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“I think I’ll need help,” she said and pulled her jumper over her head, then followed it with her vest so she was standing in her jeans and bikini top. She gave him a rueful smile. “I feel as though I’ll feel way less awkward if you take some clothes off, too.”
“Oh, yep.”
Had he been gawping at her? Mortified, he turned away and quickly stripped down to his swim shorts. He didn’t dare check to see if she was looking at him, but had the distinct feeling of being watched as he eased his wetsuit on. Presumably she was just watching how he did it rather than checking him out. Not that he felt particularly self-conscious about his body. He ate healthily and worked out a few times a week. It was more the fact that he wasn’t used to women looking at him.
“How are you doing?” he asked, once he’d zipped himself into the suit.
“Okay, I think.” She had her legs in but was struggling to get the suit over her hips.
“Here.” He yanked at the material, which was bunched at her thighs, then pulled the front up and helped her get her arms in.
She wriggled as he pulled up the zip for her. “I’m exhausted already,” she said, sighing happily. “I hope it’s worth all the effort.”
“It is.” He felt the usual buzz he got when he was gearing up to surf.
“How old were you when you started surfing?” Allie asked as they set off down the beach with surfboards under their arms.
“Not as young as most kids around here,” he said, feeling a pang of unpleasant emotions stir in his chest. “I didn’t really start until I was a teenager, and then only sporadically.”
“Your friend seemed to think you’re very good at it.”
“That’s because Damian taught me.” He smiled fondly. “His parents bought me my first board. Which I had to keep hidden at their place,” he added without thinking.
“How come?”
He shook his head. “My parents didn’t really approve.”
“Of surfing?”
Of most things, he wanted to say but didn’t. Instead, he stopped and set his board on the wet sand. “I should give you a few pointers before we get into the water. It’s easier for me to talk you through everything out here.” It was also a convenient way to change the subject.
Allie looked adorably studious while Hugh walked her through the basics – as though she wanted to remember every detail. Once he’d finished with his instructions, they waded out into the water.
“Are you one of those people who needs to be good at everything?” Hugh asked, flashing her a sidelong glance.
Her cheeks flushed. “Maybe. Why?”
“Because you took my lesson very seriously.”
“If someone’s teaching you something, it’s only polite to listen.” Her lips twitched upwards. “But I suppose I am hoping to be immediately good at surfing.”
“You might be better off aiming to fall off the board a lot and ingest a lot of salt water. Less likely to be disappointed that way.”
She didn’t seem in the least put off as she pushed her board out deeper. Hugh found her eagerness to give it a go entirely endearing.
CHAPTER 18
Allie needed more help to get out of the wetsuit than she did getting into it. Her cold fingers and tired arms were no match for the thick neoprene. She barely even tried to pull it off before aiming her best helpless look at Hugh, who peeled it off her with what appeared to be no effort at all.
Damian stepped out to join them on the patio just as she was wrapping her towel around herself. “How did you get on?”
“I was terrible,” Allie said happily.
“You really weren’t bad for your first attempt,” Hugh argued.
“Not bad, no. Terrible.” She met Damian’s eyes. “But I enjoyed it.”
“That’s the main thing,” he said.
