Cocky Notes - Leesa Bow Page 0,38

turn, and my heart skips a beat seeing him standing there.

“Hey.”

Reef and Chance smack each other’s back. Reef’s eyes remain on me while he’s greeting Chance. “I took good care of your girl and showed her some of the outback.”

“And your infatuation with junk,” I quip.

My comment gives Reef reason to smile. “You still trying to create art with crap?”

“Am creating,” Chance corrects. “I got to go. I’ll let Mace tell you all about it. I’ll catch you in a couple of weeks when you’re back in Melbourne.” Chance turns and hugs me. “Say hi to your dad for me. Don’t forget to send me your address, so I can send through some gear.”

“Your dad follows his team?” Reef’s eyebrows arch high.

“Yeah.”

Chance chuckles. “Mace’s old man knows a good thing.” He laughs again and turns to walk away, his copper locks blowing in the wind.

When I meet Reef’s blue gaze, we stand in silence. “So, a road trip… can I give you a ride home?”

If I agree, it will be the first time I’ve allowed a guy to know where I live.

I inhale a breath. He’ll know more about me, and by allowing it, I’m opening my heart to him—a risk I want to push past. I can do this.

Reef’s gaze holds mine as though he’s watching my thoughts unravel, waiting for an answer. I remain composed. “Sure.”

He throws my bag over his shoulder. Takes my hand as though it’s a natural thing for him to do and leads me in the direction of his car—a silver Ford Ranger ute—a beast.

“It’s huge,” I say as I climb into the front seat. I give him my address, and he types it in maps.

“I need the space in the back for my board and swag if I camp out by the beach. Which reminds me…” he meets my gaze with an intensity to steal my breath, “… you owe me a weekend. I say a night on the beach. I don’t want to know why you can’t. I’d like to think you’d want to spend a night with me by the ocean.”

“I do. But I have to wait another three weeks for my next weekend off.”

He pushes his hand through blond waves. “I need to say this first. I’d never do anything with anyone if I were seeing someone. I’m not that type of guy.”

I nod.

“And because you thought otherwise, we wasted a weekend to be together.”

“I didn’t waste it. I learned a little more about myself. And I know I want to keep seeing you.”

Reef leans in and wraps a hand around my neck. “Thank fuck.” His lips lower until they mash with mine—a kiss full of promises and an apology.

“I don’t understand,” I whisper against his lips. “Why me when you could have anyone? I mean, I’m hardly your type.”

“You’re exactly my type.” His hand wanders down to my breast. Lingers and falls to my waist. “I think about you every minute. I didn’t think I had a type until I met you.” He pushes strands of hair away from my eyes so I can see how serious he is.

“I’m sorry I gave you the silent treatment. It was immature. But I didn’t know what to say because I know you’re free to see other women.”

Reef places a hand under my chin and tilts it to make sure I meet his gaze. “I don’t want to see other girls. And I felt sick at the thought of you hooking up with someone else. When I saw photos of you, Chance, and Zane, I wanted to punch a hole in the wall because I didn’t know what I did wrong, and why you wouldn’t stay with me for a night, yet you took a trip with Chance. He’s my best mate, but fuck, I want to punch him sometimes.”

“He’s a great mate. He looks out for me, and honestly, he keeps telling me how great you are.” I lean forward and kiss him again. “So, you and me. For now?”

“You and me. We have fun together. If anything changes, you’ll be the first to know. You won’t find out otherwise by walking in on me and another chick. I’d never do that to you. Those two girls you saw me chatting with are girlfriends of my roommates. They’d all been to the beach and out for the day on a boat.”

I nod, reach for his hand and squeeze it. “Were you serious about asking me to meet your parents?”

“Yeah. I know