Chapter 7: Storm

Seeley was lounged out in her favorite black bikini, sipping the last of her Mango smoothie when the first of the fat raindrops slapped against her big, rented beach parasol.

“Well, I got more beach time in than I thought I would. Time to head in.” The copper-haired woman let out a contented sigh, while people around her cursed and scrambled to secure their belongings.

Seeley had already put most of her things in her waterproof dive bag, so aside from her towel, packing up was a breeze. She didn’t mind getting pelted by rain as she walked back up the powdery sand beach to her hotel; she was still wet from her swim in the ocean and walking in the rain refreshed her.

The change in weather also matched her mood.

She had thought a lot about Colton and what she was going to do next and decided to permit herself to wing it a bit. Sometimes life just smacks people with the unexpected, and the freckle-cheeked, caramel-eyed diver had enough saved up that she could stay here a bit until she had to start over.

She would be okay.

Her sister, however, had not stopped texting her for photos of her and Colton. She had sent Kristi some selfies, and pretty shots of the water, and would send her a photo of Pirate when that cute little fluffball healed from his infection.

But she didn’t know what to tell Kristi; in fact, she dreaded it. She cracked open a beer and looked out the window of her hotel room.

The storm clouds had cast the sunset into deeper, more mysterious hues of magentas and indigos with hints of orange. She could hear the soundcheck from Charm Bar, and it did sound like someone on an acoustic guitar was prepping his microphone for some good reggae music.

Seeley had already decided whether or not a certain tall dark and handsome surfer with hypnotic green eyes would be at Barlow’s Bar, she was going to dress up a bit.

She showered, blow-dried her hair, and picked out an aqua-blue v-neck dress that hugged her curves just right. With a few passes of her eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, mascara, and a bit of lipgloss, she felt renewed.

“Looking good, Seeley, now let’s go have some fun.” She smiled at herself in the mirror, spritzing on some perfume, and sauntered out of her room with a pep in her step.

It was still pouring when she left, but luckily an overhang connected the Pink Dolphin Inn to Charm Bar.

She had taken a good look at the entry of Charm Bar this time and noticed it had the same shipwreck logo on its sign that the Seacret Dive shop did. She also noticed WWE trinkets and Polaroid photos of patrons stuck up all over the wall, some dated from decades ago. Everyone seemed so happy in the photos; some were even over the pool table.

A cover had been placed over the pool table though. She figured that with the live music and the increased traffic, they didn’t want people to get jabbed in the stomach from a pool cue.

Despite being fairly early, Charm Bar was already halfway filled up with people. Some groups of friends, but again, mostly couples. She didn’t want to be caught looking expressly for Asher in the bustling bar, so she went up to the bar to order a drink.

“Hey, Seeley! Glad you came, and you look great. What can I get ya? Pina Colada?” Barlow greeted her like she was an old friend.

The caramel-eyed woman thought about it and shook her head. “Let me get a Mojito this time.”

“Good choice. I make the best mojitos. Have a seat, the music will start soon…oh and I recommend the calamari and the crab cakes!” Barlow flashed another winning smile, straightening his Ric Flair Wrestling T-shirt, and started to pour some shots for another customer.

As Seeley looked over the menu, and the Reggae artist began to introduce himself, she felt a pair of eyes on her from behind her.

She looked and glanced up, and her heart skipped eight beats.

The mysterious dark-haired, green-eyed surfer was sitting at a table with a buff, dark-skinned man with a closely shaven head. She recognized the friend from somewhere…oh, the pharmacy! He was in front of her at Yasmine’s pharmacy when she dropped off Pirate.

However, that realization wasn’t important.

What was important, what mattered more to her than anything else on earth at this moment, was how she felt like she had just been launched into orbit by Asher’s eye contact. The way his leaf-green eyes dove through her defenses and saw the core of her soul made the space between her thighs tingle.

Wearing just a simple black button-up shirt, with a few buttons undone to show a few curls of chest hair and a fit physique made her swallow. The copper-haired woman wanted to undo all his buttons one by one at a torturous pace, then run her fingertips up and down his tone obliques.

She wanted his lips to capture hers and—

Two women, both younger than her and outrageously attractive, sided up to both Asher and his friend, placing their hands on their shoulders and giggling.

Her heart plummeted to the bottom of her gut like a stone, and her face heated up behind her eyes.

Oh.

Oh, of course.

Seeley whipped around, face tomato red in embarrassment. She read the whole situation wrong. He wasn’t that interested in her. He could have any woman in this bar he wanted.

And recently, not even her boyfriend wanted her. She was so cringe.

“Here you go Seels…want something to eat?” Barlow asked, and since he didn’t ask her what was wrong, she must be doing a good job of hiding her shame.

“I think I’ll wait for a bit. I had a huge ice cream and smoothie earlier,” she replied, trying to keep her voice even.

“I’ll come back by later. Just know that the calamari is half-off, just like your mojito, just don’t tell anyone.” The man with the meticulously styled afro winked and she managed a smile.

The whole Kennedy family was just so kind.

“Hey there, sweetie.” A low slurred greeting came unexpectedly from Seeley’s left and she didn’t even have to look to know that the unwelcome voice wasn’t Asher.

