Chapter 7
SEVEN
LANI
I wake with the dawn because I can’t bear to close the curtains on the most stunning, breathtaking view.
Lying in bed isn’t enough to enjoy the full effect though, so I stretch, yawn, and get up with a spring in my step.
Knowing that I want to go for a swim in the sea, I hurry to get ready and rush out of the house with only my dry robe and a cereal bar.
Even though it’s ridiculously early, there’s already people in the water. A small group of surfers are far out, bobbing around on their boards, waiting for the next set. There’s a lone jogger in the distance, and several dog walkers. Overall the vibe is calm. Peaceful.
Leaving my coat and flip flops in the sand, I walk towards the water’s edge.
The sea foam kisses my toes, instantly numbing them.
I suck in a breath at how freaking cold the water is, but power through.
One step at a time. Taking baby steps deeper into the sea.
Icy tendrils caress my calves, snaking their way up past my knees and around my thighs.
I’m sure the water wasn’t this cold the other night with Finn. Just thinking of him makes my stomach flip like when I was a kid and we’d go too fast over a humpback bridge. Suddenly the water doesn’t seem too bad.
When I’m in just past my waist, I begin to swim. The cold doesn’t bother me once my shoulders are under and there’s no strong or dangerous currents.
Growing up in the West Midlands, my father – before he was a junkie, abusive piece of shit – would joke that we were just about the farthest point from the coast in every direction, so trips to the beach were rare.
It’s probably why I grew up with such a fascination and appreciation for the ocean and all its wonders.
My father suffered from severe thalassophobia and cymophobia so that probably contributed to his reluctance to take me there too.
Can’t blame him considering my mother drowned in the ocean when I was only two.
I grew up so determined to be his opposite, that I told myself, over and over until I believed it, that there was nothing to be afraid of in the water.
Even though I’m not entirely convinced about that.
Have to admit, this is nice though, having the ocean right on my doorstep to enjoy whenever I want.
“Watch it!” A voice hollers from somewhere behind me, but before I can react, something solid smacks me in the face, and everything goes black.
As stars dance before my eyes, I gradually regain consciousness, my gaze fixing on the most breathtaking face I’ve ever seen, despite the ferocious scowl marring his beauty.
“Fuck’s sake. Fucking grockles thinking they own the entire fucking ocean,” he mutters, his intense eyes locked onto mine.
“W-what happened?” I manage to ask, feeling a mix of confusion and attraction.
As awareness seeps in, I realise I’m no longer swimming. No longer in the water. And for some reason I’m lying on the cold wet sand.
My head is pounding.
“You happened,” the stranger looming over me retorts, but even in his irritation, there’s a magnetic pull that draws me in.
I wince at the venom in his tone and then flinch at the pain my movement causes.
I struggle to sit up but a firm hand on my shoulder forces me backwards.
In my panic at being touched so suddenly and harshly – triggers are a fucking bitch – and still disoriented, I reach out and grab his arm, pulling him along with me as I crash back into the sand.
The weight of him makes the landing harder than expected.
“Ow,” I complain, closing my eyes as a wave of dizziness washes over me.
When I open them again, the stranger is millimetres from my nose, staring at me with a little less anger than before.
Is that concern I see in his gaze?
Why is he on top of me?
“Are you okay?” he asks, the worry in his voice contrasting his initial hostility. His breath caresses my cheek, making me shiver, and my heart races at his proximity, so loud I’m sure he can hear it.
His eyes seemed so dark before, but there’s actually captivating copper flecks in his irises that add warmth. Wow.
With difficulty, I force myself to nod.
“You shouldn’t have been swimming in the surf zone!” He grumbles, but his hands brace in the sand beside my head, the space between us suddenly charged. The pressure of his torso lifting from mine allows me to breathe, but I find myself missing the heat of his firm, highly sculpted body.
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” I stammer, feeling a sudden urge to get closer to him.
“That’s what the flags are for!” Our gazes lock and my breath catches.
“What flags?”
He gestures to his right, my left, and even though it makes my head swim, I follow the direction he’s pointing to. Fuck. I must have really hit my head hard. All I see is the empty beach.
“What flags?” I repeat.
“Well, it’s too fucking early for the lifeguards to put the flags out but everyone knows this area is designated for surfing. This is the chequered flag zone. The swim zone is further along, between the red and yellow striped flags.”
I’m not sure if it’s his nearness or the bump to the head, but I’m finding it hard to concentrate. “I didn’t know. I’m new here.”
“Are you completely wet behind the ears?” He snaps, but there’s a hint of amusement in his eyes too. I’m sure of it.
“I’m wet all over,” I tease, hoping to lighten the mood and elicit a more positive reaction from him.
Wrong thing to say. His eyes darken, his jaw tightening. Surprised by my own boldness, I can’t help but feel a thrill of excitement at his response.
He tries to resist the attraction, but the tension is palpable as we exchange glances. Is it just me, or is his breathing more pronounced than it was before?
I try to ease the increased tension with a soft smile.
“It was a joke. Because I was swimming. In the water. Which is wet. See?”
“Ha. Fucking. Ha.”
Okay, so he’s not one for jokes then.
That’s when it clicks.
It’s my grumpy next door neighbour.
Shit.
Does he recognise me without my clothes on? He already seemed to dislike me, and now he’s really pissed.
Double shit, because he really is good looking. Why is that this gruff, growly, grumpy arsehole does something I don’t quite understand? Clearly, it’s the bump to the head messing with my judgement.
But you fancied him before today, Lani…
“Is your board okay?” I ask, trying to be nice and drag my thoughts out of the wet, sandy gutter. Away from the growing chemistry between us.
