CHAPTER FOUR #2
“This is as far as I go.” Tyler dropped his things in the sand. “Have fun.”
“Let me help.” Ethan started to unfold the lounger, but Tyler stopped him.
“I got it. You go enjoy yourself.” Tyler stood on his tip toes, which still barely made the top of his head come up to Ethan’s chin, and grabbed Ethan’s face in his hands.
“You be careful out there. I’ll be watching you.
Out of one eye. I’ll be snoozing with the other.
Raise your hand and wave if you’re in trouble, and I’ll call the lifeguard. ”
Ethan smiled and gave Tyler a quick kiss. “I’ll be fine.”
“What about us?” Wolf teased. “Don’t we get a hand signal to let you know we’re in trouble?”
“Yes. Of course. If I see you waving, I’ll get the lifeguard. But you better not start waving just because you want that cute lifeguard to come save you.”
“What cute lifeguard?” Ethan feigned jealousy and whipped his head around the beach looking for said lifeguard.
“Never mind that.” Tyler tugged on Ethan’s arm. “My eyes are on you, rock star. Be careful.”
Wolf had enough of the sappy exchange and pulled Ethan away. “Let’s go already. I’ll keep an eye on him,” he told Tyler.
“You better or I’m holding you responsible!” Tyler called.
Wolf looked back over his shoulder. Tyler was already seated in the lounger with his legs crossed, wearing giant sunglasses. Tyler waved and Wolf waved back.
“I’m not in trouble!” Wolf shouted, remembering the hand signal.
“Give it time!” Tyler shouted back.
Ethan slung his arm over Wolf’s shoulder and gave him a side hug. “I love that you two get along so well. Thanks again for making an effort. I appreciate it.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me, Ethan. Tyler’s a great guy. I was the one with the problem.” That statement couldn’t be more on point. If Wolf had a problem with anyone, he was always the reason.
“Hey.” Ethan gave Wolf’s shoulder a little shake. “Stop that. You’re not the problem. Even if you’re out of line sometimes, your reasons are still valid. You’re entitled to feel the way you feel.”
Sometimes it was hard to believe how easily Ethan read Wolf’s mind, and it put the smile back on his face.
“That’s more like it.” Ethan patted Wolf on the back, a little too roughly, and it turned into a friendly shove and a small bout of roughhousing in the sand.
Spirits soaring, Wolf picked up his board—which ended up tossed aside so he could tackle Ethan—and paddled into the ocean with his friends, Harris taking the lead.
The waves were slow coming, and the four of them sat on their boards floating in the ocean.
A small wave rolled in but Wolf, along with Marshall, waited for something better while Harris and Ethan rode it into shore.
Wolf watched his friends glide across the ocean on their boards and his gaze locked on Harris, suddenly struck with his good looks.
It was as if he were seeing Harris for the first time.
The wet suit the guy wore outlined every inch of muscle on his body.
His chest was carved like a statue, his shoulders were broad and round, and his guns were huge.
Wolf didn’t remember Harris’ arms being that big even during the tour when Harris had been pounding on his drum kit for 90 minutes on stage.
Harris’ sandy blond hair dusted his shoulders and blew in the breeze.
The salty air made it extra wavey, and the sun highlighted the different shades of blond.
As if feeling Wolf’s eyes on him, Harris turned and gave Wolf a big smile and a hang loose sign before turning around and sailing toward the shore.
In that moment, Wolf sucked in a breath at the resemblance.
He never noticed it before. Harris looked so much like Patrick Swayze in Point Break that it took his breath away.
Wolf sat, frozen in place and not moving a muscle, while he watched Harris bend his knees and move his body as he navigated the wave. Damn, that guy looks fucking hot!
“What’s wrong? See a shark?” Marshall asked.
“What?” The mention of a nearby shark jolted Wolf out of his trance. He didn’t have an inherent fear of sharks, but there had been recent sightings in the area. Although rare, as surfers, shark attacks were a real possibility. He quickly looked around. “You saw a shark? Where?”
Marshall laughed at the panic in Wolf’s voice and pointed over his shoulder. “Right there.”
Wolf twisted around on his board, and his heart almost stopped at the sight of a fin breaking through the water, until he saw several additional fins and then three dolphins crest above the surface. He let out a small laugh. “You’re a dick.”
Ethan and Wolf came paddling over at a fast pace. “Get ready!” Ethan shouted. “Look at the monster coming in!”
Wolf turned and saw a huge wave barreling toward them. It was five feet high and already starting to break. Holy shit! He paddled like crazy and stood up as the wave lifted the board. He felt the power of the water as the wave propelled him forward at lightning speed as if he were flying.
