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with not another soul in
sight. Jilly scanned the sand looking for a spot to settle in for the morning.
She’d lathered herself in sunscreen after she’d slipped into her white bikini
and had a wide-brimmed hat to protect her face. Her Kindle was charged and
she’d packed two bottles of cold water in her beach bag. She spread her towel
on the sand and glanced up as a movement in the water caught her eye. A lone
surfer was surfing the point a little to the north. Jilly straightened and put
her hand to her eyes with an envious sigh. Rising gracefully to his feet he
turned when his board picked up the front of the wave. He glided effortlessly
through the translucent water, so clear she could see the back of the board as
he gained speed down the face of the wave. She held her breath as the wave
curled over him and he disappeared into the tube for a few seconds before
shooting out triumphantly from the right hand break.
    Clapping her hands, Jilly smiled as he turned and paddled back to
catch the next wave. It had been a long time since Dad had taught her to surf;
she’d spent a lot of time on a board at Narrabeen when she was in her teens.She had never forgotten the power of pushing her board across and down the
face of the wave at the same time; the adrenaline rush of the speed combined
with the thrill of the movement. Being at one with nature—feeling the air,
hearing the whoosh and suck of the wave as water sprayed around you, there was
nothing like it.
    Lately life had passed her by and she’d been focused on work and
Dad’s health, and she’d taken little time for herself.
     A good New Year’s resolution. Jilly time 2016!
    By the time the surfer caught the next wave she’d settled on her
towel and pushed the sand into a mound behind her back to lean on as she read.
She narrowed her eyes as the wave pushed him closer to the section of the beach
where she was sitting. With a groan, she looked away and picked up her Kindle;
she should have known it was Dominic.
    But as much as she tried to focus on her book, she couldn’t stop
looking up and watching as he caught wave after wave in a show of effortless
manoeuvres. Finally she gave up and laced her fingers behind the back of her
head and gave in to sheer admiration. Who would ever have known that the staid
boss of the SAB could carve up a wave like that? He was an absolute pro, as
good as any she’d watched. A couple of times, Jilly caught her breath as his
board teetered on the edge of the wave before he turned and sliced across the
face of it. Finally, he caught a wave and paddled to the shore.
    She pulled her hat low over her face, quickly picked up her Kindle
and rolled over onto her stomach as he walked up the beach. Hopefully he
wouldn’t notice her on the way back.
    Five minutes later, cold water splashed onto the backs of her legs;
her hope had been futile. She rolled over and leaned back on her elbows,
squinting up into the bright sunshine.
    “Morning, Jilly.” Dominic rested his board on the sand and Jilly
looked away as he squatted beside her, that golden-tanned chest way too close
for her comfort.
    “Good morning.” She looked away from that magnificent expanse of
bare skin, pleased that her sunglasses hid her expression. She pointed to the
surf as the next wave crashed onto the beach.
     “Pretty impressive surfing.”
    “You sound surprised.” Dominic tipped his head to the side,
obviously to clear the water from his ears. Jilly looked up at him as water
droplets flew from his wet curls. His eyelashes were salt-encrusted and his
blue eyes were alight with the smile that crossed his face as he stared back at
her. His face was tanned, contrasting with the white zinc cream smeared on his
nose. He could have passed for an eighteen-year-old; his grin was cheeky and he
looked relaxed and happy.
    “I am. It’s the last thing I expected to see you doing,” she said
honestly trying to keep her eyes from his muscled chest. “I’m used to you
sitting