Chapter 02 DANNY
Wow.
This is different. This guy’s different.
His lips parted, eyes going a little too wide, and then, “Fuck me—”
The laugh that bubbled up in my chest was half amusement, half nervous energy. “I mean, that’s a little forward…“
I shifted my feet in the sand, widening my stance.
Those thick lashes fluttered as he kept staring at me, something soft and startled in his eyes. “Sorry, no,“
his deep voice rumbled between us, low but still carrying over the sound of the waves. “I mean, hi. Nice to meet you.“
He held out his hand, a bit stiff.
I buried my board more securely before taking a step, then paused to glance back at Sadie.
“Don’t worry about me!“
she called.
The shutter clicked as I turned back to him.
“Daniel, but you can call me Danny.“
My gaze flicked to his outstretched hand and then back up, offering what I hoped was a charming smile as I opened my arms. “Do you mind?”
He shook his head, steadied his board, and stepped closer. I didn’t quite stay where I was either, drifting forward without really deciding to until I felt the warmth of his skin.
“Jessie,“
he said softly.
I smiled to myself before stepping back to get a better look at him. Where the hell had this guy come from?
He wasn’t a pretty boy. He had that slightly roughed-up look that worked in his favor. A sharp, solid jaw dusted with dark stubble, a nose just a little crooked, like it’d been broken once and never quite bothered to be fixed. Buzzed dark hair and warm brown eyes, his skin had that deep, even tan of someone who actually lived outside, not just vacationed here. His lips had a faint tilt that made him look approachable, even though the rest of him was a little intimidating.
He was toned, especially in his arms and legs; less so over his stomach. His neck was thick, shoulders broad and sturdy, and tattoos decorated his skin—full sleeves, a chest piece, a few creeping up his neck and across his hands. One peeked out right where his wetsuit started at his hips. Enticingly. He was about my height, maybe an inch taller.
He looked nothing like the guys I was used to dating. Not a pretty boy, but fuck, he was hot.
“So, how nervous are you?“
I said, because silence suddenly felt too loud. “My heart is going about a mile a minute right now.“
My mouth ran away, like it usually did.
It worked, though, because his serious expression softened, his lips tilting up just a little more. He took a deep breath. “Very fucking nervous.”
“Okay, good.“
I swallowed, then laughed at myself. “I mean, not good. Just—same.”
His brows drew together, his eyes flicking over me, his mouth twisting like he was trying to figure something out. “Do you still…“
He gestured vaguely between us, glanced at Sadie, then back to me. “Want to do this?”
Now it was my turn to stare, stunned. “What do you mean? Like, I took one look at you and changed my mind?”
His jaw ticked, and he nodded after a beat.
I blinked, my brain trying to catch up to what I was feeling down to my bones—my soul.
For some reason, I wanted to tell him everything. That I’d spent the last few years chasing the next rush, bouncing from one thrill to the next, hoping one of them would stick. That I’d thrown myself into stupid risks and distractions that burned too fast and faded just as quickly. And somehow, none of it had hit me the way he was right now, just standing there in front of me.
But that felt like a lot to put on someone I’d just met.
“No,“
I said instead. “I’m into you.”
Another small lift of his lips. Almost a full smile. “Cool. Me too.”
My grin stretched wide at that. I rubbed my palms over my thighs. “Okay, so,“
I said, glancing back at Sadie. “What do we do now, ringmaster? Give us something to work with while we warm up to it?”
Sadie chuckled as she lowered her camera.
Jessie ran a hand over his hair, looking like he didn’t know what to do with himself, and I found myself wanting to be the reason for that. Our eyes caught again, something unspoken passing between us.
Sadie cleared her throat softly, the sound pulling us just a little out of whatever bubble we’d slipped into.
“Okay,“
she said. “Let’s start simple. Just the two of you and the boards.”
Jessie and I both shifted as Sadie motioned us closer to the drier stretch of sand.
“Boards behind you. Let them frame you.”
I lifted mine and moved where she pointed, Jessie doing the same, until we stood side by side, boards angled just slightly toward each other, close enough that I could feel his warmth without even touching him.
“Perfect,“
Sadie said, already lifting the camera. “Now just… relax. Look at each other. Forget I’m here.”
I glanced at Jessie, a small smile tugging at my mouth despite myself, and the way he looked back made my pulse stumble.
The shutter clicked.
“Want to try touching?“
Sadie asked. “Nothing too crazy. Just a hand on his waist, Jessie?”
Jessie pressed his lips together, clearly nervous, his eyes flicking to mine in a silent check-in. I nodded. His rough fingers brushed my waist, warm and tentative. His hands were big, but the touch itself was delicate, controlled in a way that felt intentional.
I stepped closer, wanting to make him feel more at ease, my hand coming up to his arm, my thumb sliding over the ink of a bird in flight there.
“That’s beautiful,“
I murmured, still looking at it.
“Thanks.“
His hand stayed at my waist, a little steadier now.
My thumb drifted lower as I took in more of the artwork until I noticed something else. Thin red lines, uneven, scattered in different directions over his forearms. They didn’t look like cuts, though.
