Page 54 of The Surfer

“You don’t have to be scared, Ripley.”

“I just want to keep it a secret.”

Cove leans in with his face so that our lips are nearly touching. “I’m not good at keeping secrets,” he says. His soft Australian accent makes my throat dry up and I melt in his voice. “Everyone in this small town seems to know everything about me apparently, and I don’t care. I don’t care about everyone knowing about us, even my sister.”

I know I can just fall into temptation right here and now, but I have to be strong, even with Cove Finn. I can’t let my feelings rush to my head, I can’t let them take over and dictate what I do, no matter how much I want to. “I have to remind you that everything is on the line, Cove. The money. Your money. My place at nursing university. Your inheritance. Everything is riding on this.”

Cove doesn’t seem affected by my excuses. It’s like he sees through my defenses and into what I truly feel. He sees my endless desire for him and he’s unfazed by the excuses I’ve built around myself. I can’t handle him anymore. He’s too strong for me, I can’t resist him for much longer.

I can’t contain my body for much longer.

“Ripley,” he whispers. “Answer me one thing. Was the kiss wrong or not?”

He knows my answer.

“It wasn’t wrong…” I pause. Our faces are so close. I’ve stopped breathing. My heart is ready to burst out of my chest. Cove is all-encompassing me; he’s my world and I see nothing but him. He’s cast a spell on me with his strong physicality and his confident presence and I can do nothing to defend my natural inclinations from him. Nothing I can do can stop my heart from falling for him. “It felt right?”

Cove smiles and our lips grazed each other. I can kiss him, I just can. It’s what I want. My whole body is screaming yes.

Do it.

It’s what I need to do.

“Yeah, Ripley Sailor,” Cove says just before our lips touch. “Trust me, it felt right.”

And then, for the second time that day, we’re kissing.

Kissing.

No. Listen to your heart, Ripley.

I break free from the kiss and Cove continues staring at me, expression indecipherable.

I can’t give in this easily.

“What about your sister?” I ask. I’m so weak for him, one more word from him and I’ll be gone, placed completely under his spell. Does he not know the power he has over me with just the sweet sound of his voice? The delicate touch of his finger on my lip? He has me utterly under his control, he must know that. “I’m so worried about her finding out about this. About us,”

Cove, still unfazed by my questioning, speaks quickly as if he’s been thinking of this sentence all morning, and maybe he has. “What does your heart tell you?”

My heart tells me that this is right. So unbelievable, irresistible, gloriously right.

Yes.

That’s what my heart tells me.

And that’s it.

He has me totally under his control. Hook, line, and sinker.

Our lips fall upon each other’s once again and this time I lose all my defenses. I can’t stop my heart now even if I try. Cove has me utterly under his spell. He has my lips. He has my body.

He has my heart.

It’s the best kiss. It’s the right kiss.

It’s so taboo, but it’s so right.

This is what my heart wants.