Waves of Winter Read online

  Table of Contents

  Blurb

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  About the Author

  By L.C. Chase

  Visit Dreamspinner Press

  Copyright

  Waves of Winter

  By L.C. Chase

  The west coast of Vancouver Island is one of the few places to boast world-class winter surfing, and Vancouverite Kellan Tremblay hits the waves as often as possible. On the ferry crossing to the island, he meets Australian Jax Colston. Jax is there for some snowboarding. He’s intrigued to discover that not only is winter surfing a thing, but you can surf and ski in the same day. Sensing a kindred spirit, Kellan offers to play tour guide and gives Jax a place to stay in his spare room.

  The two men bond over all things surf and snow, and it isn’t long before their passion for life lands them in bed together. Neither wants the week of cold days and hot nights to end, but Jax has to go home soon. Still, Jax doubts he’ll stay away for long. The draw of fresh powder, the long hot nights and the thrill of just being with Kellan will keep him coming back for a long time….

  World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

  Acknowledgments

  A HEARTFELT thank you goes out to Elizabeth North and Amelia Vaughn, who helped me rediscover my writing spark; and to E.J. Russell, whose feedback on this story was invaluable. Without the support and friendship of these wonderful ladies, this story would still be sitting at chapter eight.

  Chapter One

  “YOU CAN’T see them with your eyes closed.”

  Kellan Tremblay startled at the unexpected voice beside him and involuntarily gripped the cold metal ferry railing harder while his heart did a little hop, skip, and jump. Plummeting into the ice-cold Salish Sea was not how he wanted to meet his end. He shifted his gaze to the source of the voice and found himself staring into the bluest eyes he’d ever seen. All thoughts of his premature demise vanished with the icy wind that buffeted his face. Strands of hair poking out from under his knit hat whipped sharply against the exposed skin of his cheeks.

  “Sorry, mate. Didn’t mean to give you a charge.” The stranger had the decency to look chastened, raising his hands in surrender while Kellan’s heart rate slowed and his mind raced to catch up.

  “It’s all good.” Kellan dropped one hand from the high railing, relaxing from his brief scare, and sucked invigorating briny air into his lungs.

  “Looking for whales?”

  Kellan nodded. “In all the years I’ve been making this ferry trip to the island, I’ve never seen an orca in the wild. I think I’ve given up.”

  He slid his gaze away from the attractive stranger to the choppy ocean waters, making one more scan of the blue-gray horizon in hopes of seeing an orca. Nearly every person he knew had sighted the majestic creatures, commonly called killer whales, in their natural habitat in the Strait of Georgia crossing from the lower mainland’s Horseshoe Bay to the island’s Nanaimo, but he’d never seen anything more than seaweed, seals, and bald eagles.

  He turned back to the man who’d interrupted him, and Kellan’s naturally observant mind began soaking in details. The guy with the gorgeous eyes was probably in his late twenties, Kellan ventured. He was tall, a good five or six inches taller than Kellan’s five foot nine, and athletic looking, with shaggy dirty-blond hair flying wild in winds that gusted across the open deck.

  The man raised an eyebrow. Just one. Kellan had no idea how people could do that, like wiggling their ears or crossing one eye and not the other. No matter how hard he tried, his eyebrows—or eyes and ears, for that matter—refused to move independently of one another.

  “Oh no!” Kellan chuckled. “Please don’t tell me you’ve seen them too?”

  “Sorry again, mate.” The stranger laughed, the sound warm and hearty.

  Even in the wind and with a hat protecting Kellan’s ears, that deep accented voice feathered over his eardrums, and a shiver of another kind spread over his skin.

  “Probably your first time on the ferry too, isn’t it?”

  “Trifecta!”

  Kellan shook his head, took one more scan along the ocean horizon, and sighed. He just wasn’t meant to see orcas in the wild. Wind pushed through the collar of his jacket and sent an icy shiver tumbling down his back, cascading into a full-body shudder that was enough to shake the fillings from his teeth. Seven o’clock on a cold January morning didn’t make for an enjoyable ocean crossing on an open ferry deck.

