Recklessly (31 page)

Lana stroked his jaw, her timid expression focused on him, and something tightened in his chest. His heart bounced so hard, the rest of him felt like it was vibrating, and it scared him. He was so far down this rabbit hole with her, and he hadn’t even realized how deep he’d fallen.

Fuckin’
Wonderland
.

Wes pondered if she’d felt it because she immediately pressed her parted lips to his with gentle touches, clinging to him like he was her anchor. He laid her back down, balancing himself over her. The sheer pleasure of it all—the invitation in her eyes, their absolute nakedness, being in love—was infinite. “I’ve got you. I promise,” he whispered before he came inside her, never looking away from the surprising comfort and security in
her
eyes, the kind he hadn’t even realized he needed.

He crashed beside her on the mattress, and when she rolled to her stomach, he stroked her sweat-damp back. “So…he—”

“Eh. Not bad. Not bad,” she joked, flipping her hand back and forth.

“Oh really?” Wes said before he turned her over and climbed on top of her, cradling her face. “You need to hear this, you jerk,” he added with a smile. “You wanted me to promise something earlier…and here’s what I promise. I want to make all your days like sunshi—No?”

She shook her head. “The best barrel ever. One of those you have to go to a secret surf spot to see. In the South Pacific somewhere…”

“Okay…then your days are like that. I promise. I promise when I wake up next to you, I will always give you a kiss just like the one I gave you the night before. And then fuck your brains out.”

“Oooh, I like that! These are wonderful promises.” She giggled but there was insecurity in her features when she stopped laughing. Wes wished he could hold her until she had faith.

“Look, here’s what I know, Lana. We, people—humans—we’re ordinary. We don’t like to admit it, but we are. We all get sick, we all cry, we all hurt, we break down.
We break.
No matter how beautiful or fast or strong or fit or smart. No matter the person. We’re vulnerable. We’re fallible.
We die.
We’re.
Ordinary.
All of us. And yet, by flaw or strength, we still believe in so many impossible things.
Extraordinary
things. We believe
ourselves
extraordinary. I don’t really know what it is about the two of us together, Lana, but it feels inevitable that we’re here, and I feel it here. Feel
you
here.” Wes placed Lana’s hand on his heart. “So, I choose to believe in the extraordinary. I choose to believe in
us.
”

Chapter 10 Effort

The two of them kept their relationship as much the same as before as they could over the next few weeks. Most nights ended at one of their homes for REFT, he picked her up from work every once in a while, and they went out to clubs and hung with their friends on the weekends. He really loved how much they talked, how intimate their conversations had become, discussing his parents relationship and her conflicting feelings about giving Sadie up for adoption.

But both were also adjusting to just being in a relationship, and it wasn’t a trust thing at all. It was just two people used to being individuals, used to a certain kind of freedom that didn’t require taking another person into consideration in this way, having to change course just slightly: calling each other regularly, responding to missed calls as soon as possible, appreciating each other, not letting absences draw out for too long, and communicating frustrations. And they were both trying and working very hard at it.

What Wes liked the most, though, was the sweet, simple gestures he got to do for her, even though Lana being Lana never requested or required them. And after he returned from a weeklong trip to Brazil, he had a very special one in mind, especially since she had gotten bogged down a few nights while he was gone because she had picked up extra Bar Method classes and clients to cover the losses from regular clients who were on vacation, or those who had finished up for the summer
.

While she was at work one night, he and Grayson steered an easel through Wes’ house and upstairs to the balcony. After they set it down, Grayson dashed downstairs to retrieve the bags of art supplies. Then, he made another trip for her canvases and paper. He had been incredibly accommodating since Wes had called him for help in planning this surprise for Lana, as a way to make peace between them.

“Are you sure this is the easel she wants? And all these brushes and pencils and all this stuff?” Wes asked him when Grayson returned for the final time.

“She better, for the money you just spent!” Grayson said, shaking his head.

“Is it too much? I just want her to have a place to do this. And I know she wants to put something together for Sadie.”

“No, I promise you, this is her ultimate wish list. This is sweet. Almost makes me wish you were my boyfriend.”