She could smell the too-strong cologne and whiskey breath from here. She looked up to see a drunk older man, wearing a muscle shirt and a gold chain, leering down at her.

The copper-haired woman just hummed, cleared her throat, and turned to her right to begin to watch the reggae musician, who began to play a cover of a song she liked. She took a sip of her mojito, hoping the stranger would leave her alone and take the hint.

“Hey, it’s rude to ignore people when they say hi.” A large clammy hand clapped down on her right shoulder, pulling her around to face him.

“Hey!” she exclaimed, grabbing his thick wrist to get him off her. “Don’t touch me, I’m just listening to the music.”

“Whoa, no need for the attitude, princess. I’m just trying to be friendly. Let me get your number,” he insisted, his eyes never once leaving her cleavage and her skin began to crawl.

She was alone, and she made a move to get up. It was easier to just leave than suffer through this guy's advances.

“I don’t give out my number, and I’m actually on my way out, so have a good night.” She stood, digging out enough cash to pay for her barely-touched mojito when he moved to block her from standing.

A thread of panic raced up her lungs as she backed up to the bar.

“Hey man, she isn’t interested and you’re being a massive creep.” A warm baritone voice came from behind her, and her toffee eyes lit up.

“What did you sa—” The older tourist raised his voice and Seeley did the one thing she could do.

“Oh honey, you’re here! I thought you were back in the hotel room!” The copper-haired woman smiled as bright as a sunrise, but her eyes screamed ‘please play along’ to Asher as she took a step toward the tall surfer.

The green-eyed surfer looped a strong, protective arm around her, his hand grazing down her skin and landing at her waist. She relaxed instinctually against his shoulder, inhaling his scent of cedarwood and fresh rain.

“No, I wanted to make it down to see how beautiful you looked,” he said, keeping his eyes locked on the other man like a laser painting a target.

Asher’s muscles were tense like he expected a fight that he’d win. However, if the older man did want to start something, Seeley would tell him to run because no way was he going to get hurt on her account.

“Ugh, gross, sappy beta male stuff. You’re whipped, dude.” The older, drunk man ambled away, and Seeley let loose a shaky breath.

“Beta male? People these days need to touch grass or catch a wave.” The tall, tan sufer laughed and Seeley turned to him.

“Thank you for helping me.” A blush boomed across the toffee-eyed woman’s cheeks. “You can, uh, go back to your date.”

Asher’s dark eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and Seeley looked back at the table, and it was empty. Not even his friend was there. Had he left with BOTH women?

“I am with my date if she’ll have me.” The espresso-haired man winked down at Seeley, and she experienced a loss of gravity.

The intensity of his green eyes drilled into her core, filling her with a tingling, amber warmth that pooled at her groin.

Suddenly, all sense left her and an impulse as strong as five galloping horses overtook her.

“Do you…want to get out of here?” she asked, her lips parting as she found his warm, strong hand again.

Asher’s nostrils flared briefly, and his pupils constricted and dilated.

“Lead the way, beautiful.” His throaty, deep response only intensified the buzzing feeling deep within the copper-haired woman’s core.

She put the cash on the bar under her untouched mojito and led Asher out of Charm Bar just as the reggae performer began to play ‘One Love’ by Bob Marley. When they got just past the entrance of the bar, the dark-haired surfer leaned down, so their breath mingled, and his lips ghosted over hers.

“I really, really want to kiss you. Can I?” he asked, voice gravelly and all Seeley had to do was tip her lips up to meet his and they’d be joined as one.

“Can you wait like…twenty steps? Then we’ll be in my hotel room,” the caramel-eyed woman murmured, wondering just where she had gotten this attitude from.

She was not usually this forward with men and couldn’t think of the last time she was this bold with a one-night stand.

“I’m counting every step.” Asher leaned back, smirking, and Seeley just rolled her eyes and led the way next door to the Pink Dolphin Inn.

“One…two, three, four….” She heard Asher’s baritone voice from behind her and she laughed, squeezing the hand she still held.

“Oh, my God, you’re too much.” The freckled-cheeked woman in the aqua dress laughed as they both bounded up the steps of the small inn until they finally got to the third floor.

“Twenty!” The tall espresso-haired man smiled like a firework display and something inside Seeley ignited hot and burning.

She turned around, back toward her hotel room door, keycard in the palm of her hand. She tipped her jaw up at him, smiling softly like a blooming flower.

“Okay, you win, you can kiss me now if you–” Seeley was cut off by Asher capturing her lips with hers and pressing her gently, but firmly back against her front door.

She moaned as his lips worked against hers in a needy, deep rhythm before his tongue ran a line across the bottom of her upper lip, sending her toes curling in her sandals.

The hotel room door next to hers opened, revealing an old woman blinking at the both of them. Asher waved and Seeley’s face went hot in mild embarrassment.

“Hotel room, now,” she gasped out and it took her three swipe attempts to get them inside. It only took one attempt for the surfer with eyes the color of spring to spin her around and bring her right up against him to hold her.

Then, outside her window, lightning fanned out in the sky.