Moonlight Bay

"My friend, Willow, and my sister, Heather, were practically drooling over him when he showed us to our table. I thought they were going to get into a catfight over him."

"Speaking of your sister and friend, we should get back downstairs. Dave just texted me that your dinner is ready and your family is waiting for you," replied Diane as she looked at her phone.

"Just let me fix my makeup and I'll go back and face the music," answered Jessica as she stepped into the bathroom.

Sarah waited until Jessica returned to her table before serving everyone. Dave helped by carrying several meals on a large tray. Jessica received hugs from her parents, sister and Willow before taking her seat. Dave once again guided her chair under the table for her.

"Thank you, Dave, for being so kind to me," Jessica managed without tearing up.

Once the servers left and the family was finally enjoying a somewhat subdued meal, Willow spoke. "Has anyone noticed Jessica came in here with a boyfriend, dumped him and now she's working on her next one? She plucked the very guy her sister and I were setting our sights on!"

"Willow! That didn't happen, at least not the part about me stealing the guy you and Heather were flirting with," protested Jessica.

"It's okay with me, Sis. James was a total ass and I'm glad you dumped him. Tomorrow, I'm meeting the guy sitting at the next table on the beach," revealed Heather. "He's going to show me around this week. You can deal me out of the maitre d' contest."

"We did break up, but James pretty much dumped me. I certainly didn't get a new boyfriend while I was being dumped. What man would want me after the things James said?" wondered Jessica.

"I would say a very good looking one," quipped Willow. "He knows James is full of shit."

"Is that the way you're going to speak to your patients?" asked Jessica's mother, Nancy. "You may want to work on your communication skills."

"They kept telling me that during my rotations," laughed Willow. "I'm working on it, but it's not easy to break lifelong habits. My father is a firefighter and a pretty plain talker, if you know what I mean. I guess I got that from him, but he's the best dad in the world."

"Mom and Dad?" began Jessica. "I'm sorry you had to hear what James said about me. I hope you don't think I'm some kind of slut."

"Jess, you're a beautiful young woman that just graduated from medical school. We're nothing but extremely proud of you. Learn from your mistakes and move on," advised her father.

"I'm just glad you finally stood up to that pompous ass," added her mother, Nancy Williams. "He was extremely overbearing. He actually tried to hit Dave when he intervened in your defense."

"Yeah, and for a tough rugby player, he got marched out the door pretty damn fast," laughed Willow. "He made a serious miscalculation when he went for Dave."

By midmorning of the next day, Willow and Jessica were reclining on lounge chairs watching Heather playing in the surf with the boy she met the previous evening. Nancy and Ben Williams were sitting under the shade of a beach umbrella nearby. Jessica was beginning to drift off to sleep when she heard Willow's exclamation.

"Oh my God! Look at those two guys giving those kids surfing lessons! All I can see are their silhouettes, but I like what I see."

Jessica, Ben and Nancy all turned to see two men with surf boards along the water's edge. There were surrounded by a dozen kids between the ages of eight and fifteen. The kids gathered around listening and watching as the two men demonstrated various surfing techniques. The morning sun reflected off the water behind them so it seemed to sparkle and made details difficult to discern.

Gathered a little farther from the group were what appeared to be parents of the kids, keeping an eye on their children as they prepared to learn how to surf. A smile came to Jessica's lips as she watched. All the spectators were female and they appeared to be paying closer attention to the instructors than the young students were.

"Maybe you two ladies could persuade the guys to give you private lessons," teased a voice off to the right. Turning her head, Jessica saw Diane standing a few feet away with a big smile on her face and a sexy one piece bathing suit enhancing her impressive figure.

"We didn't see you coming," apologized Jessica. "I don't think we'll be taking surf lessons. Neither of us are great swimmers."

"Speak for yourself!" chided Willow. "I wouldn't mind spending some time learning from those guys. She didn't say anything about what kind of lessons they were."

Jessica was shocked when her mother joined the conversation. "That's right, Jess. Perhaps a few lessons will prevent your next boyfriend from expressing his dissatisfaction to your mother."

"Mom! How many mimosas have you had already?" asked an embarrassed Jessica as Diane and Willow broke into fits of laughter. "I don't think I'll be taking lessons of any kind from a couple of surfer dudes, so you'll just have to live with the complaints from my ex boyfriend."