  “So….” The man smiled—friendly, unguarded, and infectious. “I’m freezing my nuts off out here. What do you say we go inside so I can tease you about seeing the whales over a hot drink?”

  The eyes on his held steady and sent a frisson of awareness through him. A genuine smile stretched Kellan’s mouth for the first time in longer than he could remember. The crash and burn of a long-term relationship last year had sucked the life out of him for too many months, and a merger at the legal firm where he worked as litigation support had meant an insane schedule to get things running smoothly again. But now it was finally his time to play. Anticipation coursed through his veins. He would make it to Tofino in time for a sunset surf—not that there’d be any kind of sunset under the thick slate-gray clouds that hung low and oppressive above them—and he’d just met someone who’d sparked an interest that was too long dormant.

  “Short of seeing the whales, I can’t think of anything better,” Kellan said and gestured toward the doors. “After you.”

  Kellan followed his new companion as they ducked back inside and made their way to the main deck cafeteria. He definitely needed some liquid heat to chase the chill from his bones right about then, as his grandmother was fond of saying. Company in the form of a gorgeous stranger certainly made the prospect more exciting. The heavy metal door slammed behind him, and heat blasted the chilled skin of his face uncomfortably. He pulled off his hat and gloves, tucked them into the large pockets of his jacket, and unzipped it.

  He hadn’t been outside all that long, but there was still a fair line for breakfast and limited seating. Even if he had to stand in the doorway to eat his breakfast, he didn’t care. With the island waves waiting and a hot man to get to know a little better, nothing could dampen his good mood. He’d had to rush out of the house to make the first sailing and hadn’t had breakfast yet, so he ordered an egg, ham, and cheese croissant and an extra-large hot chocolate.

  “Sweet as,” his new friend said.

  Kellan looked up and smiled at the colloquialism. He was helpless against it.

  “I’ll have the same as my mate here,” the handsome man with the sexy accent said, holding Kellan’s gaze with dancing brilliant-blue eyes.

  Kellan held out his hand. “Name’s Kellan, by the way.”

  The hand the man wrapped around his was strong and sure, the skin warm and just a touch rough, and the tingling sensation that raced from his palm to the center of his chest had nothing at all to do with that. No, sir.

  “Jackson, but call me Jax. Great to meet you.” Jax let go first, slowly, but his smile widened. Man, the guy had the most captivating smile Kellan had ever seen.

  Someone cleared a throat behind them, and Kellan realized they’d been standing there staring at each other and holding up the line like they were the only ones on board. They inched forward, and after paying for their breakfasts, Kellan scanned the cafeteria for an open table. Just as he was
about to accept he really would be standing in the doorway to eat, a young couple stood and cleared off a two-person table they’d been occupying.

  “Over here,” Kellan said and beelined for the table before anyone else could claim it, acutely aware of Jax following close behind. Whatever you do, don’t trip. He made it to their destination without embarrassing himself and settled into the hard plastic chair.

  Jax shrugged off his backpack and jacket, revealing a Rip Curl surf logo on his navy blue hoodie.

  Dare I hope for the best of both worlds? That Jax is gay and a surfer?

  Settling into his seat, Jax’s knee bumped Kellan’s under the small table. “Sorry.” A soft pink blush spread over Jax’s cheeks at the contact, but there was nothing apologetic about the glint in his eyes or the sly, playful grin that upped his hotness factor another notch. Instead of immediately drawing away, he let their knees rest lightly together. “My legs are too long for this tiny table.”

  “Nothing wrong with long legs,” Kellan said, meeting Jax’s gaze and holding it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Engaging full-on flirt mode, he added, “I happen to like them long.”

  Jax didn’t break the stare. He parted his lips slightly, and it was the sexiest thing Kellan had seen in a long time. Heat spread in his belly, and a ball of excitement ping-ponged inside his chest. Attraction—as exciting to feel as it was scary after so long.

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were flirting with me.” Jax’s voice was low and husky, and praise the mighty kings of surf if that didn’t inspire all kinds of R-rated images to dance around inside Kellan’s mind.

