Crashing Hearts: An Oakport Beach Romance Read online

  Crash’s eyes go wide as he jumps to the kid and moves him away.

  “Why can’t we touch it?” the kid asks.

  I’m already thinking about the pending lawsuit Crash is about to get. Hell, if this had happened in the city, his little camp would be shut down.

  “Because it can shock you and hurt.” Crash is still so calm, like this isn’t a huge deal. His patience and overall calmness make me think he must have known it wouldn’t actually hurt the kids.

  “I felt nothing.” the boy says as he lines up with the rest of the kids.

  Crash looks behind him as I inch closer. “Must be grounded.” He shrugs.

  Now, I’m curious. Walking over, I touch it with one finger. The kid is right. Nothing. I can go right under here and move it to make getting the horses faster.

  Gripping the white rope, I ask Crash, “Want me to get the—”

  My sentence dies from my lips as I jump back, my arm stinging from the electric shock. I swear my heart does a double beat before it starts rhythmically moving on. It hurts like a bitch, and its aftershocks echo up to my elbow, bordering on painful tingles that keep going up and down my arm. My whole body prickles with this weird sensation.

  “And this is why we don’t pass the red line.” Crash uses me as the example, and all the kids take a step back from the line, not wanting to get close.

  The camp leaders are shaking their heads at me in disbelief as they twirl their hair around their fingers, all doe-eyed on Crash. “What do you need me to do to help?” one of the girls asks.

  “I got it. Just give me a second.” I try to ignore the electric shock I unknowingly yet purposely gave myself. Crash steps back and says in my ear, “You okay?”

  I nod, not trusting my voice. His callused fingers do a gentle inspection of my arm, and my heart thumps deep in my chest. I have it bad. One night with Crash and I have turned into a soft, melting puddle of goo for him.

  I lean into his touch, wanting a kiss, but then we’re interrupted. “Are we able to feed the horses carrots?” one of the little kids shouts, ruining our moment.

  “You got it!” Crash says, stepping away, and continues on entertaining the kids.

  He gives me a nod, and I decide to bring Aunt Millie out first. I think she might like the attention. I have to sweet talk her to leave the barn like normal, but then she walks perfectly toward Crash.

  She stands, looking so proud, and one at a time Crash leads each kid over to give her a nice little pet. Everything about this steals a bit of my heart as it floats right over to Crash. I’m scared that by the end of the month, I will have given my whole heart, leaving it beating in his hand for him to do whatever he would like.

  The rest of the day goes without a hitch. I help bring the horses out for the kids, then I would check in on Aunt Millie, before seeing if Crash needed anything else. I can’t help but admire how good he is with kids. They all look at him like he hung the sun and hang on to his each and every word. Between his instructions, he would flash me quick little glances, showing me his heart-stopping smile or his sexy wink that had me melting for him. When we thought no one would notice, he allowed his hand to find mine or linger at my lower back longer than necessary.

  By the time Crash and I wave goodbye to the small, short yellow bus, the clouds have started to roll through the sky. “We’re going to get one hell of a storm tonight.” He whistles before I take a seat on his front porch. “If you get scared, you can share my bed again.” His lips curve into an assuming smirk.

  “How did you know I was thinking about how scared I might be?” I lie, keeping up with the flirty banter.

  “Just had a hunch. It’s one of my many skills.” He shrugs, coming over to me, placing his thumbs on my shoulders, and giving me a mini massage. It hits all the nerves that are tensed from working different muscles than I’m used to. I’m starting to believe Crash is perfect at anything he puts his mind to.

  CHAPTER 16

  I’m woken to loud bangs, and the room lights up with another crack of a whip. My heart startles until I feel Crash’s hand around my midriff. “It’s only a thunderstorm,” he mumbles, still half asleep.

  It takes a few seconds to remember I’m in his bedroom in Oakport Beach and not the city. This thunderstorm is loud, and the rain pounding on the roof takes over the whole house. How can he sleep with so much outside noise? Taking a few practiced breaths, my heart starts beating a little more normal.

