Surviving the Surfer// Bax Radic x OC

Chapter 2

The sun had risen high in the sky by the time I slid the door shut to Blue's new stall for the summer, the sounds of many other professionally shod hooves ringing out down the concrete floors of the open-air stables I was finding myself at home in. Even thousands of miles away from the beaches I called home, it wasn't hard to feel comfortable in the classy show barn that looked so much like my own.

Blue swings his head over the dark oak stall door, lipping the cookie I had waiting for him out of my palm. He sniffs delicately across my fingers, ticking his ears back in disappointment when he finds nothing exciting.

"Sorry buddy, that's all you're going to get until lunch time. Can't have you getting lazy just because we're on vacation." I try to sound stern, but the level of sass I'm getting from his single eye roll has me fighting back a grin. He turns his back on me and I give him one single pat on the rump before striding off down the barn aisle and outside, boots crunching on the gravel road. I spare a bright grin at the Gibsons waiting for me in the parking lot, the only missing family member being their eldest son, but I at least knew where he was. I climb into the backseat next to Honey, slinging an arm around her and messing up her short blond hair. The move earns me an elbow to the ribs, but the giggle that follows tells me the jab wasn't serious.

"Decided not to surf with the team today?" Thommo's soft baritone floats from the front of the car.

"Nah," I shake my head, the movement sending a thick strand of hair across my face. "They seemed like they were practicing for tryouts, and Summer deserves a chance to catch up with her friends without me getting in the way. She hasn't seen them in nine months."

"Yes we know," Honey says dryly. "It's all Ari's been able to talk about for weeks. It's disgusting."

"Hey," I chide gently. "He loves her, there's nothing wrong with that."

The teen rolls her eyes and slumps back against her seat, staring out across the rolling hills as if she could see the ocean behind them.

Soon enough we roll down the sandy driveway to the beautiful cottage that the Gibsons called home. I climb gingerly out of the car, the familiar ache of riding tensing my legs and lower back. I groan, ready to get out of my breeches and into a warm shower as soon as possible. That wish is granted and for ten very luxurious minutes I soak in the double headed shower that I make a mental note to add to the renovations my parents were doing to our house while I was away this summer. Just as I was about to be through I hear the front door slam and many voices tumbling through the house, signaling the team returning from their morning surf.

"Ro?" Summer's inquisitive drawl sounds right outside the door.

"In here!" I shut the water off and grab a towel from the rack, wrapping it around my torso enough to be safe for the walk across the hall to our shared bedroom. I open the bathroom door and stride out only to immediately run into a hard body blocking my path. I stumble back with a yelp of surprise.

"Nice look Outback, wouldn't change a thing." I glare up at Bax as he grins down at me, arms coming forward to fold over his chest. I try and fail to not stare at the way the muscles cord down his arms at the motion.

"Like what you see?" The question oozes self confidence, prompting me to push past him down the hall.

"Not even a little bit," I throw over my bare shoulder, fighting a grin at the smooth chuckle that chases me down the hall.

Summer is rifling through our closet when I cross into the room, the green highlights in her hair nearly glowing in the light coming from the open window. I hip bump her as I pass, opening the door to my side of the closet and grabbing out a pair of shorts and a soft black crop top that showed off the muscles that I spent all my free time perfecting. I run my fingers through my quickly drying hair, opting to leave it down to airdry. I catch Summer's eyes watching me in the mirror and I whirl to face her.