Wes beamed. “So, is she officially calling me that now to other people?”

“Definitely. To
everyone.
I’m glad you stuck. I mean that.” Grayson went to shake Wes’ hand but Wes pulled him into a hug.

“You had your doubts, though…” Wes said in a fake disgruntled manner when they pulled apart.

“And I’m glad I was wrong. Rick isn’t though,” Grayson said with a laugh.

“I can’t wait to surprise her and see her! And take my girl out!” Tonight was the International Surfing Association Awards.

“You guys have fun tonight, okay?” As Grayson departed, Wes bumped into Abel on his way to carry some of the supplies into his room. He thought the easel was fine out there, but he didn’t want the paints and brushes to get damaged in the heat.

“Hey, dude,” Abel said when he walked into his room. “All that for her?”

“Yup. And I don’t need a lecture right now either…”

“You weren’t going to get one. You’re focusing on surfing, you seem happy as hell, you and Lana keep it down most nights—”

“Dude…” Wes said as he made a face.

“I really came in here to talk to you about Char. Have you talked to her at all lately?”

Wes shook his head after he thought about it for a moment. “The only time I see her these days is when she updates her Facebook pictures. Is she just living in Orange County now? I’m pretty sure school starts next week for her or something…or maybe it already started?”

“Next time she’s here we should see how she’s doing. I feel like we were so much closer at the beginning of the summer.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We’ll both talk to her. If you see her, grab her and call me, and I’ll do the same.”

“Thanks, bro,” Abel said, squeezing his shoulder.

Wes showered and shaved before he decided on an outfit for the event. Both he and Abel were nominated for Favorite Surfer-Male, and he was nominated for Best Winter Barrel Ride. Light chatter flowed through the walls, and he smiled. Lana was there. Wes pulled a towel around his waist and went downstairs. She squealed and ran for him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Her mouth was soon consuming his in hard, ravenous kisses.

“I would say ‘Get a room,’ but in my experience, that usually doesn’t make things better for you two, anyway,” Abel teased before he went upstairs.

“Hi, baby! Damn…were you this sexy before our jobs took over our lives?”

“I’ve always been this sexy,” Wes replied, trailing kisses down her neck. “I missed you.”

“Me, too! How was your trip?”

“Brazil was amazing, but you make home
so
good. Now get your
fine
ass upstairs!” Wes said, smacking her on the butt. “Go get ready! Stop out on the balcony while you’re up there.”

He waited while listening to her footsteps move along the floor, and she was screaming a few seconds later before she appeared at the banister, beaming. “You…Oh my God…I…wow. Wes, thank you! Thank you so much!”

“Supplies are in my room.”

“You got supplies, too? How did you even—”

“Grayson and I worked things out,” he explained.

“Thank you! You’re the best.” She blew him a kiss before disappearing into his room.

He called up to Lana an hour later. “Baby? Limo’s outside.” Lana jumped to the second floor landing from his room, and Wes stopped inhaling. She looked stunning. She was wearing a long strapless black dress with a slit revealing nearly the entire length of her thighs. The awards show wasn’t really the most formal event, but Lana was determined to look her most exquisite for their first official surfing outing as a couple. And most of the other surfers’ dates dressed up as well.

“Yup! I just need to take my curlers out! I’ll put my shoes on in the car!” She dropped a hand on her hip and gave him an impatient look when he didn’t move. “Baby? I said I’m coming. And you look so
dashing
.”

“Oh…right…” Wes shook his thoughts back into place, and he glanced at himself in the mirror near the entryway.
Dashing, huh?
Black polo shirt and dark denim. Black Nikes. Lava cap. Elliott uniform.

“I get to talk, right? I’m not just your arm piece?” Lana asked as she descended the staircase barefoot, clutching her platform heels, and her hair was full of waves.

“You can talk on the red carpet, baby…” Wes trailed off when the sound of giggling pulsed out of the kitchen, and he and Lana exchanged puzzled expressions until Charlotte appeared, stumbling into the living room as she and a guy fondled and kissed each other. Not noticing them, the guy pressed her against a wall, raised her dress and stuck his hand in her underwear.