  “Snuggle into me, and you’ll be fine.”

  I do as he says, surprised how fast I begin to fall back to sleep. If I wake up at night, I’m typically up for the remainder of the day. Crash is changing me in ways that I didn’t know were possible. Slowly, my sleep schedule is starting to become more normal, without the help of melatonin. My heart palpitations are less often. I have time to enjoy myself. That may be an odd comment, but I was so busy working twelve-hour shifts and running around like the world was going to end that I never had time to truly enjoy anything. I don’t remember the last time I just sat, feeling happy and content. I feel this with Crash’s arm around me, keeping me safe. I wait to feel suffocated or the loss of my independence, but it’s not there.

  My body drifts back to sleep easily; my last thoughts are that I’m happy, and I wonder if this is what my sisters feel.

  “Time to get up,” Crash sings, looking at me over his steaming mug of coffee.

  “I thought you said I could sleep in today?” Another thing about me, I love sleeping in. Mostly because of the lack of days I get half-decent sleep. But waking up to Crash makes me hate mornings less.

  “We’re going water-skiing!”

  I can still hear the rain pounding on the roof, making me think I heard him wrong. But it would explain the board shorts and no shirt. I try not to stare at his six-pack and look into his eyes. A pair of half-face goggles sitting on top of his hair like sunglasses confuses me.

  “Won’t the ocean be too rough?” I’m already iffy about any water other than a pool. Fish are smart, and I’m pretty sure they’re just waiting for me to dip my toes in so they can have a taste.

  “It’s an Oakport tradition. When it rains, we set up our water ski circle.”

  “This sounds crazy.” I can only imagine what bizarre sport or game Crash and Danger have made up.

  “And you’re going to love it.”

  Giving a stretch, I ask, “What do I need to wear?” No use in arguing. Crash will convince me to go anyway.

  He fist-pumps the air. “You’re going to love this. Trust me.”

  The rain has slowed. It’s more of a light sprinkle coming down. The sun is trying to peek through the clouds, giving just enough warmth for me not to freeze my ass off.

  In the middle of a field sits an orange crane-like machine. It’s the one with the long neck and looks to be able to go 360 degrees around in a circle without moving. Black plastic goes around in a circle on the ground, and off one part is a straight piece that hits a small pool of water.

  My judgy mind inspects the shallow water. It’s not some dirty pond with mud. It has a plastic lining that is about knee-deep and relatively clean, at least for now. The ground is wet and muddy from the rain.

  “How are we water-skiing without a boat?” I ask, confused. Everyone seems super excited about this water-skiing thing.

  “Girl, you haven’t lived until you’ve done this!” Frankie exclaims as she and Haven do some stretches.

  “What are the stretches for?”

  “Their old lady muscles can’t handle it like they used to. All they complain about is how sore they are now,” Danger answers my question, talking over his shoulder as he gets into the large machine.

  “I’m up first!” Crash hollers out from beside me. “Kiss for good luck?”

  He doesn’t wait for a response, pulling me in and kissing me good. The boys hoot and holler at us making a spectacle, while I’m sure I hear an “awww” from the girls.

  I’m nervous for Crash, and I don’t even k
now what the plan is. Stepping away from the black plastic tarp-like stuff on the ground, I stand with the girls.

  We’re all in sweats and hoodies with bathing suits underneath. “You are going to love this,” Haven tells me as I watch Crash go to the crane and pick up a handle that is hanging down from the top by a rope. Standing on the black circle track, he places his large goggles down on his face and gives everyone a thumbs-up.

  He stands, bracing with his knees bent, and it hits me. The crane will be moving him in a circle. As if on cue, Danger starts moving the machine, and Crash follows in a perfect circle path, slowly at first, then faster.

  He really does look like he’s water-skiing. He’s even barefooting it. I pamper my feet; I don’t know if they could handle this. The third time around, Crash has some great speed then lets go, and he runs right into the pool of water that ends up slowing him down enough to stop.

