That Day by Karen Deen (best novels to read in english txt) 📕

the sand, Kurt takes my hand and pulls me to my feet and plants a kiss on my lips. Pulling me into his side, it makes me shiver at his dripping, cold wetsuit touching my skin.

“Let’s take all this up to the truck and then we can get in the water.” He leans down a little to pick up my towel, my shirt, and Coco’s lead. She is already sitting at Kurt’s feet waiting for his command.

“Right, well, enjoy the swim.” David almost smirks at Kurt who is claiming me in every way possible without throwing me down on the sand and fucking me in front of this guy.

He turns and continues down the beach, and I look up at Kurt.

“Really?” I giggle.

“Yep.” He kisses my forehead.

“He was just asking me the time.”

“No, he was looking at you in a way only I’m allowed to,” Kurt grumbles under his breath a little.

“And what sort of look was that?” I’m trying to hold my laughter inside.

“Like he wanted to devour you.”

That breaks the hold I had on the laughter, letting it spill out, which just makes him scowl more.

“Oh, Kurt, he was here for two minutes tops and was just talking.”

“Don’t care. See, it’s the bikini, I told you how damn beautiful you are, and that just proves it. You are like the honey pot that will attract the bees.”

“Oh my god, you are ridiculous.” Kurt just looks down at me. Taps me on the ass while handing me my things. Picking up his board under one arm, he then takes my hand in his.

“Come on, let’s get all this to the truck.” We start walking, with Coco falling in step beside Kurt.

“So, whose place are we heading home to?”

Now it’s his turn to start laughing. “No one’s yet. We’re going for a swim first.”

I stop still in the sand and almost get pulled off my feet when he keeps walking.

“I’m ignoring your hesitation, Asha.” My little feet start moving quickly again to catch up before I fall flat on my face.

“I told you I can’t swim in the surf, so I’m not going.”

“Wrong, that’s exactly the reason you need to get into the water. We need to make sure you can save yourself if needed. Plus, I need to cool off. You in that bikini top has me heating up, so I need an excuse for you to have to strip those shorts off too.” His eyes are on me the whole time. They are full of lust, and there is no denying what he thinks of my bikini.

“But what if something happens and I can’t get back to the shore and you can’t help me?” I hate the feeling of not being in control, and I have enough of that in my life.

Stopping as we get to the truck, he puts his board up on the rack, strapping it on. Grabbing his towel off his seat, he strips down his wetsuit and puts on his boardshorts that were sitting there waiting.

His body never ceases to stop me in my tracks.

“Are you having a nice look there?” he says over his shoulder with a smug grin as he puts his towel back in the truck.

“Mhmm… but I know for a fact it’s better without the towel. We could just head up the hill and test it out again. Just saying.” I gaze up to my house on the hill, shrugging my shoulders, hoping I’m distracting him enough to give up on the swim idea.

“Nice try, Asha, but as much as I want to do that, there is plenty of time for that tonight. Right now, though, it’s time to pop your ocean cherry. You will love it.”

“Let’s make a deal. I just go up to my waist today and test it out, you know, a little bit at a time.” My nerves are building the more I look out at the water.

Kurt places his hands on either cheek, leaning down so he’s at eye level. “Asha, I won’t let anything happen to you. Do you trust me?” His eyes have so much tenderness in them.

“Always,” is all I can say, because I do.

“Then let’s go teach you to swim in the surf. I promise I won’t let go of you the whole time.” Leaning in, he kisses me slowly on the lips with all the softness of Kurt that only I get.

As much as I want to say no, instead I nod my head and whisper, “Okay, but only a little way out there.”

He just smiles at me, taking my hand as we start back towards the water. My heart racing, my palms getting sweaty, and feeling like I want to run, his strong grasp keeps pulling me forward.

Just as we get to the edge of the water, I remember Coco is with us.

“What will we do with Coco? She’ll run away.” I’m hoping I’ve found an excuse to stay on the sand.

“Nice try.” Kurt turns to Coco who is still standing up on the dry sand. “Sit. Stay, Coco!” His voice is deep and commanding. She does exactly as he says. Like she is guarding us out in the water from right here on the sand.

“Why didn’t she ever do that for me? Seriously, dog, you are unbelievable.” For once I wanted her to be her unruly self, to save me. But she will do anything for Kurt. “Traitor,” I mouth at her like she can even understand what I’m saying.

“We’ll take it slow. Let’s just go out a little way until you get used to the movement and pull of the waves. There’s one golden rule with the ocean,” he says, looking at me seriously. “Never turn your back on it. Otherwise, you’ll pay the price.”

Great, as if I wasn’t already nervous enough.

“Just remember,” I grumble, “my waist is a lot lower than yours, so we are measuring off me.”

The cold water rolls against my legs in small little waves. The noise gets louder, of the waves crashing