“Duuuude!” Harris was next to Wolf, almost close enough to touch, a megawatt smile on his face.
Wolf smiled back and returned the hang loose sign that Harris gave him earlier. Adrenaline coursed through his blood as they zigzagged through the wave and somehow still remained side by side. The wave faded, and they both kicked out at the same time, then resurfaced.
“That was sick!” Harris exclaimed. His wet hair hung in tendrils and landed at his shoulders, dripping water down his cheeks, which were sun kissed and golden. It brought out the blue of his eyes, which picked up the reflection of the ocean.
Damn. “You look good.” Wolf didn’t mean to say that out loud, but Harris didn’t pick up on the real meaning.
“So did you. We rode that bitch all the way in!”
Marshall swam over and joined them, followed by Ethan. “That wave came out of nowhere,” Ethan said. “The current’s picking up.”
“I told you the waves were gonna be killer,” Harris replied. “Let’s get back out there.”
They paddled out and spent the next two hours conquering huge waves and getting pummeled in between, then headed back to where Tyler was lounging.
Wolf staked his board in the sand. “That was awesome. The water was rough, but it was exhilarating. Thanks for inviting us.”
“Yeah,” Marshall agreed. “I had a great time.”
“I’m just glad you guys made it,” Harris said, a huge grin on his face. “I surf every day when we’re not on tour, but it’s ten times better with my buddies.”
“Beer?” Tyler held up two bottles of Corona. Ethan already had one in his hand.
“Where’d you get that?” Harris asked.
“In your fridge. I packed a cooler. I hope you don’t mind.
I went back to the house to make a pitcher of margaritas and saw the refrigerator was stocked, so I brought refreshments for everyone.
If you’d rather have a margarita, there’s plenty.
” Tyler looked sharply at Wolf and narrowed his eyes. “None for you.”
Burn. Wolf deserved it, though, because of an inappropriate suggestion he made about a threesome when Ethan and Tyler first started dating. In his defense, he was wasted from said margaritas, and he apologized profusely the next day.
Any residual hostility over the incident quickly faded, and Tyler’s scowl transformed into a smile, and his voice resumed its usually bubbly pitch. “You looked hot out there on that surfboard,” he cooed up at Ethan.
“You mean I don’t always look hot?” Ethan teased.
“You looked extra hot, rock star. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.
Look at some of the photos I took on my phone.
I can’t believe how good they came out.” Tyler stood up and leaned into Ethan as he scrolled through them, adding narrative to each one.
“Look at your quads in this one. Someone’s been working out.
The balance displayed in this one makes it look like you’re levitating.
Oopsie! I caught this one as you went under.
Oooh, look. Mr. Muscles is flexing his big guns.
” Tyler turned the phone around and showed Marshall a picture of him on the board with his arms up and bent at the elbows, which made him look as if he were posing like a body builder.
“Did you get any of me?” Harris asked.
“Of course.” Tyler scrolled through more photos and then turned the phone around. “Here’s a great one of you and Wolfie.”
Wolf leaned in to take a look, but Harris grabbed the phone to inspect it more closely. “Wow. That’s awesome.”
“There’s a few more if you swipe through them. Forward,” Tyler clarified. “Don’t start swiping back or you may see some things you can’t unsee.” He waggled his brows at Harris, who looked ashen at the possibility of naked photos on display.
“Duly noted,” Harris replied. He moved next to Wolf so they could share the phone. “It’s cool. Right?”
“Yeah. I like it.” Wolf stared at the photo, which was taken when they were both surfing the same wave a few feet apart. They each had one arm extended toward the other, hands almost touching.
“Send it to me,” Harris said, giving the phone back to Tyler.
“Me too.” A second later, Wolf’s phone dinged.
He sat cross-legged in the sand, clicked open the text message from Tyler, and zoomed in on the image of Harris in the photo.
He looked up at Harris, just to make sure it wasn’t the camera lens that made his friend look so attractive.
But it wasn’t. Harris, standing there with the top of his wet suit peeled down to his waist and showing off an incredible upper body, held Wolf’s gaze captive.
Again, feeling Wolf’s gaze, Harris turned toward Wolf, and they made eye contact. Harris smiled, and a twinkle brightened the blue of his eyes, before he turned back to his conversation with Marshall.
Wolf, who was so taken by the sight in front of him, couldn’t do more than stare. He returned his eyes to the photo. Still transfixed, he couldn’t stop admiring how good Harris looked.
***