“I’m a Marine,” I said. “And the rest of the time I surf.”
I tugged at my Hollister cargo shorts. Apparently that’s what all the California kids wore nowadays. I must’ve grown up since I left, because I preferred wearing a suit with a Glock or a pair of cammies…with a badass M-16.
“Nice. I’d like to learn how to surf sometime. It looks so freeing.”
I cocked a brow. What an odd choice of words. “Freeing?”
“Yeah.” She stole a quick look at me, her cheeks pink. “Like…it’s just you and the ocean, and no one can tell you what to do or how to act. No one can yell at you for riding a wave, or just sitting out there, watching the world pass by. I don’t even really know how that feels, and I doubt I ever will.”
With a father like hers? Doubtful.
I’d resented being asked to come here to babysit some spoiled little brat, but seeing her look so despondent tugged at the little bit of heartstrings I had. “I’ll teach you, if you want.”
Fuck. Why had I opened my stupid mouth and blurted out that shit?
“Really?” She perked up, her shoulders straight and her sapphire blue eyes shining. She looked way too pretty right now. Way too much like a pretty woman, and not enough like an assignment. “Do you mean it?”
Hell no. “Sure. Why not?”
I could think of at least a hundred reasons why not. The last thing I needed was to spend time with her out in the ocean. She’d probably wear a tiny bikini underneath her wetsuit. And she’d cling to me in fear, her slender body pressed to mine as she learned how to ride the waves…
Maybe she would chicken out and say no.
“Can we start now?” she asked, practically shouting in my ear. She hopped off the bench and did a little dance thing that was way too f**king cute. Her whole body trembled with excitement. I could feel it rolling off her. “I’m game if you are.”
I choked on a laugh. So much for her chickening out. Some small part of me admired her enthusiasm. A lot of girls wavered and couldn’t make up their minds. I was getting the sinking suspicion she wasn’t that kind of girl. “I think we should do it when we can actually see what we’re doing.”
“Tomorrow morning?”
I scratched my head and scrunched my nose. “Uh, you’ll need a board, a bathing suit, and a wetsuit first.”
“I have a bathing suit already.” She cocked her head. “Wait. Does a bikini work, or does it have to be a one-piece?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say she needed a one-piece. At least it would cover more of her skin, but she might find out I lied, and then she would start to question everything I told her. I couldn’t afford that right now. “Bikinis are fine. Preferred, even.”
She nibbled on her lower lip. “Would you go shopping with me tomorrow? Help me pick out the right gear? Then maybe we could head out to the waves.”
Shopping? Hell no. I didn’t want to go shopping. For girls, shopping was a marathon sport. I’d probably be dragged through ten stores before she could find the perfect color surfboard. And a matching wetsuit. And probably a f**king hair bow, too. “I’d love to.”
I forced a smile and tried to look on the bright side of things. I needed to spend time with her, and this would accomplish that. After the heinous shopping experience, I would be rewarded with surfing. It wouldn’t be so bad, would it?
“Thank you.” Her cheeks flushed and she gave me a shy smile. “Where should we meet?”
“At your dorm around eight?” I met her eyes. “Or is that too early for you, Ginger?”
She stiffened, the fetching pink color leaving her cheeks. That was probably a good thing, since she looked far too cute wearing a blush. There was that steely determination again. When she looked at me, her eyes flashing with challenge, she looked like her father. “I’ll be there. I don’t sleep in till twelve.”
“All right.” I inclined my head. “Then off to bed you go.”
She laughed. “You can’t send me to bed. Who do you think you are? My father?”
Hell no. But I worked for her father, so that had to count for something. “Hey, if you want to surf, you need to be well rested. If you’re hung over and tired, I’m not taking you.”
“I won’t be hung over.”
I eyed her cup, even though I knew damn well it didn’t have alcohol in it. “Tell that to the judge.”
“Fine. I’m going to bed.” She clamped her mouth and grabbed her shoes. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“I’ll walk you,” I offered, standing up. It would make me feel better to know she was safely ensconced behind locked doors before I went back to my apartment. It was my job, after all.
She flushed and ducked her head. “If you want to. But you can’t come in.”
She was probably thinking I wanted to walk her home to try to steal a kiss or cop a feel. Well, she could think that all she wanted. It wasn’t happening. In fact, it had been strictly forbidden. I had even gotten a lecture from the senator about what was allowed and what wasn’t—complete with a signed contract. As if I was a child who needed to be shown on a f**king doll where I could and couldn’t touch.
I shoved my hands in my pockets, feeling ridiculous. “I wasn’t planning on it.”
“Then why walk with me?” she asked, her head cocked.
“So I’ll know where to meet you tomorrow.” I shrugged. “Ya know, for our shopping.”
“Oh. Right.” She started walking, and I fell into step beside her while scanning the shadows for any threats. “I knew that.”
I laughed lightly. “Sure you did.”
“I can’t think of any other reason you’d want to walk me.”
I shook my head, then realized, like an idiot, I’d never asked her what her name was. If I accidentally blurted it out before she told me who she was, the gig would be up before I even got started. “What’s your name, anyway?”
“Carrie. Yours?”
She left off her last name just as her father instructed her to do. I could report back that she was following instructions like a good little girl. Although…walking with strange men she met on the beach after dark wasn’t exactly playing by the rules. But since it was with me, I would let the infraction slide this time.
“I’m Finn. Finn Coram.”
She gave me another smile. She looked so pretty, smiling at me in the moonlight. It would be a hell of a long year keeping the horny college boys off her. “Nice to meet you, Finn.”