“Two, one…” Keith’s voice sounded tinny over the bud in Zach’s ear and refocused his mind like a laser. “And…action.”
Zach started the countdown in his head. Three, two, one. He plunked the binoculars on the railing, turned, and rushed the steps, taking them two at a time. At the bottom of the tower, he grabbed the board leaning against the stairs, chucked it under his arm, and sprinted toward the ocean.
His movements were automatic and familiar. He’d done this countless times as a lifeguard along the Southern California coast in his youth—sans cameramen gliding alongside him on a mechanical arm and filming his every move, of course.
He entered the water as effortlessly as breathing. A couple of steps in, he thrust the board out in front of him and immediately followed, hitting the surface of the water as one unit. His progress was filmed at two angles, one from the sand, one from the water. CGI and editing magic would eliminate any identifying characteristics from the film so Ian could take all the glory of Zach’s hard work and skill.
Zach drove his hands into the water over and over, driving through the waves as if someone’s life depended on it. His injured shoulder ached, and he did his best to fake the use of that arm. Since this was fiction, he could give all he had while he let his mind go. Tonight, he could even ignore the Sea-Doo running alongside him with a driver and a cameraman documenting his every move.
His thoughts turned to Tessa. And Sophia. Here, on the board, in the ocean, he had an outlet for his nerves and dug harder at the warm water, dragging himself over the waves.
What if Sophia didn’t like him? What if she never warmed up to him? What if he made a fool out of himself with her? Worse, what
if he made a mistake? What if he ruined the kid? What the hell did he know about any kid, let alone a little girl?
Nothing, that’s what. One big fat donut of nothing.
“Zach.” Keith’s voice sounded in his ear again. “Are you swimming to the Kiwis? You can stop anytime.”
Which was when he realized he’d missed the director’s “cut.” When he noticed the Sea-Doo was already headed back toward shore. When he noticed the throb in his shoulder.
Zach stopped paddling, crossed his burning arms on the board, and rested his forehead there, catching his breath as the ocean’s undulations lulled his stress.
“Great work today,” Keith said. “It’s a wrap. We’ll film the rescue scene this time tomorrow.”
With no mic, there was no need for Zach to respond, but he still muttered, “Halle-fucking-lujah.”
Zach pushed himself upright, letting his legs dangle on either side of the board while he stared out at the sun setting over the ocean.
His thoughts jumbled and tangled like they always did. Insecurities leapt into the fray and his heart skipped. God, he was excited and terrified all at the same time. His whole future had swung a U-turn on a dime.
“Zach,” Keith said in his ear. “Chamberlin’s here with Tompkins. Come on in.”
Zach’s heart skipped. His current boss and his future boss waited on the shore. And the miniature person who Zach had no doubt would quickly become the boss of his heart waited in a condo across town.
“Welcome to your new reality, Ellis.” He turned his board and watched the waves, choosing one to ride to shore. “No more freedom for you, dude.”
When a wave swelled in the distance, Zach paddled to catch it, then popped to his feet and rode the slope into the beach. The easy swoosh and glide of the surf felt good tonight. Familiar. Comforting. Right now, he’d take what he could get because he wouldn’t be getting what he wanted—which was to go back in time and relive that night with Tessa. Before his life flipped like a board caught in the surf. When his biggest challenge had been getting her to see him again.
He tucked his board under his arm and shook out his hair on the way up the beach muttering, “You’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Chamberlin and Tompkins wanted to talk about the new part, and between filming, Tessa, and Sophia, Zach hadn’t had a chance to recruit another agent. And he’d barely scratched the surface with the attorney.
“Hey, Zach.”
The female voice brought his head up. Zach focused on the two women swaying toward him. They wore bikinis like Playmates of the month and each carried a board at her side. Kerry and Candy. Oh, yeah, that had been a wild couple of weeks. Week one: surf by day, hookup by night. Week two: hookup by day, surf by night.
Until Zach’s interest had waned. They hadn’t been pleased.
Hard to believe that had been over six months ago.
“Ladies.” He paused even though he wished he’d seen them coming and altered his path. The security team had obviously opened the beach again. “Nice night for surfing.”
“A full moon always brings out our wild side.” Kerry, the blonde with barely covered double D’s and the more dominant of the two, stepped closer to Zach and gave him that I-know-you-want-me grin. She reached out and pressed the tip of her index finger to the center of his chest, then slid it down his torso. “Remember?”
Instead of his time with Kerry and Candy coming to mind, Zach’s memory pulled up Tessa. Tessa and the way she swung her hair over one shoulder, smiling at him like a sweet kitten. Tessa and the way she scraped her lower lip through her teeth when the pleasure intensified. Tessa and the way she looked when she finally gave herself over to the passion between them…
“Grab a quick ride with us,” Candy added, stepping up beside Kerry with an equally enticing smile. “Or…ride all night. We’ll leave that up to you.”