Page 3 of Between the Boards
“Helping you helps me get out of that house,” he says, “and it gives me something to focus on besides my endless free time of not surfing.”
I stare at him, suspicious, but he just flashes me a boyish grin.
“You know you want to,” he sing-songs. “Isn’t the book you’re reading now all about the love coach trope?”
I glance down to the paperback beside me. “How do you know that?” I ask. “And how do you even know what a trope is?”
He looks stunned for half a second before quickly recovering and clearing his throat.
“That doesn’t matter,” he says quickly. “What matters is your answer. Do you want me to coach you or not?”
“W-well…” I stutter, my cheeks growing warm. “Wouldn’t that involve…practice dates and stuff?”
He closes his eyes, but the corner of his mouth curves up. “Mmm-hmm.”
“Saltwater Springs is a small town, Colton. How am I supposed to explain that without humiliating myself to every single person here—including Zale?”
“You’re single,” he says simply. “Dating is normal. We’ll just make sure you never see the same guy twice.”
“Right,” I say slowly, thinking it over.
“So?” he presses. “You in?”
His blue eyes lock onto mine, and my heart starts that loud and traitorous thumping again.
“Wait,” I say, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment. “This won’t be weird, right? You coaching me?”
Colton props himself up on his elbows, frowning. “Why would it be?”
“Well...” I hesitate. “You and I have…done stuff before.”
“We’ve had sex,” He says bluntly, brow lifting. “Yes. I’m aware.”
“I just want to make sure there aren’t any unshared feelings or anything on your end.”
He holds my gaze for a moment before cracking a half smile. “I know that night was just a heat-of-the-moment thing, Kai. You made that pretty clear from the beginning, and I never expected more.”
Relief washes through me instantly because the last thing I want is to hurt Colton by accident. He’s had a hard enough time returning to the team, even though he acts unfazed in front of everyone else.
“In fact,” he continues. “We don’t even have to count it.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“You were drunk, and I basically had a concussion.” He shrugs. “Neither of us were in the right state of mind, so it doesn’t really count.”
I scoff, and hold his gaze. It should count though, shouldn’t it? I mean, it counted for me, regardless of being intoxicated. But to know Colton doesn’t feel the same…hurts a bit.
“Alright,” I say, holding out my hand. “I’m in.”
His grin widens as he takes my hand—warm, rough fingers closing around mine—and gives it a gentle shake.
“This is going to be fun,” he says, but when he doesn’t let go right away, fireworks spark up my arm.
It’s just attraction, I tell myself. I think Colton is hot but that doesn’t mean anything beyond that.
“So much fun,” I mumble, staring down at our hands.
TWO