I should be more concerned about whether his board has given me a concussion, but I don’t want to be on bad terms with the boy next door all summer. Three months can be a very long time if neighbours are at war. Plus, I’d hate to put my grandmother in an awkward position once she returns.
“Probably dented. You better not have cracked it. If she starts taking on water, you’ll owe me for a new board,” he warns, but there’s a subtle shift in his tone. Maybe he’s not quite as annoyed as he was?
“Be sure to let me know,” I reply, a hint of flirtation creeping into my voice, and he smirks.
“Oh, I will. I know where you live,” he retorts, his gaze briefly wandering over me. The way he says it sends an unwelcome shiver through me.
Issues, Lani, you’ve got ’em in spades.
The proximity between us sparks something undeniable, just like when I first laid eyes on him, and it makes me even more eager to get up. “Can I get up now?”
He hesitates, then gruffly tells me, “No.”
“I’m fine,” I insist, even though I’m fairly sure I’m not. I mean, I’m not quite seeing double, but there’s definitely a haze around his silhouette that’s swimming in and out of focus.
“I don’t want to risk you puking on me,” he teases, one corner of his mouth twitching. “You’ve done enough damage for one day and it’s not even six in the morning yet.”
His eyes leave mine and catch on something in the distance. When he returns his gaze to mine, it’s different. Something has changed. His expression becomes more guarded, almost shuttered off completely.
Asserting myself, I push myself to a seated position, swallowing down the overwhelming nausea that threatens, and forcing my neighbour to move backwards to avoid being headbutted by me.
“Look,” I say softly, crossing my arms over my chest even though it pushes my boobs right up.
His gaze drops to my chest and I flush. “I’m sorry that I fucked up your ride, your board, and your day, but it was an innocent mistake.
One which I’m paying for, and it won’t happen again.
You don’t have to be quite so mean to me about it all. ”
Shock registers on his face and for a moment his expression softens, but then his dark eyes harden.
“Clearly, you’re fine,” he mutters gruffly, before turning and stalking away.
I watch him walk away, feeling a mixture of outrage and attraction. It’s impossible to deny the magnetic pull drawing us closer, and I can’t help but wonder what will happen between us next.
But it’s not the same.
Not like last night.
Not like him.
I’m not ashamed to say that my eyes did stray to his rather fine arse as he went.
Sighing, I bring my hand up to the bump on my head. It throbs, but my fingers come away blood-free so that’s a good sign. I should probably grab my stuff and head back home though. Going back in the ocean probably isn’t the smartest idea.
My head’s still buzzing when a shadow falls across me.
“Hey, are you okay?” The early morning sun is partially blocked by the tall guy standing before me. Holy moly, is there something magical in this water? He’s just as ripped as Finn, maybe even more, and my heart skips a beat at the sight of him.
“Umm, hi. Yeah, I’m fine,” I reply, my voice a little breathless from his presence and two back-to-back encounters with gorgeous guys this morning.
He smiles, and it’s like the sun breaking through the clouds. “Are you sure? I saw the wipeout. It looked like you got quite a nasty bump.”
“No worries, no blood or broken bones, so all good,” I assure him, trying to regain my composure.
He extends a hand to help me up, and I eagerly accept, feeling a jolt of electricity as our skin touches. With his support, I’m on my feet in no time. But my head spins and I stumble into his bare chest.
“Whoa, easy!” he chuckles, his laugh infectious. He catches me easily, righting me, but remains close enough that I can see the goosebumps on his chest.
“What’s your name?” I blurt out, suddenly needing to know more about this attractive stranger. “Sorry, that was rude.”
He takes it in stride, still smiling. “Not rude at all. I’m Koa.”
“Hi Koa, I’m Lani,” I say, trying to act casual but a smile tugs at my lips. Secretly, I’m thrilled to be having this conversation.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Lani,” he replies with a touch of playfulness. I can’t help but notice the way his eyes linger on me. Is it just me, or is there a spark of interest there? The way he looks at me makes me feel steadier.
“So, are you a local here?” I ask, genuinely curious about him.
“Yeah, born and raised,” he replies, a hint of pride in his voice. “What about you?”
“I’m new in town. Just here for the summer actually,” I admit.
“Well, welcome to the neighbourhood, Lani,” he says, and I swear I detect a hint of flirtation in his tone.
“Thanks, Koa. It’s nice to meet a friendly face. So, do you come surfing here often?” I ask, trying to keep the conversation going.
“As often as I can,” he says, flashing a grin that sends my heart into overdrive. “You should join me sometime.”
The invitation catches me off guard, but I play it cool just in case he’s simply being polite. “I might just take you up on that.”
Our eyes lock, and for a moment, the world around us fades away. It’s just the two of us, standing on the beach, feeling an undeniable attraction.
“I’d like that,” he says softly, and I feel a rush of excitement at his response. “What are you doing tomorrow morning?”
“Well, hopefully I wake up without a concussion, but no plans.”
“If you want, I could give you a few pointers.”
“That would be great. I surfed a little a few years ago, but just the absolute basics like being able to get to my feet and fall off safely,” I say with an excited laugh.
“Well, that I can work with.”
As the conversation continues, the chemistry between us grows stronger. There’s something about Koa that makes me feel alive but steady and safe, and I can’t help but flirt back, drawn to him like a magnet. He’s not flashy in the way that Finn was.
He’s quieter. Steadier. Less overwhelming.
And somehow that makes it harder to look away.
He’s confident, but a little more reserved. Not quite as cocky or as smooth as Finn came across, and definitely less intense. But the attraction is there all the same. I’m looking forward to our surfing lesson tomorrow. I’m sure it’s not a date, but I’d love it if it led to one.
As we part ways, I can’t help but think that this chance encounter might be the beginning of something exciting. Then I tell myself to stop overthinking everything and head home.
Stupid concussion.