Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
He suddenly looked very firm. “If I don’t get back in the water—and soon—I’ll never trust myself to go back into space. And no one else will trust me either.”
As if exhausted by their confessions, they both began to eat heartily, enjoying the candlelight and the atmosphere of the restaurant with its tables of chattering friends and couples.
She said, “Enough sad stories. How did it feel walking into the house as the homeowner for the first time?”
His smile was huge. “It felt great. I love everything about that house. And thank you for sending over your dad’s number. We’ve already been in touch. He said he’d hook me up with some painters.”
She nodded. “I knew he would. My dad’s the best.”
“I hope I get to meet him. He sounds like a really great guy.”
It suddenly crossed her mind to invite him to her brother’s wedding. But she stopped herself. It was ten days away, and she didn’t really know Herschel well enough yet, and she wasn’t at all sure she wanted to bring him to such an important family event. Even the fact that she’d thought of asking him made her pause. If she brought a guest to her brother’s wedding, her family would immediately think she had a new partner. No. She wasn’t going there. Instead, she said, “I’m going to take you on my secret special tour of all the highlights of Carmel-by-the-Sea. I think you’ll love it.”
“I can’t imagine a better tour guide. Thank you.”
After they both ordered coffee and declined dessert, Hersch pulled out his wallet, and she could see he was looking for a waiter. She said, “The other thing I did in advance? Pay the check. Welcome to Carmel, from me and Ferguson Realty. It’s on the company tonight.”
He put his wallet away but raised his eyebrows. Although he thanked her, she realized that Hersch was disappointed. Had she messed up by putting the dinner on the company card? It wasn’t unusual to wine and dine an extra-special client rather than send a gift basket. But from his expression, he’d thought their meal was more special than that… and it was. She could kick herself.
She lingered at the table, waiting to see if he might lean over and kiss her, but no, all the intimacy of the evening had disappeared. She ached with disappointment.
“If you really do feel that you’d like to get back in the water soon, come to my beginners drop-in surfing class tomorrow.”
“Maybe,” he said, looking unsure, and then he stood to pull out her chair.
The more she got to know Herschel, the more she wanted him. She just hoped she hadn’t messed things up by being her usual assertive self. She couldn’t bear the thought that Hersch might walk away from this night thinking she was just his real estate professional.
Chapter Sixteen
Mila had hoped that Herschel would turn up at her Saturday afternoon surf lesson, but she wasn’t very surprised when he didn’t.
Her students had already gone home, and she was slow to pack up, each wetsuit feeling heavier than usual. She’d never been like this with any other man, and it was dawning on her that maybe it was because no other man had so quickly meant this much to her.
She was so lost in thought that it took her several moments to realize that someone was calling her name.
When she turned, there was Hersch, a sheepish expression on his face. The relief was almost overwhelming.
“I missed the class, I know,” he said, gesturing toward the beach. “I thought I could do this, but then… Well, I kept finding reasons not to… and I was moving my things over to the new house. And then, well, I had a stern word with myself, and here I am. But I can see it’s too late.”
Mila was so happy to see him that she blurted, “No, we can still do this. We’ll start slow, okay? We’ll just get you into a wetsuit, and you can remember what it feels like to be in the ocean. Then you take the wetsuit off. That’s it.”
It hadn’t escaped her notice that Hersch had been admiring her body in her own wetsuit. She tried to keep her cool and focus on what a big deal this was for him to show up.
“Okay,” he said.
She got him a wetsuit and said, “I’m sorry they’re all wet from the lesson. It’s much harder to get them on.”
Hersch took the suit from her. “I’m used to wetsuits from my Ironman training.”
He began to unbutton his shirt. Hersch was even more buff than she had imagined. His skin was tanned and smooth, the muscles perfectly formed, and he was toned—so, so toned—she almost couldn’t believe it. It was like the man was carved from marble. When he unzipped his jeans to reveal his swim shorts, her breath quickened, and she wasn’t sure she could control herself. She longed to reach out and touch him.