Out of Line (Out of Line #1)(43)
Author: Jen McLaughlin

“Then surf farther south. Or north, for all I care.” I gestured toward the ocean with my board. “This is my beach, and I’m not leaving it. Not even for you.”

“I thought no one owned the beach,” she called out, taunting me. Even her stance was aggressive, her feet spread wide and her eyes flashing with anger. She wanted a fight, and she wanted it bad.

I wouldn’t rise to the bait. Wouldn’t fight. But I sure as hell wouldn’t back down either. “They don’t, but this is the beach my mother took me to every weekend as I grew up. It’s where we had our last night together, before she was gone forever. And it’s the beach I rode my first wave on, with her by my side. I’m sure as hell not leaving it because you hate me.”

I brushed past her, fully intending to leave her standing on that beach alone, but her soft word stopped me. “Wait.”

“What now?” I asked, my entire body tense.

“I’m sorry. You’re right.” I turned to face her, and she swept her hair out of her face with a frustrated sigh. “I’m being a bitch. Just because I can’t stand the sight of you doesn’t mean I get to tell you to leave.”

“Such a heartfelt apology.”

She lifted a shoulder. “It’s the best I can do, considering.”

“May I go now, boss lady?” I cocked my head toward the ocean. “I’d like to enjoy the type of solitude only the ocean can give me before it’s too late.”

“You never mentioned wanting solitude out there before.”

“That’s because I was with you,” I reminded her.

She cocked her head. “Why did you take me, if you didn’t like going out there with other people?”

“Because with you? I didn’t mind.”

I headed for the ocean once more, leaving her standing there. She wouldn’t believe me anyway, so there was no point in waiting to see if she replied. She’d just accuse me of running a play on her, or trying to win her over so I could babysit her better. I wasn’t in the mood to get my heart trampled again.

Just my body.

I almost made it to the water before I got interrupted again. I bit back a curse when a blonde in a skimpy bikini stopped me. “Hey. Remember me?”

I scanned her face. Nope. I didn’t. “Uh…?”

“I work at Surf’s Up,” she said, punching my arm lightly. “I helped you pick out your girlfriend’s surfboard.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I said, my eyes automatically scanning the beach for Carrie. She stood a few yards away, her own gaze on me…and the blonde at my side. “We’re not even friends anymore, really.”

Her nostrils flared. Could she hear us? She looked ready to kill someone. I wasn’t sure if her target was the girl or me—maybe both.

“Oh, well, I like the sound of that.” She trailed her fingers over my tattoo, giving me a flirtatious smile. “I like your ink. What’s it mean?”

I hated when girls asked that. It wasn’t any of their damn business what my ink meant. “Thanks, and nothing. It’s just ink.”

“Oh. Hot.”

That was…deep. About as deep as a puddle. I cleared my throat and looked at Carrie again. Her fists were clenched at her sides. Was she jealous? Nah. Not possible. “You surf?”

The blonde laughed and punched me again. Why did girls think that was sexy? I only liked one girl hitting me, but she didn’t even want to touch me right now. Or ever. “No, I just help out at the store, and I date a lot of surfers. Only surfers.”

Before I could reply, Carrie walked up to some shirtless guy. She smiled at him and handed him sunscreen. The jerk smiled back at her and Carrie turned her back to the guy. When the jerk squirted sunscreen on his hands and massaged it over Carrie’s shoulders, I clenched my teeth. Carrie laughed at something the guy said, slapping his arm lightly. The jerk didn’t seem to mind either.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I murmured. “I’m going to kill her.”

Blondie shot me the dirtiest look ever. “Just friends, huh?” Then she was gone.

I stood there, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened.

Carrie. That’s what happened.

She thanked the helpful guy, then headed for the water, pulling up her wetsuit. I caught up to her within seconds. “What was that all about?”

“What?” She blinked at me innocently, but the smirk was harder to hide. “I needed sunscreen.”

“Under your wetsuit?”

“Sure. You can never be too careful.” She shrugged. “Did you have fun with Bambi over there?”

And just like that, I relaxed. “You’re jealous.”

She snorted and snorted again. As if such a preposterous statement required a double snort. “I am not.”

“Oh. So, if I go out there and flirt with her, you won’t give a damn?”

“Good luck with that. She probably hates you now.” Carrie splashed into the water, sending droplets my way. “As a matter of fact, I might have to watch you get rejected. It’ll be funny and good for your ego.”

I stared at her. “Is that a challenge?”

“No.” She eyed me. “Knowing you, she’d be in your bed by nighttime. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

I tensed. She made me sound like a manwhore, and I wasn’t. I wasn’t a virgin, but I didn’t sleep around either. “Because I’ve given you reason to believe I’m a manwhore?”

“Stop asking me rhetorical questions.”

I gripped my board tighter than I should have, but I couldn’t help it. I wanted to scream. “That wasn’t rhetorical. I’d love to know why you think I’d bring her home with me mere days after we broke up.”

“You brought me home.”

I rolled my eyes and fought against the huge wave trying to knock me down. “Oh, well, then I must be a whore. If I’ll bring you home, anyone will do.”

She whirled on me. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Wave.”

“What?”

A wave knocked into her, throwing her in my arms. I caught her, stumbling back a bit before I caught my own balance again. As soon as I gained my footing, she quickly shoved out of my arms. “Wave,” I repeated.

“I noticed.” She shoved her damp hair out of her face. “Thanks for the warning.”

I couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic, so I nodded. “Might want to face outward from now on.”