  “Would that be a bad thing?” Bold, he knew, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself. He wouldn’t have taken the chance in the first place if he hadn’t already picked up a vibe from Jax.

  The moment stretched, and a flush crept over Jax’s cheeks again. He cleared his throat and picked up his sandwich. He shifted his gaze to the window and the ocean beyond.

  Okay… maybe not such a good thing, then. Kellan looked down at his breakfast, his appetite suddenly curling into a tight ball. Had he read him that wrong? If so, he could only hope Jax was the jovial kind who blew things off rather than blew things up and he wasn’t about to get his ass kicked the second they stepped off the ferry. He could easily ditch Jax and avoid him for the rest of the sailing. Never see the guy again, but how mortifying.

  Jax nudged Kellan’s knee again, and he looked up. Jax was smiling, and a mischievous gleam sparkled in his eyes. Kellan didn’t see how it could be possible, but Jax’s smile grew even bigger. Or maybe it was brighter. Or maybe it was the one-two punch with his sparkling eyes. Whatever it was, Kellan knew he could easily become addicted to a sight like that.

  Warmth radiated from the point of contact where Jax’s knee remained pressed against his, and Kellan stopped planning his escape routes and smiled. Maybe Jax wasn’t comfortably out in public, or already had a boyfriend—which he wouldn’t doubt for a second—but it seemed they were on the same page, and that was all that mattered.

  “So.” Kellan motioned toward Jax’s hoodie with his hot chocolate. “You heading to the island for some surfing?”

  This time both eyebrows made a run for Jax’s hairline. “It’s winter here, mate.” The incredulous expression on his face made him look younger.

  Kellan chuckled. “You betcha, and some of the best waves in the world are going off right now.”

  “But….” Jax shook his head. “The water is bloody freezing.”

  Kellan nodded. The expressions of disbelief from people when they found out he surfed in the dead of winter, even while it snowed, never failed to entertain him. Some people thought he was crazy—even his roommate, Jeff, made a habit of teasing him—but there was no better surf than off the west coast of Vancouver Island during winter. World-class waves. And the best part was most people preferred board shorts and sunscreen by the bucketload when it came to surfing, not a dozen pounds of gear to stave off hypothermia, which meant Kellan never had to fight for waves. Only the hardy and the diehard braved the biting cold of the coast, and that alone created an unspoken camaraderie and respect. “That’s why I wear a thick wet suit, hoodie, gloves, and booties.”

  “I’m….” Jax paused and picked up his hot chocolate, taking a tentative sip as if afraid he might burn his lips.

  When he didn’t continue, Kellan asked, “Is that an Australian accent I hear?”

  “Right as.” Jax’s eyes lit up.

  “What brings you to this side of the world, then, if not the surfing?”

  Jax squinted at Kellan before laughing, and then, practically bouncing in his seat, said, “I’m on the last leg of a three-month adventure. A lot of my friends traveled when they graduated secondary school before going to uni. But I was already a pro snowboarder by then and went right into getting my coaching certification instead. Decided it was time I see a bit of the world before I got too rooted down for a trip like this, and up until now I’ve only boarded around home, New Zealand, and the Alps, so… I’ve been snowboarding all the best mountains in the United States and Canada. Mount Washington is my last stop before heading home.”

  “Okay, back up.” Kellan shook his head and laughed. “Firstly, you’re telling me there’s snow in Australia? I’ve been down under and surfed Byron Bay, but I had no idea it actually snowed anywhere there.”

  “It’s true!” Jax nodded earnestly. “Up in the eastern mountain range, near the New South Wales and Victoria border, we get snow. Granted, it’s a far cry from world-class, and one heat spell can kill the season, but it exists. I mostly board in New Zealand, though.”

  Kellan studied Jax from across the small table. Not even a hint of tease in those blue depths. Could anyone be that guileless? “Okay, I believe you. But secondly”—he pointed his index finger upward—“you realize ‘all the best mountains in Canada’ are right here in BC, yes? Heck, the best mountains in all of Canada and the US.”

  Jax raised his hands, palms out, and laughed. “Alberta was pretty rock. Lake Louise and Marmot Basin had some amazing powder,” he said. “Utah and Colorado were wicked too.”

