“Did you see that sign the Coast Guard put up?” Christian asked as he gestured to the sign. “Warning. Dangerous marine life has been spotted in this area.” He gave a snort. “Give me a break.”
Houston agreed. He wasn’t about to give up on the best waves he’d seen in a long time just on the off chance of getting a nip in the heel. Until someone got bit by a serious predator like a bull shark, he was going to stay in the water.
He was headed back toward the edge of the surf, intent on another wave, when he saw Dennis gesturing to him to come over. Annoyed at the interruption, he jogged back to his friend. It was getting late, and he wanted to get a few more runs in before the sun disappeared.
The diversionary tactic was working. While in the air on his board, he had actually gone a whole minute or more without thinking about Josie. Which lately was a damn record. “What’s up? You coming out this time?”
Dennis nodded. “Yeah, but your phone buzzed. Thought maybe it was the hospital.”
Shit. Houston stared at it, lying so innocently on his navy blue towel. It couldn’t be her.
But it could be.
He went hard, tight with need and aching with tension. Dennis glanced at him as he stood up and brushed off his swim trunks. “Aren’t you going to see who it is?”
“Maybe.” He shouldn’t want this. It was a bad idea for all the reasons Josie had outlined, plus the half-dozen or so he’d come up with on his own.
Yet he still wanted it. He wanted her. He could taste her kiss on his lips again, feel her curves pushed against him, and hear her anxious little breaths.
Fuck, he wanted her.
Dennis shook his head. “You need to get a life. You’re starting to get weird, man.”
Houston ignored him and bent over. He picked up the phone and read the text message. It was from Josie.
Call me
Yes.Giddy with relief and anticipation, he stuffed his wet sandy feet into his shoes and plucked his towel off the ground.
“Where are you going?” Dennis demanded. “You just got here.”
The best waves all season suddenly held little interest in light of the alternative. He clapped Dennis on the shoulder.
“I’ve got a bite. Sometimes even us single guys get lucky.”
And he was planning on getting really lucky.
All night long.
Chapter Seven
They had cancelled her second shift.
It was like a sign.
Divine permission to run off and indulge in a night of temporal lust with Houston Hayes.
Yet she hesitated.
Sara, who had stopped by to see if she wanted to go out to dinner, had a thing or two to say on the subject.
“I think you’re insane if you don’t do it.”
“Well, thank you for your support.” Josie ran her fingers through her hair as she pulled a pair of shorts out of her locker to change into.
They were sloppy, oversized shorts. Sort of grunge meetsThat 70s Show.Normally Josie just wore her scrubs back and forth to the hospital on surgery days, but if she was going to meet up with Houston, she thought she should change. But these shorts that she’d unearthed from the depths of her locker weren’t exactly going to set the man on fire.
Which probably meant she shouldn’t meet up with him.