Page 52 of The Surfer

18

RIPLEY

Okay,sure, to be fair, Cove can make a pretty damn good milkshake. It’s nothing like the way Mom used to make them, but he’s still pretty damn good regardless.

And he’s fun, he knows how to make me laugh.

He’s irresistible.

“This is gonna be the weirdest combination of food ever,” I giggle as Cove finishes mixing the milkshake ingredients in the blender. He takes off the lid to check inside. The drink is all milky and frothy and dark with the chocolate syrup.

Perfect.

“What’s gonna be the weirdest combination of food ever?” Cove asks, mockingly mimicking my American accent.

“Prawns and chocolate milkshakes. It’s super weird.”

He smiles at me, pouring the contents of the blender into two tall glasses. “What? Are you saying you’ve never had milkshakes and prawns before? It’s a traditional recipe where I come from.”

Yeah, he really knows how to make me laugh, the bastard.

I know he’s joking, and I laugh along with him. We cheer with our milkshake glasses and then I chug it down.

“Yeah,” I say after I finish my big gulp of the chocolate drink. “That’s a pretty damn good milkshake.”

Cove laughs again and points at my lip.

“What?” I ask.

“You have a…”

“What?”

Cove shakes his head. “You have a chocolate milkshake mustache.”

“Oh,” He’s right. Before I even get the chance to do so, Cove’s already leaning over to wipe the frothy line from my top lip.

Oh, gosh, his finger is on my skin.

His tender touch on my lip thrills me inside like birds are fluttering anxiously around my stomach. His warm touch makes my whole body shiver with excitement.

His touch on my lip makes me remember this morning.

And his touch reminds me of that kiss we shared.

The kiss I’ll never forget.

His kiss this morning was so… unexpected. But it was so welcome. It just happened, but when it did, I never wanted it to end. Our lips matched perfectly at that moment, and it was like we’re made for each other, like we’re two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle finally slotting into place after years of being apart.

On our secret beach this morning I never wanted that kiss to end. I finally understand that weeks of getting closer and closer together has inevitably led to that moment. Looking back, it was inevitable that we should’ve kissed like that when we’d gotten as close as we had.

But I also knew I had to end it. I also knew I had to be the one to stop what we were doing.

Even though his taste was everything I want. Everything I need.

But it had to stop.

And it all came down to Sandy.