Salty Kisses

Chapter FIVE

Chapter FIVE

The blue sky and the shining sun warm me up while I sit outside of work during my lunch break. Sipping on cold water, I'm dehydrated today or it feels like it. I'm always thirsty.

"Hello, sunshine."

I recognize the voice right away but I'm confused when I see London hiding behind sunglasses and a baseball hat. Oh my god, he's the hangover customer I helped the other day.

"It was you and you didn't even tell me."

He chuckles. "I know, I should have but I wanted to surprise you here."

"What are you doing here? I thought you had to work too."

"I do. We needed to grab enough food to last few days so I decided to go and surprise you while I'm out."

I stand and look up to meet his eyes. "Thank you." I reach for his lips and give him a long heartfelt kiss. A low groan vibrates against my mouth.

"What's up with the sunglasses and hat?" He looks like a different person dressed like that. If it wasn't for his jaw and lips, I wouldn't have recognized him.

He does a three-sixty spin. "It's all about being incognito." He jokes.

"Right because you're a celebrity." I tease him.

"We don't want paparazzi following our every step, do we?" He kisses me some more. "How much time do you have left?"

"Forty minutes and after that three hours until I can go back home." Can I be any more subtle? Yes, I wish I could spend time with him.

He nods. "I'm not sure about tonight but now, do you want to take a walk or something?"

"Yes, I would love to." I grab my handbag and we start walking. I love how our hands are touching every now and then but we aren't holding hands.

Walking by the Mexican restaurant I tried the other day, I can't not suggest that we eat there sometime soon. "One day, we're going to eat there. The food is so good. The best Mexican I had in a while."

"Have you just invited me on a date? I should be the one doing that." He pretends to be insulted. "Aspen, will you go on a date with me? I've heard Wilmington has one of the best Mexican restaurants in the country." The way his eyes take me in or the very subtle smile tracing his lips makes it impossible for me to say no.

But...

"Maybe." I tease him.

"Oh come on, say yes. Will you?" He wraps his arms around me.

"Yes," I say pulling on his hat to put it on my head. His hair falls to the side of his face and it is so damn sexy.

"Oh yeah?" He starts to tickle me on the sidewalk careless of the people around us. I like when he's like this. It's easy and fun. I don't have to try so hard to make it work. It's natural.

"Stop, please," I beg, laughing.

He stops and we end up in a tight hug. I could stay like this all afternoon. 

"I'm sorry I had to leave like that this morning. Today was supposed to be my day off."

"It's okay. I'm glad I got to watch you surf. You were doing great up there."

"I love it. It relaxes me." It's my type of yoga. 

He nods. "Aren't you worried about the sharks?"

Sharks are the first thing people think about when they talk to me about surfing.

"Of course. The thought is always there in the back of my mind but I keep my fingers crossed that it doesn't happen to me."