  “Piper’s turn!” Danger calls out, and I shake my head. I don’t know if I was made for stuff like this. The girls push me forward until Crash can pick me up, hauling me over his shoulder. I scream and laugh, enjoying the way he pats my ass.

  Crash places me in front of him, his wet body pressed against mine. Normally, I would hate that, but with him, I’m not annoyed.

  “You’ll be a pro. I promise you,” he says into my ear, placing a kiss on the bottom of my lobe.

  Standing as he showed me, I’m leaning fully back on my heels, waiting for the crane to start. My heart cracks like a whip against my chest. This is it. If Crash wasn’t looking at me like he knew I could do this, I would stop while I’m ahead. But his look is what makes me try.

  Slowly, I start moving, a small girly squeal escaping me as I have no idea what to expect. My arms feel like fire, and I’m sure they will dislocate by the time this “ride” is over. By the end of the first circle, I’m going. I feel my feet hydroplaning across the plastic, and I bet this is the closest thing to water-skiing without being on a body of water. It’s kind of fun until I start hearing everyone yell at me to let go.

  I’m not letting go. I watch as the pond goes by me, and I try to focus on my white knuckles loosening up. I pass the pond and try to talk myself through the next steps for landing in the pool when it comes back around. Rounding the crane, it’s back in my view, coming up fast. Screaming, I feel my fingers ease their grip until I try to push the handlebar out of my way. It swings back, the wooden corner hitting below my eye on my cheekbone. It stings instantly; my body begins to go off balance with nothing to hold on to. The pool is no longer is in front of me. I’m nowhere close to gliding perfectly into it like Crash. I slide off the track, landing face-first in the mud at everyone’s feet. The cold muck feels refreshing to the sting I feel on my face. I don’t make any attempt to move as I groan. My arms feel like Jell-O. I’m not sure I can even lift myself up.

  “I did the same thing my first time,” Haven says to me. “But back then, we did this on hot days when the ground would cut you up if you landed on it.

  Crash pulls my hands up, lifting me until I stand on my own two feet. I’m covered in mud; it feels heavy on my clothing, and I can see it in my lashes. That taste in my mouth I bet is mud too.

  Crash doesn’t care though. He bends down, kissing me right on the lips. “You were awesome!” he yells out, super excited for me. He slowly and delicately rubs the mud off my right cheek and gives it a tender kiss too. “You might get a black eye from that.”

  I try to shoo him away, not wanting anyone to make a big fuss over me. But it seems that only Crash noticed the bar hitting me. Everyone is patting me on the back, giving me words of congratulations. The feeling becomes contagious as I smile. “Holy shit, I did that!” I laugh. I give Crash a hug, his arms staying firmly wrapped around me.

  “Told ya you would love this!”

  I feel more alive since I arrived here than I ever have. I want to try this again; the need to get it right keeps swirling in my body. I don’t care that when I leave here, I will be covered in mud or that I won’t look perfect. This is what life is about. It’s about taking chances and them turning out okay. It’s about living your life enough that when you look back at it, you have no regrets. I have no doubt I’m living my best possible life right now. I can’t see myself ever regretting coming here. This is what I needed to wake me up before it was too late and I lost too many years realizing I wasn’t living and hardly happy.

  CHAPTER 17

  “You’re freezing.” Crash holds my hands. I try to stop my shivers, but they keep rolling off me. We were out in the rain for hours. While we had a great day, one I will never forget, the wetness seems to have seeped into my bones, making it feel impossible to get warm.

  He lifts my hoodie off, leaving behind my skimpy bathing suit. Without hesitation, he wraps me in a hug. He’s so warm. I swear this man never gets too hot or cold. I can feel our hearts crashing together as we stand holding one another.

  “Let’s get you into a warm shower then have some hot chocolate.”

  “With whip?” I haven’t gone this long without a Starbucks before, and I’m not ashamed to say I miss their toppings the most.

  “I think I can make that happen.” His voice grows husky, and I can feel his swim trunks beginning to tent. “But first, I can think of about a thousand ways I’d like to clean your hot little body.”

