Preston’s eyes soften. “They are good. Safe. One of their friends tested positive so they are concerned but still quarantining and thankfully, dad is following the guidelines and precautions.”
“Good, I’m sorry for their friend but glad they are okay.”
“Let’s do something fun, Hollywood.”
“What kind of fun?”
“I was thinking of taking a paddle board out. Want to join me?”
“I don’t know how.”
“It’s pretty easy. I could teach you.”
Images of Preston teaching me to snorkel flash in my mind. The feel of his hands around my waist as he threw us into the water.
“You’re not going to throw me off a dock again, are you?”
Preston throws his head back and laughs. “No, I won’t do that. It’s easier to get on a board while standing in the water and we have a beach this time.”
“Okay, let me get changed.”
“I’ll meet you at the dock. I’m going to grab the boards.” Preston turns and walks back down the path towards the dock.
Rushing to my bedroom, I scour my bathing suit options. I picked up some new suits at the resort shop even though I packed several varieties to begin with. A low-cut black one-piece catches my eye. Full coverage. Practical. Subtly hot. Moving to the bathroom, I pull my hair into a high pony before applying tinted sunscreen. Giving myself a once over in the mirror, I decide this will do.
I’m giddy as I find Preston on the shoreline. He’s lugging one of the large paddle boards closer to another already laid out on the sand.
“I’m surprised with you being from L.A. that you haven’t paddle boarded. Isn’t it surf central out there?” he calls out.
“I actually live in Santa Monica and see people surfing all the time. I don’t really have much time to get down to the beach when I’m there. I’m out of town more than I am in town so the beach is purely for the views and to get out of downtown when I am there.”
“I liked Venice when I was in L.A.”
“I keep forgetting you played for L.A.” Honestly, I keep forgetting Preston plays ball at all.
“Ouch.”
“I meant that in a good way.”
He’s so different from most athletes and celebrities that I’ve met. We barely talk about baseball. Preston doesn’t regale me with his stats to impress me. Thankfully, Preston doesn’t say anything else and instead starts explaining how to stand up and balance on the board.
“Ready to give it a try?” He walks me through the motions on the sand. I feel like an idiot laying on the board and then trying to position my feet to stand up while still on land. But I appreciate the patience and attention that Preston shows in teaching me.
He showed the same focus as when he taught me how to snorkel. How this man is still single, I have no idea. I desperately try to avoid staring at his hard toned body but it’s next to impossible with him hovering over my practiced movements. His tan skin is on full display and his six pack abs flex with every new position he demonstrates. Preston is equal parts jacked and long lean muscle of a professional athlete.
He just stares at me.
Am I drooling? It feels like I’m drooling. Oh shit, he asked me a question.“Uhhh, yes?”
“Alright.” He grabs the board and starts for the water. “Grab the paddle.”
“What about you? You’re not boarding?”
“I will. I’ll help you get up first though. Land is one thing. Water takes a whole other level of core strength.”
“This is feeling an awful lot like a workout.”
Preston just laughs as he positions the board in the water. Here’s hoping my core is strong enough that I don’t look like a complete idiot in front of the hottest man I’ve ever seen and still have to share a house with after.
