Page 39 of The Surfer

14

RIPLEY

“Trust me.”

I glance from Cove’s outstretched hand and up to his blue eyes staring back at me like pools of clear tropical water.

Yeah, I trust him.

Especially after what he did with that James guy.

“I’ve done this path a thousand times before,” Cove continues, his voice soft and tender. He’s talking to me, directly to me, like we’re close friends. “Trust me.”

I realize right now that I do trust Cove. Totally.

Oh God, what have I turned into? Another one of his fawning female conquests?

“Okay,” I reply, taking his hand. I feel his soft tanned skin on mine. He grips my hand tightly, just like he had back at the beach parking lot, and it makes me feel so safe.

I do trust him.

I’m beginning to wonder if Cove actually likes me. Like, does he like me? After all, he did punch a guy in public for insulting me, so you can’t blame me if now I’m beginning to suspect there’s more to Cove than the outer rebel playboy exterior he likes to show off. He’s been different to me all morning.

Maybe he actually cares about me?

I mean, he’s actually taking me to a place he’s never taken anyone else before, especially not other girls. So, what makes me different from the legion of temporary girlfriends he’d had before? And does Cove even view me as special?

Maybe I am.

Maybe he’s thinking of me as more than just some annoying American girl he has to keep around to keep getting his rent money.

Why else would he be acting so protective and caring? Showing me places he’s never showed anyone else?

I certainly feel special.

But maybe that’s his way with every girl, maybe that’s his trick. Make them feel special.

Sandy did say he has a tricky way with women, that they fall at his feet.

Oh, god, is that what I’m doing now?

I’m beginning to realize I don’t truly understand him at all. He’s nothing like the first impression I had of him, arrogantly standing there outside his bedroom totally naked. I want to know more about him and strip away his bad-boy façade, I bet there’s more to him behind that mask he wears.

But maybe that’s what every girl thinks, maybe that’s what every girl falls for and Cove turns out to be nothing more than just another heartbreaking asshole.

Does it just take Cove reaching out and taking my hand at the end of some Australian bushland to melt my weak heart? Is that all it takes?

Well, it’s certainly working.

Oh, God.

“Follow me,” he says, smiling that gorgeous smile that can somehow make my entire body shudder. He pulls me away from his parked car and into the thick bushland. We’ve arrived at this spot along a bit of dirt road only minutes before. I thought Cove was lost, but he told me we were at the entrance to his secret beach. I didn’t believe we were actually at a beach; I still don’t believe him because all I can see is nothing around us but thick foliage leading to more foliage. No beach in sight.

But Cove is so confident and persistent and dreamy looking that I just have to follow him.

And so, I do, with his hand around mine, into the Australian bush heading into god-knows-where.

You’re going into a forest with a strange man, Ripley Sailor. How dumb are you?