  Desire flutters its way up my limbs, beginning to warm from the inside out. We walk in an awkward embrace, Crash unwilling to let me go. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make me like him more.

  Crash doesn’t care that both of us leave a small trail of dirt. Reluctantly, he moves to turn on the shower then returns, taking my sweats off me. Slowly, taking his time, he releases the string of my bikini top before doing the same to the bottoms. I stand before him naked, his hands lightly roaming my body.

  “You are beautiful, dirt and all,” he tells me before ridding himself of his swim trunks. His dick stands to hit his stomach. “I’m going to enjoy this.”

  I lag behind him, his arm stretched behind him holding onto mine. My eyes take in his backside, his back muscles protruding; his ass even has the perfect definition. Unlike my body, he’s splattered with mud from head to toe. My clothes protected me from that.

  “What are you smirking about back there?” He closes the door behind us. Turning to me, he tugs at my hair elastic, and my mud-covered locks falls heavily around my shoulders.

  “Just that you’re dirtier than me.” I wink at him.

  “Only because I know you like checking out my six-pack,” he says as he pushes me into the steamed-up shower. The water feels hot on my skin, my toes prickling at the sudden temperature change on them.

  Crash steps in, making the spacious shower seem tiny now. Moving to stand under the water, the mud instantly washes off of him. This man is the walking definition of perfection. Everything he does works out perfectly for him, my life seeming like the opposite. He makes owning multiple businesses while having a social life look so easy, and I envy him for it.

  “Now, let’s really see who’s dirtier.” Crash’s voice is gravelly as he looks me up and down.

  His warm palm skims the lower portion of my breast, and I step farther into the warm water, closer to him. Dropping to my knees, I lick one of his balls, my other hand gripping him tight as I stroke him up and down.

  He reaches down, dragging his thumb against my lower lip. Our eyes meet, and he looks like he wants to say something, emotion flooding right through him, but I don’t know what it all means. In the back of my mind, I have to remember he’s my boss and this job is only temporary. I can’t let myself get sucked into whatever this is. Heartbreak is written all over this, and I’m tired of picking up the pieces. I’m tired of my life never working out.

  Something passes through us, and all those voices stop. My body shudders, and for a second I think he’s going to tell me that he loves me. His eyes blaze, his mouth parts, and my heart beats faster. This shower feels so intense, the steam heighteni
ng how my heart feels. It’s overwhelming. I have a hard time dealing with the emotions flying at me.

  Going higher on my knees I take his cock in my mouth, going as far down as possible until I start to feel myself not being able to breathe.

  A hiss leaves his lips. “Fuck, Piper, you look hot as fuck with my cock in your mouth.”

  I work his balls in one hand, my other hand stroking the bottom of his shaft that I can’t reach. His hips buck, his hands are in my hair, the whole act turning me on. The way his hands dig into my scalp has me sucking harder, twirling my tongue around him deeper. I don’t let up until he suddenly pulls himself out of me, and my lip juts out in disappointment. I wanted to take him to the edge, make him feel how I do deep inside.

  Lifting me, he pushes my front to the cold tile. My nipples peak at the sudden temperature change, and he enters me without warning. His hands hold mine up against the wall. His lips suck on my neck as he fucks me hard. This feels needy, passionate, and intense. “You, your pussy, and this body are made for me,” he gasps between his thrusts.

  My back arches, meeting each and every one of his thrusts with as much desire as he’s giving. His dick keeps hitting the spot inside me that has me nearly combusting. I’m so close but never quite going over the edge. I welcome the fight of back and forth our bodies are creating.

  Again, without warning, Crash is turning me, shoving my back to the cold wall, and warm water sprays over my front. “Play with your tits for me.”

  He’s going down on his knees, jerking himself off as he takes a long lick up and around my clit. It’s all I need. My pussy spasms at all the sensations around me. I’m screaming out his name.

  “On your knees,” he commands. I do as I’m told, still feeling the wave of fireworks run its course through me.

  I watch in fascination as he jerks himself off once, twice, and then hot spurts fly out, covering my breasts.