“WHAT THE FUCK?” Wes yelled and the couple tore away from each other, and he shot a malicious glare at the guy, who appeared to be about the same age as him. And it wasn’t a cold night, but he was wearing a hoodie with his jeans.

Charlotte screamed. “Oh! Shit! You guys scared me. I didn’t realize you were still here! Shit, this is awkward. But you guys look nice. Oh my God, Lana, you look so amazing. So pretty! Where’d you get that dress? Hot legs. Your legs are soooo hot.” She giggled but she looked tired and her face was incredibly pale. The man next to her whispered something in her ear. “I’m so embarrassed. I’m sorry, Wes. I just wanted to have a guest over.”

“Okay, you are totally on something right now,” Lana accused.

“I’m
not.
And that’s so rude…” Charlotte said, straightening her shoulders and sneering at Lana. “How fuckin’ dare you. You don’t know shit about me…”

“Who the hell is this?” Wes said, gesturing at him. He was two seconds away from escorting him out of the house with a shoe to his back.

“This is Keith, and he’s my guest. Didn’t I just say he was my guest? I can’t have people over? What the fuck? Oh my God. If you don’t want us here, especially if Lana is going to be
a fucking bitch,
we’re just gonna go.”

“Char, come on,” Wes said, but Charlotte grabbed Keith’s arms and led him back through the kitchen, and a few seconds later, he heard the back door slam.

“Do you want to go after her?” Lana asked.

Wes sighed. “Yes, but I doubt she’ll want to talk right now, and I’m sure she expects me come after her, so I bet they hightailed it. I don’t want her in a car with him. You really think she was high? I should call her parents.”

“Yeah, I do. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.”

“Okay, I’ll deal with it when we get back. I don’t want to ruin our night further. I don’t think I can do anything right now, anyway,” Wes said. As they walked out the door, he pressed out a text to her saying he wanted to talk to her, and he was still here if she needed him.

Taking Lana’s hand, they walked out to the limo where Christian and Abel and their dates were waiting, and they were quickly whisked off to a downtown hotel. It was poised to be a very interesting night Wes realized, as every face, familiar and unknown, examined the woman on his arm.

The awards were extremely low-key every year. It was a dinner arrangement where surfers sat at round tables with waiters coming through with drinks. Light cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and interviews preceded the event, and during the pre-show, true to form, Lana was no eye candy. She flitted around the room, socializing on her own as he chatted with the media, but she was at his side when the lights went low for the show.

“When do you go up as a presenter?” she whispered about an hour in. Wes didn’t win Favorite Surfer-Male or Best Barrel this year—he had a Favorite Surfer-Male trophy from three years ago, thank you very much—so he planned to settle into autopilot mode and praise the free drinks until it ended.

“In, like, half an hour. I have to go backstage in fifteen, though, to prepare, and then I have to wait another fifteen to get back to the table. They send us back in waves so that we don’t disturb the show too much. Why?”

Lana moved his hand on her bare knee beneath the tablecloth and immediately stole all his attention.
I. Dare. You,
she mouthed before drawing the top row of her teeth over her bottom lip. Wes blew out a breath in reaction to the growing swell between his legs.
Wow. She’s serious.

“You dare an Elliott brother at your own risk,” he whispered, brushing his palm up her thigh until he reached the apex of the slit in her dress. “You know I never say no to a dare or bet, right?”

Lana leaned in to his ear. “Oh, I’m banking on that. Isn’t this kinda what this dress was made for?”

“How much have you had to drink, babe?”

“I can’t blame this on alcohol, Wesley, but
enough
…and our table is almost empty…and I’m kinda bored…and super horny.” There was one other person sitting with them, but she was directly on the other side of the empty chairs between them because the other presenters were waiting to return to the table. It really was the perfect opportunity to do something risqué. And all around them, everyone’s eyes were turned to one of the Best Film nominees, and part of the presentation included showing about six minutes of each nominated film in the category periodically throughout the show. Lana had timed it perfectly, and he almost high-fived her. “I. Dare. You,” she said.