Wait!
My eyes zone back to the guy. No shirt. Short dark hair. I keep following him, unable to tear my eyes away. His skin glistens in the sun. Beads of sweat slide down not only his gorgeous face but his broad chest, down, down, until they trickle into the waistband of his shorts. I watch his upper body as it twists with his movements. Blindly, I grope around the small table next to my lawn chair until I find my pencil and as I continue to watch him, I open my sketch pad. My eyes move from the paper to him, back and forth as I begin to sketch. His muscular legs flex with each pound of his feet on the sand. His strong arms move up and down beside him as he pushes himself into a run. I start drawing faster as he reaches the beach in front of me. Sitting up more, I start smoothing some lines and trying to finish before he’s gone. Suddenly, he looks up at me, right into my eyes. Sucking in a gasp, I lean back into my chair, hiding myself from his gaze behind the railing. My heart is beating too fast. I wait for what feels like a long time and slowly sit up until I can see over the railing. He’s gone.
Sitting back, I try to calm my rapid breathing and heart. Slowly, I look down and smile as I look at my sketch pad. I didn’t get it completed but enough that I can finish it without looking at him. Oh, my God! I’ve turned into a stalker! No, not really, but I admit I could look at him all day and not grow tired of it. I just wish I could get a closer look.
After I finish my coffee and go inside and I finish studying. After I’ve eaten lunch, I go into my bedroom and put on my uniform, apply some light makeup, and pull my hair up into a bun. Locking up my door, I walk down the steps and out the front door of the building then down the sidewalk to the coffee shop. With a parking lot and a sidewalk that leads down to the beach in between, it’s a short distance but not too close to my apartment that I feel like I’m at work all the time. I walk inside the door and into the back room, opening my locker and placing my purse in it then taking out my apron and put it on. It didn’t look very crowded yet, probably because it’s so beautiful outside. Who wants to drink coffee on a gorgeous day like today? Normally the rush is more first thing in the morning or in the evenings after dinner time. Of course, there’s different times you’ll find a few people sitting at the tables with a drink or food with their laptops and books open studying or doing homework.
“Did you see all the fun things Johnny’s will have? Every night of the week!”
I’ve been here for two hours, the place filling up. More chatter and sound of fingers typing, along with laughter, surrounds the room. I’m cleaning off a table when I overhear the conversation two tables over. Well, it’s not like they’re being quiet at all.
“I know! They’re gonna have line dancing and an open mic night!”
“I wonder what the DJ will look like.” One girl sighs.
“I hope it’s not a girl. That would ruin everything!”
“I know, right?”
Smiling, I shake my head as I wipe the rag over the table one last time, listening to them go on about having a male DJ versus a woman. I mean, who cares as long as they’re good and love what they do? Wait! Am I really thinking about going? Nervousness fills me instantly. I’ve never been one to leave my comfort zone and do something I’m not good at. Like being around a lot of people. Here – it’s not so bad. I don’t have to mingle and can just work. There – it’s the closest bar around, and I’m sure a lot of people are anxious to go to. Sigh. I have a little time to make up my mind. The crowd died down by ten and by eleven thirty I was home and studying. Well, at least I tried to study, but mainly I thought about Johnny’s and what it would be like. And – that guy on the beach.
Chapter 2
Piper
The next morning, I found myself sitting out on my deck and spending most of the day studying and unabashedly looking for the sexy stranger on the beach. I’d brought my sketch pad out with me but it remained lying on the table, untouched. Since when did I become such a stalker? Since the most gorgeous man you’ve ever seen ran past you on the beach yesterday. I’ve popped inside, cleaned a mostly clean apartment, made lunch then dinner, until finally I gave up all hope of seeing him again. After taking a shower, I get into bed, lying awake thinking I could have missed seeing him during one of the many times I was inside. Sighing, I roll over, pushing my hands underneath my pillow, and close my eyes, the image of him running on the beach appearing instantly.