“Can I ask about this?“
I said before I could stop myself.
Jessie’s brows drew together as he glanced down, then back up. “Oh.“
A quiet laugh. “Yeah, sure. They’re burn marks.“
He shrugged. “Comes with the territory.”
At my puzzled look, he smiled. “I’m a cook,“
he said. “Been on the line for years. You collect a few.”
Understanding clicked. “You’re a chef.”
“Not yet.“
He cleared his throat. “I’m working on it.”
“That’s impressive. I can barely manage cereal.“
I edged a little closer. “So—“
I started, then laughed and kept going anyway. “Is it, like, standard to get burns? Wouldn’t it be the opposite if you did it for a living? I mean, I guess things slip, and it’s fast, right? I’ve seen kitchens. Well, from the outside. They look hectic. And I did watch The Bear, so there’s that. Is it really like that?”
Jessie stared at me like I’d switched languages mid-sentence, dark eyes fixed on my face, completely unreadable.
“Sorry,“
I said. “I know I’m rambling.“
And then my mouth kept going anyway. “I’ve dated guys who couldn’t even boil water, so this is—”
The camera shutter clicked.
Oh. Right. Photoshoot.
I straightened a little, grinning despite myself. “Forgot we were being documented.”
A faint smile pulled at his mouth. “It’s a good frame of reference. That show.”
Heat crept up my neck at the way he was looking at me.
“So,“
I said, trying again, softer this time. “Where do you work?”
Jessie hesitated. Just a beat too long. “A… resort.”
“Yeah?“
I tilted my head, curiosity sparking once again. “My family’s in the hotel business. I might know it. Which one?”
He licked his lips, eyes flicking away, mumbling something the waves swallowed.
“Sorry,“
I said, stepping a little closer. “Didn’t catch that.”
He took a breath. “The Kahua Kai Resort.”
I barked a laugh, eyes going wide as I nudged his shoulder. “Get out of fucking town. That’s my dad’s hotel. I’ve been staying there all summer.”
Jessie’s hand slipped from my waist, his posture tightening, gaze skimming my face like he was bracing for impact.
And there it was.
The other shoe.
“You totally know who I am, don’t you?”
It took him a second, but then he nodded guilty.
“Oh,“
I said, more to myself than to him. “That’s why you’re so shy.“
That was a little disappointing. I’d hoped it was just me having that effect on him.
The tops of his cheeks flushed. “I mean… it’s one of the reasons.”
That helped. A little.
“So… if you don’t want to keep going, we could just—”
I stepped in before he could finish, my hand catching his wrist and guiding it back to my waist. “Would you stop saying that?“
I laughed softly. “I want to do this. With you.”
“But I kind of work for you—”
I laughed again. “Man, you don’t work for me. I have nothing to do with my dad’s businesses.”
He nodded slowly, like he was letting that sink in.
“Can I get you a little closer together?“
Sadie called.
Without thinking—again—I cupped his face and drew him in, smiling when his eyes widened. His other hand landed on my waist to steady himself.
“That’s great,“
Sadie said. “Danny, relax your hands. One at his neck, the other on his chest.”
I followed her instructions.
“Perfect.”
The sun was higher now, and the way it caught his face made me realize his eyes weren’t brown. They were hazel, little sparks of green and gold dancing in his irises. Beautiful.
Jessie licked his lips, tension still humming through him. “What do you do?”
“Like for work?”
He nodded.
“I don’t,“
I said, and I hated how small that sounded next to him. “I graduated in the spring. Now I’m just kind of… waiting.”
He frowned. “On job applications?”
No. On life, I guess.
I shrugged.
“How old are you?“
Those captivating eyes drifted over my face and down my neck and chest, making me feel exposed in the best way.
“Twenty-two. You?”
Looking at his face was already addictive. He might not have been very talkative so far, but his expressions gave everything away. Tiny shifts, fleeting tells, like his thoughts kept leaking out before he could stop them.
Right now, he looked a little surprised. Maybe apprehensive. Older, then.
“Twenty-six.”
Called it.
“Where are you from?”
“Visalia, in Cali.“
He cleared his throat. “I moved here five years ago. Probably staying for the long haul.”
My stomach dipped at that. It shouldn’t have. I’d known him for minutes, and my heart was already getting ahead of itself.
“Okay, guys, let’s move into another position,“
Sadie said as she walked closer.
We stepped apart, still glancing at each other, my hands suddenly cold despite the hot summer morning.
The next set of pictures had us sitting on our boards in the sand, knees brushing, leaning in close. The sun was higher now, warm on my shoulders, the air thick with humidity and the soft hiss of waves rolling in beside us. The shutter faded into a gentle, steady rhythm as I asked him about his family, needing to know more.
An only child, too. He’d lived with his mom until he left for LA for culinary school and work, which somehow led him all the way here. He told me how he learned to cook in their kitchen as a kid, standing on a chair while his grandmother showed him how to season by smell instead of measurements; how his mom trusted him with the stove long before she probably should have. Cooking wasn’t just a job for him—it was history. Muscle memory. Love passed down and carried forward.