"That's too bad," grinned Diane. "Dave's a really good instructor. He's very thorough and always insists on safety first and doing things by the book. For a few lucky ladies, that book is the Kuma Sutra."

Willow sprayed her drink out her nose when Diane mentioned the Kuma Sutra and coughed a couple of times before finally finding her voice. "Dave, as in your brother, is the teacher? Where can I sign up? I'm going to need a lot of one on one, personal instruction!"

"Dave and our cousin, Tim, come down to the beach a few times a week, weather permitting, to work with kids on surfing and learning to be comfortable in the ocean. They think there will be less chance of drowning and accidents on the beach if the kids learn about things like rip tides and how to identify them and escape them if they get caught in one.

"As you can see, the mothers, aunts, and even older sisters enjoy watching the lessons for some reason. I think a lot of them would sign up for the private lessons if Dave and Tim actually gave them. I like to help the guys out when I can," added Diane.

"For some reason, fathers and brothers seem to drift over to watch the lessons when I'm there. That's why I wear the one piece swim suit. I made the mistake of wearing a bikini once and my top was around my waist when I came out of a big wave. I didn't realize it until Dave held his board up in front of me and told me I was giving a free show," laughed Diane. "He said the other guys wouldn't speak to him for a week because he told me."

Jessica found herself laughing at Diane's story as she turned her attention back to the water's edge. The sun had risen slightly higher in the sky and now she was easily able to identify Dave as he showed a girl where to place her feet and to bend her knees. The kids were all smiling and laughing, but always seemed to pay attention when Dave or Tim spoke to them.

Diane joined the group and soon the trio was taking kids out one at a time for a few practice runs. When the kids lined up for a turn with the instructors, Jessica noticed that some of the boys made certain they were in Diane's line, while most of the girls were quite content to take instruction from Dave and Tim.

"I know you like Dave, so I'll be a good best friend and ask Tim for some lessons," volunteered Willow. "Not that I'll be suffering very much. That whole family is great looking and those two guys have amazing physiques, speaking as a doctor of course."

Once again, Jessica's mother, Nancy, surprised her. "You should take Willow up on her offer. He seems like a very nice young man. He certainly isn't full of himself like that ass, 'James, don't call me Jim' obviously was."

"Mom, he's a waiter and a surfer dude. You always told me to choose a man that would be successful and able to support a family," reminded Jessica to her mother.

"His mother owns a very nice restaurant. I'm sure he's not exactly impoverished," responded Nancy Williams to her daughter.

"James' parents owned businesses in seven states and that didn't stop him from being a total ass. You're sending me mixed signals, Mom," complained Jessica. "Do you want me to marry for money, or for love?"

A few dates with a nice young man aren't exactly the same as marriage," pointed out Nancy. "I want you to marry a man you love that has the ability and willingness to take care of his family. I want you to find a man that respects you and the love you give him."

"Well said, Mrs. Williams," agreed Willow. "You do know I wasn't talking about surfing lessons, don't you?"

"I know exactly to what you were referring, Willow," chuckled Nancy. "Apparently, Jessica could use the help of a qualified instructor."

"Mom! I can't believe you said that!" admonished Jessica. "James was just trying to be cruel. He thought he'd hurt me and my entire family with his ridiculous comments. I don't need any damn lessons or instructions!"

"That's great to hear, but as a doctor, you know the value of a second opinion," pointed out Willow. "Maybe Dave would give you one."

"I'm sure he would!" snapped Jessica. "In fact, there are millions of men that would just love to give a second, third or whatever opinion, but I'll never again be near a guy so crude, cruel and disrespectful he'd tell my parents his opinion, regardless of how impressed he may be."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch," shrugged Willow. "I'm just saying the proof of the pudding is in the tasting."

"Oh no!" groaned Nancy Williams. "I think we can safely say that joke was in poor taste."

"Mom! What is wrong with you? Dad, wake up! Are you hearing what your wife is saying?" demanded Jessica.

