“So what happened?” I whispered, and he sighed.
“Everything that could possibly go wrong did. I paddled out, trying to catch a solid thirty-footer, but the peak shifted at the last minute, and I was forced to take the second wave that rolled in.
“The next wave came out of nowhere. It was at least seventy feet, and I was close enough to the break line that I was worried it would collapse on top of me if I didn’t ride it.
“So, I took a chance… and it was the wrong choice. The wave broke early, and in an effort to not fall to my death, I did my best to stay ahead of it. I was so focused on not wiping out that I didn’t realize I was heading straight for the death zone.”
I gasped, and he gave me a haunted look.
“I got caught in a double wave hold down, and my board ended up lodged between two rocks. I couldn’t even get to the surface because the quick release failed on my tether.”
“Fuck…” I breathed. “That feels… cosmically unfair.”
He shrugged. “I guess it was my time. The ocean wanted my life, and there was no escaping it. But even now, I panic a little whenever my tether pulls after a wipeout. That’s partially why I was so pissed at you that first day when you dropped in on my wave. I was a little triggered after my tether pulled me up.”
Guilt rushed through me, and I cupped his face and brushed my lips across his.
“I’m sorry, baby,” I whispered, and he let out a soft sigh, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in close.
He buried his face in my neck.
“It’s okay. You didn’t know,” he murmured against me, his breath tickling the sensitive skin under my jaw.
He took a deep inhale as if just the scent of my skin comforted him, and I dropped a kiss on the top of his head.
“I love you, Jake Whittling,” I whispered, and he shuddered and kissed me again, just below the ear. I’d noticed that whenever I called him by his real name, he had this deep, visceral reaction to it. I resolved at that moment to do it more often.
“I love you too, Finn Summers.” He hummed, and I drifted off, wrapped around the man who’d lost everything but somehow managed to still give me so much.
Isaw my first eighty-foot wave on December 28th, 2024.
Flanked by both Makoa and Jake, I watched the Leviathan rise over the horizon like a hulking demon. Its pipe was a great, dark maw, looking to swallow the lives of any surfer foolish enough to try and tame it.
Even Jet’s face was grave, his easy half-cocked grin nowhere in sight. I was the only one practically vibrating with excitement.
It was finally time.
I’d worked toward this. I’d beenwaiting,and I wasnota patient man.
Jet cut me a dark look, his lips pursing as he took in my inability to contain my excitement. My entire body washummingwith adrenaline as I watched monster after monster continue to roll onto the beach.
“Easy, surf star,” he said softly. “Let’s not rush into anything.”
Jake grunted his agreement just as I whined in protest.
“What do you meanrushinto anything? This is what I’ve been training for!”
Jet chuckled, shaking his head, and Jake scowled at me.
“Tomorrow looks like it’s gonna be better conditions. Also, I have Kai renting a Jet Ski, so we have a better chance of saving your ass if anything goes wrong.”
Jake looked like he might kiss Jet on the mouth, and an unwarranted spike of jealousy coursed through me at the thought.
It was stupid to be jealous. Jet couldn’t even see him… but still. I didn’t want my man looking at anyone butmelike he might kiss them, even if the kisses were because Jet was trying to keep me safe… which was pretty much Jake’s biggest turn-on.
Safe Finn = Jake boner.
No fake.
