"I promise," he said, grinning, and lowered himself seamless back onto his stomach to paddle the board a little farther out and turn it about. It was only a couple minutes before the next swell, and fell into the instinctual rhythm of paddling, arms cutting swaths through the water and then pushing up, center of gravity sinking in and posture shifting until he was turning the board along the crest, and he rode the wave- mild and gentle, if a good size- into the shore. He flashed Kate a thumbs up before paddling back out again, and slipped off the board to submerge briefly before coming up, scrubbing a hand through his hair as he pushed the board over to her.

"Okay, now you."