Page 102 of PR Stunt

We reach the water’s edge, where the waves lap cool and foamy against my ankles. Grayson stops at a calmer, shallower section and sets his board down, motioning for me to get on.

“The water’s cool, but you’ll appreciate it once we start moving,” he says.

I hesitate for half a second before lying flat on my stomach across the board, adjusting as it shifts slightly beneath me. Grayson steps into the water beside me, the waves lapping at his legs as he grips the edge of the board, steadying it.

“Good,” he murmurs, nodding approvingly. “Now, relax. Tension will work against you.”

Relax? With him this close? Easier said than done. But I force my shoulders to loosen, letting out a struggling breath.

“Better.” He walks me farther out, one hand still steadying the board. The other dips down, fingers brushing along my calf as he adjusts the ankle strap around my leg. I glance over my shoulder at him, pulse racing. His gaze meets mine.

“When you’re paddling,” he says, his voice rough, “keep your chest slightly lifted. You want to be able to see ahead, not just straight down.”

I nod, adjusting.

“I’ll be right here.”

There’s something in his voice, like it’s not just a reassurance but a promise.

Grayson clears his throat, standing upright. “Alright, let’s spin you around to face the beach.”

I hold tight as he turns the board with me on it, nerves kicking in. The board rocks slightly beneath me, and his hands are there again, lightly gripping the sides, stabilizing me.

He leans in just a little. “First wave’s coming. Just stay loose, and pop up when you feel it lift you.”

I inhale sharply, trying to focus on the actual task at hand and not the fact that Grayson is standing this close, dripping wet, muscles flexed, eyes trained on me. The wave builds behind me.

“Alright, Charlie, this is you.” His voice is reassuring. “You got this.”

The swell lifts the board beneath me, and I react on instinct, pushing up with my arms and swinging my legs forward. For one perfect second, I’m up. And then, just as fast, I’m not. The board wobbles beneath me, and before I can recover, I crash straight into the water. Saltwater fills my nose as I tumble under, the ocean momentarily swallowing me before I break the surface, gasping. Grayson is right there close, eyes sharp, hand reaching toward me before he realizes I’m fine. Instead of embarrassment, I feel something else entirely: a rush of exhilaration.

I push my wet hair out of my face, grinning. “Well, that was humbling.”

Grayson’s mouth quirks, but his eyes are bright, like he’s actually impressed. “Not bad, Grace.”

I snort. “I wiped out in two seconds.”

He shakes his head, treading water beside me. “Yeah, but you stood up first try. Most people don’t even get that far.”

I don’t know if it’s the heat in his gaze, the way his voice dips, or the fact that despite the teasing, despite everything, he sounds genuinely proud. I steady my hands on the board and shimmy up, no doubt looking like a flopping seal. My last name is really falling short right now.

Peeking at him, I expect amusement, maybe even a gloating look, but he’s still smiling.

We float past the break, the water calmer now, rolling beneath us in gentle swells. I sit up, straddling the board and adjusting to the balance as the sun warms my skin. Grayson swims up beside me, his hands bracing the board and straddling my leg.

I splash water at him. “So, is this your usual post-filming getaway? Escape to the beach, ride some waves, avoid the paparazzi?”

Grayson looks out toward the horizon. “Something like that. It’s a nice mental break.”

I study him, the way his features soften just a fraction. “Yeah?”

He nods, gaze still on the water. “Here, there’s no bullshit. Just you and the ocean. You don’t win against it. You just learn to move with it.”

I let that settle between us, my fingers trailing lightly over the board. “Sounds…freeing.”

He finally looks at me, cheeks flushed with the faintest hint of sun. “Yeah. It is.”

“I’m surprised you don’t have one of those puka shell necklaces,” I tease, lips tugging into a grin.