"It's pretty damn hard to nap when three women are making all sorts of double entendres about sex. I will admit that if I ever hear a man speak to you, or about you, with the disrespect and cruelty James displayed, there'll be a reckoning. I've been kicking my own ass for not doing more when James started running his mouth," admitted Ben Williams. "I feel like I let you down."

"Mr. Williams, you certainly did not," responded Willow quickly. "Maybe if Dave hadn't been there, you might have had to react, but he was there for that very reason. He didn't just suddenly appear. He was watching Jess all the time and jumped in as soon as the problem developed. You wouldn't want to have ruined his chance to be your daughter's white knight, would you?"

Once they announced lessons were done for the day, Dave, Tim and Diane found themselves being thanked by parents of the children that had been instructing. Diane chuckled as she watched her brother edging away as a very appreciative single mother in a small bikini kept moving closer to him as she expressed her unending gratitude.

"Thanks, everyone," announced Diane as she reached for Tim's hand and then Dave's. "I promised some friends that I'd bring Tim around to meet them. We'll see you all next week."

Diane led the two men away from the disappointed women and over to where Willow sat with the Williams family. "Tim, meet Mr. and Mrs. Williams, their daughter Jessica, and Jessica's good friend Willow. Tim is our cousin, but seems more like a brother."

"You're really good with the kids, Tim," offered Willow as she flashed Tim her best smile. "Is there any chance you could find time in your schedule to teach me the basics of surfing."

It was obvious that Tim found the tall brunette attractive as he looked her over with approving eyes. "Sure! We could do it right now if you'd like. I have some free time and the surf isn't too rough, so it would be a great time to get started."

"Thank you so much, Tim!" exclaimed Willow as she held her hand out for Tim to help her to her feet. "Maybe Dave could give Jess some pointers, too? We're finding out that she isn't always a fast learner, but she's an enthusiastic student."

"Thanks for thinking of me," retorted Jessica as she her face turned pink from Willow's little dig. "I'll just sit here and watch since I'm such a slow learner."

Dave managed to pry his eyes off the lovely young woman long enough to see her mother look directly at him, and then nod in her daughter's direction. He had learned early in his dating experiences that the acceptance of a girl's mother could be a very good thing.

Emboldened by Nancy Williams' encouragement, Dave reached down and took Jessica's hand and proceeded to gently pull her from her chair. Jessica was now forced to direct her attention at Dave as he stood above her. She had seen enough men in her years in medical school to recognize an excellent example of manhood. His stomach muscles crossed his abdomen like cables and his chest was extremely well defined. As she reached her feet, she saw the scar on Dave's chest.

Her training as a doctor took over as Jessica gently ran a finger over the scar. She had seen a very similar scar on a man that had seen while doing a rotation with a cardiologist. That man was a retired police officer that had been shot breaking up a carjacking years earlier.

"Is this from a bullet?" asked Jessica as she looked more closely. "Turn around please. I want to see your back."

Dave seldom spoke about his time in Iraq and the various scars and wounds he had received in two tours of duty. His first inclination was to refuse the beautiful woman's request, but he found himself very reluctant to refuse her anything. He slowly turned so Jessica could look at his back.

"My God! The bullet passed through you. It had to have hit a lung. I'm surprised it didn't hit your heart, too," exclaimed Jessica as she gently ran her finger over a larger scar on Dave's upper back. "Did this happen in the service?"

"Who told you I was in the military?" asked Dave. "Was Diane telling you my life story?"

"Don't flatter yourself," responded Jessica. "You've obviously been shot and you're wearing dog tags. It wasn't much of a stretch for me to assume you'd been shot on a battlefield."

Realizing he had jumped to the wrong conclusion, Dave immediately apologized. "I'm sorry about that. I know Diane doesn't tell stories out of school. She did tell me you're a doctor, so it all added up. I took a bullet a couple years ago. It barely nicked my heart and pierced a lung. I was pretty bad for a while, but I'm fully recovered now."

"So I'm the one that should be upset?" suggested Jessica, but with a smile. "Your sister's been talking to you about me. I'm really glad that you're okay now. That was very close to being a killing shot."

Jessica was surprised to see Diane had tears streaking her cheeks. "I'm sorry, but it was a terrible time for us. Dave was almost killed. I don't think about it much anymore, but when I do, I still get emotional. He's more than my brother. He's my best friend."

