Free Mad About the Boy by Suzan Battah Page A

watching her flip every time, ready to save her if he was needed.
    After forty-five minutes of her trying her hardest to stand on the board without falling off, she decided that she’d had enough of getting dunked while Chris watched, trying not to laugh. It took him a while to relax enough to laugh at her, so that sign of caring warmed her heart.
    He’d spent a good amount of the afternoon trying to teach her. She knew it would take a lot longer for her to get used to the idea of surfing, let alone actually practicing it.
    When she finally gave up, she waved to him and he swam over towards her. The waves lapped against them, while they both held onto the board, bobbing up and down in the water. The afternoon turned out just the way she thought it would, with her falling and with him grinning from ear to ear. Even as she shook the saltwater out of her eyes, she was glad that she had come out with him. He was passionate about surfing and had been so patient with her.
    Finally, Chris climbed onto the board and helped her to get on in front of him. Then they paddled back to shore, riding a small wave the rest of the way in. The beach was crowded with tourists as the peak season for vacation was at an all-time high. A few of the local surfers who knew Chris called out to him as they walked back to the Augustine.
    They stopped at the beach shower to wash the salt and sand off. She lifted the swim shirt off and washed it briefly, squeezing out the excess water. His eyes hardly left hers as he passed her towel over. She wrapped the towel around her waist, leaning to the side so she could twist the water out of her hair. “Why don’t you go back out?” she asked him.
    “I’m done for the day. Anyway, I’ve got a charity event later tonight,” he said quietly. “I have to be there.”
    Stiffly, she replied, “Oh. Okay, well, I’ll see you later.”
    She shouldn’t feel irritated that he was off to a big function without her, but she did. That’s what infuriated her the most.
     
    ***
     
    Chris hated his Key Biscayne condo, but this was where he found himself driving to after the movie premiere. He had been following an exhausting schedule of work commitments for close to three weeks. Now he just wanted to be alone, no interruptions.
    For months, there had been no reprieve, just work and more work. Until he met Julia, the Augustine had been his only focus. Now, his mind was preoccupied with the feisty Latin woman. He was glad his work commitments were slowing down, at least until the renovations started. Finally, he could enjoy her distraction.
    Chris had desperately wanted to invite Julia to the movie premiere, a special children’s charity event. But he sensed her hesitation about getting to know him. He didn’t want her to get caught up with the very public part of his life just yet. He had grown up with it, and it still irritated him. More importantly, he didn’t want to scare her away.
    He had to figure out a way to get closer to Julia. At least her company’s involvement in renovating the Augustine would ensure he would get to see her more.
    Renovating the Augustine raised a few eyebrows. His father in particular was skeptical at first but grudgingly gave his blessing. Chris wanted to prove everyone wrong. He hated being scrutinized by every journalist who believed they knew what it took to run a successful business. Augustine’s popularity wouldn’t diminish when its stodgy decor was updated, it would flourish with a whole new clientele. Augustine’s sales had been lagging over the last five years and they had to change their image.
    That change came in the form of a deliciously sexy woman, Julia Mendoza. He could feel his blood rush straight to his groin. She was an exciting and luscious woman. She held no pretenses , always willing to learn more. She said things that came to her mind, making him laugh at the most unexpected moments. He liked her a lot.
    Chris had found himself thinking about Julia