Epilogue
Claire
Five months later
“It’s good to be home.”
I push open the huge door, dropping my bags in the hallway and heading into the familiar open-plan living space.
There are flowers in a vase on the kitchen counter, and when I go to put the kettle on, I discover fresh milk and bread in the fridge.
Joss was staying in one of the guestrooms while we were away, just to keep an eye on things, and it looks as though she’s had the place cleaned as well as making sure it’s stocked up. I’ll thank her when I see her.
“Yeah, it’s pretty nice.” Bryce comes up behind me for a hug, kissing the side of my face. “Just gonna check the view.” He releases me, smacking me on the ass, then heads over to the huge glass doors leading to the balcony.
“I don’t think it’s going to have changed much,” I call after him, laughing.
I make the tea, taking it outside to join him.
“Swell looks pretty good.” He’s staring out at the ocean, one hand shading his eyes. “Hope it holds for the contest.”
We’ve been away since Christmas, which we spent with friends and Bryce’s family, then caught a flight out on Boxing Day. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind of green islands and blue water, nights spent in Bryce’s arms. I’ve never been happier in my life.
It hasn’t just been sun and sex, though.
There’s been work, too. I started writing posts on social media about each of the places we visited, talking about their history and what makes each one special, flexing my writing muscles again.
Ocean’s Curl took a liking to what I was doing and offered me a role.
Myles Brandon, the billionaire owner of the brand, is starting a new foundation, buying up and preserving special places around the world to save them from development, and I’ll get to write about them for the company website and social content. It’s a dream come true to be honest.
I rest my elbows on the timber deck railing, gazing into the blue.
It’s a perfect autumn day, sunny but definitely no longer warm.
I’m glad of my hoody, still acclimatising to the cooler temperatures after the tropical heat.
Bryce puts his arm around me, tucking me into his side.
I glance up at him and he kisses me, rubbing his nose against mine.
“It’ll be nice to sleep in our own bed tonight.”
“I wasn’t planning on sleeping much.” He kisses me again, his tongue gliding into my mouth. “You?”
I’m immediately drawn in, into the heat of him.
I’ve never wanted anyone so much, and it shows no sign of abating.
Luckily, he seems to feel the same way. It was a long flight back from the islands.
There may have been some light touching under the blankets in first class.
Just enough to get my pulse racing in anticipation of what was to come.
Still, I decide to tease him. “You need to rest. You have a big comp coming up.”
“In two days’ time. Plenty of opportunity for sleeping between now and then.”
We’re back on the coast, not just because we wanted to spend a bit of time at home, but also for the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. Bryce tells me it’s the longest running surf competition in the world. He’s rung the bell on the iconic trophy twice and I’m sure he’d love to do it again this year.
“Can we unpack first?” I’m still messing with him. We can unpack later.
“The only thing I want to unpack,” he says, running his tongue down my neck, “are those luscious tits of yours.”
He takes my hand in his, bringing it to his lips. Light catches the delicate circle of diamonds on my ring finger. Not an engagement ring, exactly. More of a promise. He gave it to me a few days ago in Tahiti. While I was naked under a palm tree and he was kissing me all over.
“I don’t make promises I can’t keep,” he said as he gave it to me. “And I promise you this, Claire: To love you, to keep you safe, to honour you, to stay with you. And to fuck you, as hard and as often as you want me to.”
What else could I do but accept?
Bryce
Bells Beach.
The iconic surf location. The huge car park is full, part of it taken over by the massive structure the organisers build each year, several levels of viewing platforms, commentary booths, media and VIP sections.
There’s a huge crowd on the beach below the cliff, lining either side of the barricaded pathway leading to the surf.
Claire takes my hand. I grin, stealing a kiss from her. “You excited?”
“Yes!” She bounces up and down a little, her eyes wide. “This is amazing!”
We’re up on the cliff in one of the VIP rooms. It’s full of people, surfers and their partners, media types, contest employees all milling about.
I’m stoked to have Claire with me. I introduce her to a few people, watching her face as she smiles.
I cannot get enough of her. I don’t think I ever will.
I love her more than anything. I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anyone. She is endlessly exciting.
I watch her for a moment longer, then look out the huge windows to the ocean below.
The surf is cranking, the swell picking up just enough overnight.
Conditions are perfect for the comp. I scan the waves, checking how the water is moving, where the peaks are, how the waves are breaking, already planning my strategy.
“How are you, bro?” A hand claps me on the shoulder.
I turn to see Zach Van Veldt. The South African is probably a bigger player than I ever was when it comes to women, but he’s a damn good surfer, and not a bad bloke, once you get past his roving eye.
He’s already spotted Claire, his ocean-blue gaze raking her body, which is clad in the white crochet dress she wore to the Ocean’s Curl appearance at Torquay.
“I’m good, mate.” I shake Zach’s hand, giving him a brief hug. Then I grab Claire, pulling her to me. “Have you met my girlfriend, Claire?”
“Girlfriend?” Zach’s eyebrows shoot up. “Well, that is a shame. Still, Claire, it’s lovely to meet you.” He takes her hand, kissing it, lingering way too long.
“Is Jade here?” I glance pointedly at him. He releases Claire’s hand, grinning.
“Yeah, man. She’s over there talking to someone. We should all catch up later, to celebrate.”
“Celebrate?”
“When I win, of course.” His grin becomes a full laugh.
I shake my head. Zach really is a dick sometimes. “What makes you so sure you’re going to win, mate? Lot of good surfers in the room.”
“I’m riding a Black Axe board, for starters.”
“A Black Axe?” Black Axe boards are among the best in the world.
They’re rare, too, and expensive. The guy who shapes them disappeared from the scene a couple of years ago, closing his workshop.
If you want one now you have to trawl through the few listings online and hope to find one that’s the right length and shape.
Not to mention pay a fortune as well. I don’t know how Zach found one, lucky bastard.
“Yeah, man. Jade spotted it online. Some guy in Hawaii was selling it, so I flew out there and took it for a test run. Rides like a dream.”
I guess that’s one of the perks of being the number two surfer in the world, and of having a girlfriend who is also a top surfer: people tend to let you do that kind of shit. Still, I’m not far off the number two spot either. And I’d trade every Black Axe surfboard in the world to be with Claire.
“It’s not just the board, mate,” I say. “It’s how you ride it.”
“And he’s very good at riding,” Claire adds, shooting me an amused glance. I try not to laugh.
Zach, however, throws his head back, roaring with laughter. “Nice one, mate. You should hang on to her.”
“I plan on it.”
“Still, what is it with everyone getting wifed up? Myles is over there somewhere, all loved up, new wife, new baby. And now you.”
“It’s not so bad,” I say, tucking Claire against my side.
She smiles sweetly at Zach, sliding her arm around my waist. “You should try it sometime.”
“Oh, he has a girlfriend,” I tell her. “He just keeps forgetting.”
She giggles, and I want to kiss her again.
“Right then. I’ll leave you two to it. See you out there, man. And good luck.” Zach bumps his fist with mine, then disappears into the crowd.
Claire is staring at me, all ocean eyes and parted lips.
“What is it?”
“I love you,” she says. “And I want you to beat that guy today.”
I laugh. “I love you too,” I say. “And as far as I’m concerned, I’m already ahead of him.”
She looks questioningly at me. I answer her with a kiss.
I once thought that the ocean was the only thing I needed, that I was destined to be a lone rider. Now I know how wrong I was. When I found Claire, I didn’t just meet the woman I love; I found a home. The other half of my soul.
And I couldn’t be fucking happier.