"Well, he's in good hands now, Diane. Jessica and I are both medical doctors. These guys will be safe while they're with us, more or less," joked Willow.

As the foursome headed for the water, Nancy Williams spoke to Diane. "Thanks for bringing those two up to get the girls off their chairs. I was afraid after that scene last night Jess was going to want cut her vacation short. I can't imagine any young woman not enjoying being around your brother."

"I haven't seen any who felt that way," admitted Diane. "His rugged good looks catch their eye, but it's his character and generosity that make him so irresistible. He seems to be interested in Jessica. He didn't pay any attention to that crap her ex-boyfriend was spouting off about last night. He's an excellent judge of character."

Jessica was pleasantly surprised at how well she did on the surf board. Dave was an excellent instructor and she had always been athletic, so she quickly learned from his pointers and suggestions. For his part, Dave was happier than he had been in recent memory. Jessica wasn't just a beautiful woman with a great figure. She was smart, athletic, and very quick witted. They shared good natured barbs and comments well into the afternoon.

When the two couples returned to Jessica's parents, they found Heather sitting with the young man that had shared the video with her the previous evening. They also found a cooler with cold drinks and several submarine sandwiches waiting for them.

Ben Williams offered the grateful men a cold beer and nodded toward the sandwiches. "Help yourselves. We didn't know what kind you'd prefer so we picked up several different types. Just dig in."

"Jessica, you need to reapply sun block," insisted her mother. "Your back is getting a little pink. The salt water intensifies the sun's rays and washes it off your skin over a period of time. You were out there over an hour."

"Tim, would you mind putting some block on my back?" asked a smiling Willow as she immediately stretched out on a blanket. "I don't want to get burned either."

Tim set his beer down in the sand, picked up the tube of lotion, squirted some into his hand and began rubbing it into Willow's back. While still lying on her stomach, she picked up Tim's beer and took a couple of long pulls on it.

"You don't mind sharing your beer with me, do you," asked Willow as she placed his beer back on the sand.

Heather and Jessica glanced at each other and began laughing. "We're watching an expert flirter here, aren't we, Jess. I'm learning from the best. Derrick, would you mind rubbing some lotion on my back?"

Derrick glanced at Ben Williams before accepting Heather's offer. Ben smiled and nodded at him and that was all it took. Soon, Derrick was rubbing lotion on Heather's back and legs. Nancy Williams was curious how Jessica would react to the other girls receiving male attention.

Jess picked up the lotion and looked at Dave. She simply canted her head slightly to the side and Dave gave a big smile as he accepted the lotion and proceeded to rub it into her soft skin. Once the guys were done spreading the lotion on the ladies, the women applied some to their own fronts as the guys watched closely.

"Dave, you have a dark tan, but it's still a good idea to wear some block. Lie down and I'll do the honors," offered Jessica.

Nancy Williams smiled to herself as the other girls quickly followed suit and began applying block to the men beside them. She watched as Jessica spent extra time caressing the exit scar on Dave's back. Nancy marveled at her daughter's self-discipline as she worked on the young man's body. He was remarkably rugged and extremely handsome, yet Jessica remained calm and collected. That lasted until she had Dave turn over and Jessica began applying the block to Dave's front. Nancy watched as her daughter's face flushed and her breathing quickened noticeably as she ran her hands over Dave's chest, once again lingering on the bullet scar.

"Jess, would you like to walk up the beach with me?"asked Dave as she finished her ministrations.

"I'd like that," replied Jessica as Dave took her hand and led her away.

"How about we take a walk, but down the beach?" asked Willow as she stood and offered her hand to a very willing Tim.

Once they were out of hearing, Derrick spoke to Heather but loud enough for her parents to easily hear. "I've never seen Dave act like this before. He's always the cool guy that's quite outgoing, but your sister's intimidating him."

"Are you kidding? He's one of the best looking guys I've ever seen. I bet he has girls chasing him all the time," responded Heather.

"That he does. He's not just good looking; he's one of the best guys I've ever known," praised Derrick. "My older sister was in his class in high school. He was the star quarterback and pitched the baseball team to the state finals. She dated him a few times, but it was never anything serious. In fact, no girl ever managed to get Dave serious about them, although quite a few have tried."