  “Okay, I’ll give you that. There’s a reason why they say the West is the best.” Kellan winked and tilted his head slightly so he was looking up through his lashes at Jax. Kellan’s roommate called the look his “come hither” gaze that had all the men falling at his feet. Kellan thought all the men was a bit of an exaggeration, but he had to admit it certainly worked more often than not. Not that he was a playboy or anything. He just loved flirting—it was good for the ego—and right now he was all about flirting with Jax.

  “Tell me more about this winter surfing business you crazy Canadians do,” Jax said, giving an encouraging nudge with his knee still pressed against Kellan’s.

  Now it was Kellan’s turn to bounce in his seat. “The waves go off in winter. Bigger and thicker, groundswells are consistent, and almost no one out there to fight them for. Plus it gets you in way better shape for summer surfing than the gym.” Kellan took a bite of his croissant, swallowing quickly. Appetite revived. “Seriously awesome. You really have to try it.”

  “Me?” Jax leaned back; again both eyebrows shot upward and hid under his long bangs. He shook his head and pointed at himself. “Hot-blooded Aussie here. We don’t function well under twenty degrees Celsius. I’d freeze my ass off out there in two seconds flat. My boys would not be impressed.”

  Kellan laughed. “It’s well below twenty right now, and you’re a pro snowboarder!”

  “Ah, but I’m dry and layered in moisture-wicking Gore-Tex.”

  “Exactly.” Kellan nodded and grinned. “It’s not too cold when you have the right kit. My wet suit is hooded and six and a half millimeters thick, and my gloves and booties are seven millimeters.”

  “Okay, you got me.” Jax laughed, pointing at Kellan with his sandwich. “Water and winter don’t compute in my head like snow and winter. I only surf in shorts and maybe a rash
guard. How do you move in all that gear? It must weigh a ton.”

  “Not quite a ton, but yeah, it’s for sure heavier. Fully suited up, I’m carrying about twelve extra pounds, but I can stay out all day if I want to. The longest day I’ve had out there was seven hours. Last year it was snowing and me and my boyf—a friend were the only ones out there.” Kellan shifted. It had been a year now since the split, but it had happened on the island, and he hadn’t been back since. Afraid of the memories that awaited him there but now desperately needing to go back and make new ones.

  “‘Boyf-a-friend’ as in boyfriend?” The expression on Jax’s face looked innocent enough, but Kellan picked up a note of disapproval in the tone of his voice.

  “Ex.”

  Jax smiled. “Good. I don’t poach. Wouldn’t want to fall for a taken man.”

  Kellan was quiet for a minute, and then grinned. “Does that mean you’re falling for me already? I mean, I know I’m irresistible and all, but seriously? We’ve only just met.”

  Jax looked stunned for a second and then started laughing, boisterous and uninhibited. He flicked his balled-up napkin at Kellan. “You wish.”

  Yes. Yes, I think I do. “Seriously, though,” Kellan said, ignoring the funny little things that laugh did to his insides. “You really should come and surf with me at least once. There’s nothing like it. Who knows, maybe you’ll love it so much you won’t want to stop.”

  “Maybe,” Jax said, his tone measured. Then he winked. “And doubt it.”

  “How long are you here for?”

  “This is my last week before I’m back to Sydney.”

  “So….” Kellan put down his sandwich and leaned forward, silently encouraging Jax to say yes.

  “So….” Jax laughed and shook his head. “Okay. I could probably cut a couple days off boarding to try surfing.”

  “Excellent!” Kellan clapped his hands together. “It’s only a few hours’ drive from Tofino to Mount Washington, so I could meet you there. I usually only surf when I come to the island, but we could do some boarding in the morning and then be back in Tofino for an end-of-day surf. Or surf, then board, depending on the wave reports. It’ll be an epic day, so you’re welcome to crash at my surf shack. I have an extra room.” Kellan let that hang between them before he continued. He most definitely would not complain if Jax decided to stay the night and not use the spare room. “I make a mean breakfast pizza too.”