I look at Alec. ''I'll go earlier with you, but I'm not surfing.''
He sighs dramatically. ''I suppose that'll be okay.''
I shoot him a playful glare and he half-smiles at me.
Is it wrong that one dimple is way sexier than two?
~
'I hate you, but I love you, I can't stop thinking of you. I don't know what to do, I'm stuck on you...'
''Shut up, Stacey Orrico, what do you know?'' I mutter and shut off iTunes.
Alec's 4x4 pulls up outside the little cottage and I call a goodbye to my family. When I turn around he's in front of me.
''I hope there's a wetsuit in that bag.'' He takes it from me.
I raise my eyebrows at him. ''I told you, I'm not surfing. I'll sit and look pretty while you do all the hard work.''
''I'm sure you will, but you are getting on a board today,'' he insists.
''I'm not a surfing kinda girl.''
I'm vaguely aware of the fact I've barely stepped off the doorstep and my family can probably hear every word. Knowing Grammy, she's got her nose pressed up against the window and a glass to the wall.
Enjoy the show, Gram, I think.
''Oh, no. I thought it over, if you're coming with me, you're surfing,'' Alec insists.
''Then I've thought it over.'' I grab my bag. ''I'm not going with you.''
I turn around and put my hand on the door handle.
''Wow,'' he breathes out and I know he's shaking his head.
''What?'' I glance at him over my shoulder.
''You really are a city girl, aren't you?''
''What?''
''Have you ever seen the world outside London?''
I snort. ''Of course I have, Alec.'' I gesture around me. ''I'm looking it at right now.''
''But have you really seen it? Have you ever really taken the time to look at anything besides skyscrapers, the walls of the underground and the inside of Harvey Nichols? The world is a beautiful place, Devon is a beautiful place, you just have to open your eyes and see it. There are so many amazing things out there waiting for you to discover them. Just open your heart to them.'' He starts walking backwards up the path towards his Jeep.
''And let me guess, surfing is one of these amazing things just waiting to be discovered by little ol' me?'' I ask sarcastically.
''As a matter of fact, yes.'' He reaches his car. ''You know, you can be so uptight sometimes..''
''Uptight?'' I cry.
''Every once in a while you gotta stop worrying, stop thinking and let go. Stop worrying if you have a hair out of place, or if you've chipped a nail. Hell, Lexy, you gotta have some fun in your life. Come with me, let me teach you to surf. Trust me, it'll be worth it.'' Alec opens the passenger side door and motions for me to get in.
''I don't..''
''Don't give me that 'I don't know' crap, Princess.'' His eyes bore into mine and for the first time, my heart flutters at the pet name.
''I hate it when you call me that.'' I lie through clenched teeth and kick the ground.
''I know.'' He winks. ''That's partly why I do it. You're not in London anymore. Croyde has the best waves in Devon. C'mon, Lexy.'' He smiles, showing me his dimples like he knows it's my weakness. ''Just once. Let go and try it, just once, and if you hate it I promise you never have to do it again.''
I study him for a moment. His stormy blue-grey eyes that draw me in further than the latest Kindle best-seller, his ruffled dirty brown hair, his sun-kissed skin.
''Scouts honour?'' I turn around slowly.
''Scouts honour.'' He holds his fingers up.
''Okay, you win.'' I sigh and walk down the path, throwing my bag in the back seat before climbing into the passenger seat. His smile widens and he pushes the door closed. He walks around, gets in next to me and starts the engine.
''Were you even a boy scout?'' I peer at him out the corner of my eye.
''Nope.'' We both laugh. ''But I bet you weren't a girl scout either.''
He looks at me and I smile.
''Got me there,'' I admit.
''Brownie?''
''Nope.''
''Hmm, army cadet?''
''Don't be silly.'' I elbow him and lean forward to turn the radio on. Us Against The World by Westlife is playing, and I can't find the heart to turn it off.
I turn my face towards the window and let the music flow through me. I sing the words like a reflex, an automatic reaction. I don't even realise what I'm doing until I feel Alec's eyes on me.
I glance at him and my cheeks flush.
''Closet Westlife fan. I knew it,'' he shakes his head.
''Shut up,'' I mumble.
~
I chew the inside of my cheek anxiously as Alec picks me out a board and wetsuit from the rental place. I can see the beach from where I'm standing, and he really wasn't lying when he said that Croyde had bigger waves than Lilac Bay.
''Ready?'' he asks, passing me the wetsuit. ''There's a little room out the back you can change in.''
''I guess,'' I mumble and take it, walking in the direction of the changing room. The suit is a bugger to get on, and I can only zip it up halfway. I look upwards when I realise I have to ask Alec to finish zipping it up.
''Done?'' He turns to me as I step out.
''Can you, er, zip me up?'' I sweep my hair around the side of my neck, revealing my half bare back.
''Sure.'' He steps up to me and his fingers brush my skin. My breath catches and I hold it as he moves the zip slowly upwards.
''You can breathe now, Princess,'' he whispers in my ear and strokes his hands down my arms. His lips graze my earlobe and I shiver.
He grabs my hand and pulls me towards the beach. Apparently, he's already taken the boards onto the beach. He must have done that while I was wrestling with the damn wetsuit.
Alec smiles at my obvious reluctance to move towards the surfboard.
''Come on.'' He tugs my hand gently and I step up to it.
''Lie it down on the sand,'' he orders.
''Didn't know you could surf on sand,'' I quip dryly and release his hand, moving towards the board.
''Ha, ha.'' He makes a face at me. ''I'm teaching you the moves before you head out into the water. It's safe this way.''
''Great, now he tells me it's dangerous,'' I grumble and lay the board down next to his.
''It's not dangerous, just a little risky. Lie down on the board on your tummy, directly down the middle. See that line?'' He points to it. ''You need to be straight on that.''
''Right.'' I lie down. ''Now what?''
''Put your arms out and pretend you're paddling.''
''On the sand?''
''No, Princess.'' He rolls his eyes. ''Amongst the clouds.''
''Alright, alright.'' I put my arms out and exaggerate the paddle, much to his amusement.
''Let's try standing. Put your hands on the board level with your chest, and put yourself up quickly. Your legs need to be where your waist was, like this.''
I turn my head and he demonstrates.
''Your turn.'' He nods to me and I take a deep breath.