I tucked each detail away like it was precious. The more he told me, the more real he felt. Like he was trusting me with something private.
I almost told him then—about the cliffs, about how I liked places where no one knew my name, about my real life beneath what everyone else saw—but that moment felt too full to interrupt.
Then we walked into the water together. Just the two of us, hands linked, the sea cool around our ankles and calves, sunlight glinting off the surface and into his eyes. It was harder to talk like that, but I didn’t want to stop. I caught bits about his chaotic apartment, his roommates, the way he laughed when he talked about them, and it all felt… right. Lived in.
When we climbed back onto the boards, first side by side and then awkwardly trying to share one, we laughed so hard it hurt. The summer heat wrapped around us, the ocean breeze cutting through it, and everything felt bright and unreal in the best way.
That was when he really started to open up. Longer stories. Small jokes. Touches that weren’t prompted, just natural. He told me he loved the island. Loved surfing. How he used to come out every morning when he first moved here, before work took over. How he was planning to get back to it now.
I wished this shoot had been at the start of summer. I would have followed him out here every dawn just to hear him talk about the things he loved.
By the time Sadie called us back for the last part of the shoot, people had started to trickle onto the beach, but it still felt like we had our own little pocket of the world. We lay on the sand near the water, facing each other, skin still humming from the cold water and sun, everything painted bright around us.
Jessie’s wetsuit was half down again, grains of sand clinging to his skin, the tattoos on his body dark against the glow of the morning. We’d ended up half tangled in each other, laughing and shoving and slipping in the sand as Sadie kept snapping pictures, until the motion finally slowed and we were left facing each other, chests rising and falling.
He looked wild. Like something out of a movie. Or a fantasy. All I could think about was how every detail of him felt like something I wanted to keep. Part of me knew it was irrational, this level of connection so early in the game, but it didn’t feel like it. It felt real.
“Do you want to try for a kiss?“
Sadie asked, and my stomach flipped.
Jessie’s hazel eyes didn’t leave mine. His lips parted, just a little. “Yeah.”
My gaze dropped to his mouth, my hand already sliding to his waist… but then I shook my head.
His face fell instantly, confusion and hurt flashing there.
I moved closer, my hand rising to his neck. “I don’t want to kiss you yet,“
I said softly. “But I want to get as close as I possibly can without doing it.”
His shoulders relaxed, eyes still searching mine, looking for discomfort or repulsion he wasn’t ever going to find there.
We were both propped on our elbows on our sides, facing each other. The air felt charged around us, more so with every inch of space we closed. Sadie was standing nearby, not too close, but close enough that she could get the right composition. I wondered what we looked like through her lens.
My lips curved into a smile as I moved in, showing him what I wanted. Until I could feel the puff of his breath against my lips, sending tingles over my skin and lighting fireworks behind my ribs.
“Like that?“
he whispered.
“Yeah…”
His eyes were on my lips, almost magnetized to them, and as the shutter continued to click, I melted more and more into this. Into him. Then he tilted his head, and my breath caught in my chest.
He didn’t kiss me—just brushed his nose over my cheek, lips soft against my jaw, the barely there scratch of his stubble making it real. My eyelids fluttered closed. One hand came up to my neck to keep me there as his nose trailed close to my ear, his lips sliding along the column of my throat. Goosebumps erupted over my skin.
“Can I kiss you here?“
his rough, low voice rumbled, his thumb brushing over a spot that suddenly felt unbearably sensitive.
I nodded.
His hand tightened as he pulled me in, still gentle, and his lips closed over my neck.
God—
That felt amazing.
At first, his kisses were light, barely there, before growing slower, deeper, until I felt the warm brush of his tongue.
“Fuck,“
he breathed. “The salt on your skin…”
The words hit me like a spark to dry kindling. The intimacy of them.
I squeezed my eyes shut, the sensation washing over me, my body humming with it, and I was a second away from begging him to take more of me, to let me know exactly how I tasted.
Then the shutter clicked again.
Reality came rushing back. I was painfully aware that the erection I’d been fighting every time he touched my bare skin was now fully there. On the beach. While we were still being photographed.
My eyes flew open, searching for Sadie.
She met my gaze immediately, reading it, and lowering her camera. “That was great, guys.”
Jessie lifted his head too, blinking like he was coming back to himself, then cleared his throat.
“That’s all we need,“
Sadie added. “We got some beautiful shots.”
I bent my knees and sat up, slipping out of his grasp. Jessie did the same beside me, still looking a little flushed. Sadie knelt in front of us and turned her camera around, scrolling through a few of the photos, and my heart refused to slow.
But then I looked. Really looked, and they were incredible.
We were.
The scenery was beautiful, sure, but it was what was happening between us that stole my breath. The way we looked at each other. The way we fit. The way something quiet and electric sat in every inch of space between us.
My pulse was still racing as I glanced at him. His attention stayed on the screen, a soft, almost dazed smile on his lips, still half caught in whatever we’d just shared.
I didn’t want it to end.
I wanted more.
I wanted to know what he tasted like.