The Café

Chapter 11

Issy and Georgia met me at the café at 10am. They were packed and ready for the beach. Georgia - not much of a surfer - looked like she was ready to walk the swimsuit runway. Her bleach blonde hair fell down her back in loose ringlets, she had just enough makeup to look like she had put in some effort and the red bikini under her crocheted white dress look amazing. She had planned to sunbake while everyone else surfed. Issy was wearing a black, low cut one piece with short denim shorts over the top. Her brown hair was braided into one long braid which she swooped around over her shoulder, she looked effortlessly gorgeous.

I had my navy bikini on with an oversized Guns and Roses t-shirt on top. I let my hair dry naturally this morning so my dark blonde hair was doing its thing in waves down my back. I packed my hair-tie in my bag as well so I could throw it up into a bun when it was time to hit the surf.

Tom and Evan arrived not long after us. Evan had brought his mate, Penny, along too. She was cute, very short for a werewolf but something told me she makes up for it with attitude. Her black hair was cut into a short pixie cut that framed her face beautifully.

We did our greetings and introductions while we waited for Pete and Link to arrive. My stomach was in knots waiting. Anxiously wondering if I would see the approachable Link I had been messaging or the stand-offish Link I had seen a few days ago.

"Link and Pete should be here with the van soon." Tom announces once he had picked up his 'to-go' coffee from Sasha behind the coffee machine.

We make small talk with Penny while waiting. Georgia is happy to learn that Penny is not a surfer either so will be sunbaking on the sand with her.

Soon the van pulled up out the front of the café. We all make our way out to hop in. Pete was around the back packing our bags into the boot while Link strapped our boards onto the roof racks. I walked around to give him my board nervously.

"Good morning Tess!" Link greeted me with a huge smile. My heart sang.

"Morning." I reply shyly. My wolf was jumping around excitedly.

"This your board?" He asks, pointing to the surf board under my arm cheekily.

"Oh, yea!" I stutter while handing him the board. I am in awe as his muscle tense and stretch lifting the board up onto the roof and pulling the straps tight. I shake my head to re-gain control of my wayward thoughts.

"You riding up front?" Link asks, I think I can see the nerves in his eyes.

"Na! She's with me! Aren't you Tess?" Tom interrupts from behind the van door. Link drops his eyes from mine and turns back to securing the boards.

"Oh, ok then." I sigh before Tom grabs my hand and pulls me to the seat beside him in the car. I faintly hear a growl from outside the car.

"Seat belts everyone." Link demands gruffly when he slides into the drivers seat in front of me.

Georgia has already caught the attention of Pete who has squished in the van beside her.

The drive is long, not because of the distance but because Tom insisted on flirting the whole way. I could feel the tension radiating off of Link in the front seat and just wanted to touch him. He was so close. Every time I tried to include the others in our conversation he would change the subject to something more personal again. I was a lot of Tom's accomplishments.

When we arrived Link untied the surfboards for everyone while we set up the beach tents and our towels. I went to go and collect my board when Link stopped next to me.

"Bought this down for you." He said as he laid my board next to my towel.

"Thanks! You really didn't need to - I could have gotten it." I replied nervously.

"I wanted to." Link smiled his dazzling smile that made me go weak at the knees. The strangest giggle/sigh/swoon came out of my mouth before I even had a chance to stop it. I went bright red. My cheeks were absolutely burning. Link burst out with laughter.

"I have no idea what that even was." I defend honestly. I run my hand through my hair nervously. What an i***t.

"I liked it." Link replied while pushing my hair over my shoulder. His fingers lightly skimmed the skin on my neck sending the fireworks like an electric current spreading through my blood. I was tingly all over from this small touch. I gasp and our eyes make contact. The familiar black colour and emotion was there. He smiled down at me and I feel my wolf willing me to get closer. I don't even know if I am in control but I take a step towards Link, closing some of the distance between us.

"Tess! I saved you a spot!" Tom yells out, pulling me from my moment with Link. I hear Link groan behind me as he heads back up the beach to collect his surf board from the car.

"I've already set up my stuff here, Tom!" I call back to him. I needed some distance from him to clear my head. He is too keen and forceful. I needed to figure out what the heck is going on with Link.

I suddenly hear a bag being dropped beside me. Tom has bought his stuff over next to me. He has squeezed a spot between Georgia and I. She didn't seem to mind as she was all consumed with Pete.

"Oh, good bit of sand." Tom declares while sitting down on his towel, flicking sand all over me in the meantime. "Hardly any seaweed." He adds.

"This beach is great , isn't it Tom." Link answers from behind me before laying his surfboard next to mind and setting up his towel.

I am literally a Tom and Link sandwich. I am not sure if this is a nightmare or dream come true. I can sense the tension between the two men.

"I thought you would set up with Evan and Penny by the rocks - Evan said its better surf down there." Tom says to Link over me.

"Na, I want to take it slow today - relax a bit you know?" Link answers settling down on the sand beside me. He is sitting so close that I can feel the little sparks between the close proximity of our arms. Tom notices how close Link is sitting to me and you can see the annoyance on his face. Link doesn't appear to be bothered by it.

"I forget how much I love this beach." I say cheerfully trying to break the tension. Tom bends down and grabs my hand. Yanking me up to standing he starts pulling me toward the water.

"Let's go for a dip! See how the water is." He says while still pulling me towards the water.

"I still have my clothes on!" I squeal while twisting my hand out of his hold.

"Well hurry up then." Tom demands while standing there waiting. I almost thought he would start tapping his foot at me.

I walk back up to my towel where Link was sitting and take my over-sized t-shirt off. I shove it into my bag and turn back around.

"Who would have thought you had that body hiding under there Tess!" Tom hoots at me. I suddenly feel overly self conscious. I look down to see Link's eyes darker than I had ever seen them. He was not taking his eyes off of me. I wanted to throw my shirt back on to cover myself up. I felt the heat coming off of Link in waves beside me. He stood up so that we were almost chest to chest (well my nose to his chest if we are being technical about it). My breathing began getting ragged and I noticed Link was the same.

"Come on Tess!" Tom groans impatiently from down the beach. Link growls at him before turning back to me.

"You better get down there - he isn't the most patient person I have ever met." Link whispers as he returns to waxing his board on the sand.

I nod and walk towards Tom. I had no words. I could still feel my skin on fire. My wolf was panting in my head.