was a successful businessperson and had spoken in front of hundreds before today. But here I was, speechless, a kid at a sixth-grade get-together who's afraid to ask his crush to dance.

"I don't know how else to say this, Chad. So… so, here goes." I lifted my head to face him. I wanted to say this directly to him. I didn't want there to be any confusion regarding my intention. "I think about you all the time," I confessed. "I like you and not in a friend way. Well, of course, I want to be your friend too," I babbled, losing my nerve quickly. "I'm not good at these things," I admitted, looking away yet again. Get a grip. "Damn," I muttered. "I actually rehearsed this. Can you believe that I actually rehearsed this?"

"I got it. You like me, but not as a friend, but you also want to be my friend," he said. "And what else are you trying to say, Cole?"

"I like you."

"You said that," he reminded me.

"I did, didn't I?" He smiled and nodded, moving his hand in a circle as he tried to encourage me to continue. "You're not going to make this embarrassing moment any easier, are you?"

"Where would the fun be in that?"

"I like you," I repeated. Chad grinned. "I know. I know," I stammered. "I said that already." I sighed as I fought an internal battle. "Would you please be willing to get to know me? Like, could we spend time together?"

"Was that so bad?" he asked, stepping toward me. "And yes, I can do that."

He was even more stunning up close. Where did one get teeth as white as his? What color of blond was his hair? There were at least a dozen shades of blond and white happening in his lush head of hair. Had a blemish ever appeared on his face? Breath, Cole. He said yes.

"You can?"

"I can," he stated. "When?" he added.

I quickly glanced at my house and then back at him. "Is now too soon?"

"Now?"

I nodded. Probably far too aggressively as I stood there like a kid. "Now." I repeated.

"Not now? As in a question, but now, as in right now," Chad clarified.

"You're being mean," I said, making a pouty face.

He laughed at my accusation. "Should I go home and shower first?" he asked. "I mean, I've been in the hot sun all day."

"You could shower at my place," I blurted, afraid he wouldn't come back if he went home.

"Okay then. Lead the way."

"Yeah?" I asked too eagerly. If I sat up and started panting, he'd think I was a dog. Kill me now.

"On one condition," he said. Uh-oh. I hung on to his words. "We start over. You didn't fire me. You didn't attempt to have sex with my friend. We are just now meeting one another. A fresh start."

"But I didn't fully have…" He tilted his head and frowned, so I quickly redirected. "Yes. I like that idea," I said, still stuck on the part about his friend but realizing we were starting fresh. I'd worry about defending myself if it ever came up again. "Agreed."

Chad stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you. I'm Chad."

His grip. His smile. His everything. I was doomed. Hopelessly under his spell and utterly doomed.