Coalescence - SF3 by Susan X Meagher

Especially since you can pull them off of me with your teeth in about a half hour," she added with a wicked leer.
    Even with the top down and the background noise, Ryan could hear her partner’s audible gulp.
     
    "Hey," Jamie said after a beat. "Did you say you surfed Half Moon?"
    "Yep," Ryan said smugly. "Mavericks," she added, naming the famous surfing spot known for having the biggest waves on the West Coast.
    "Long boards?"
    "Yep."
    "Uhh, Ryan, I hate to tell you, but no woman has ever successfully surfed Mavericks."
    At the next stop, Ryan pulled her blouse away from her chest and peeked inside. "Well, you can tell me later after you’ve made your inspection, but I’m pretty sure I’m a woman," she said with a crooked grin.
    "But surfing there is a really big deal for a woman, Ryan," she insisted.
    "Well I’m sure that’s true if you want publicity, Jamie. But I just want to surf and blend in as much as possible. I bet nobody even noticed I was a girl."
    "I didn’t know you could surf if you were blind," she replied with her own grin, as she let her eyes linger on her partner’s obviously womanly curves.
    "To be honest, I try to look as masculine as possible when I surf. Guys hate to share with women. It’s the most sexist group of people I’ve ever been around, and I’ve worked construction!"
    "Could you surf a little for me? I’d really love to see you in action," Jamie begged.
    "I haven’t been in a year or so, but I think I could still rip a few for your viewing entertainment," she grinned.
    "You’re on, Tiger," Jamie concluded happily.
     
    The signs indicated that they were nearing 17 Mile Drive, and Ryan knew it would not be long before they reached their destination. A very strong physical pull urged her to keep on going, but she had been planning a little something, and her heart told her that she needed to follow through with her plan.
    "Is there somewhere quiet and private where we can stop for a few minutes?" she asked her partner.
    "Stop?" The look that accompanied Jamie’s exclamation questioned Ryan’s sanity.
    "Yeah. I know we’re both in a hurry, but today is really special for me, and I want to stop for a little while to commemorate it."
    "You are such a romantic," Jamie mused as she graced her partner with a luminous smile. "I know a really nice place not too far ahead. I think it will be perfect."
    They were driving right along the ocean when Jamie indicated they should stop. Hopping out, she went to the trunk and rooted around in her suitcase for a few moments. Finding what she was looking for, she quickly tucked it into the pocket of her rust colored shorts. Ryan waited patiently, lifting an eyebrow at the delay, but Jamie just shrugged and gave her a look that said, " Don’t ask ".
    The smaller woman took her hand and led her along a rocky path through the scrub that covered the harshly beautiful landscape. Around a bend they saw the spot and it was, indeed, perfect for Ryan’s purposes. Very well hidden by the rocky boulders was a lone cypress tree that looked out over the wild ocean. The roar of the surf was muffled by the height of the cliff they were perched upon, but they could feel the violence of its crashing waves through the earth as they sat down under the sturdy branches of the huge old tree.
    "Have you been here often?" Ryan broke the silence after they had stared out at the sea for a few minutes.
    "Yeah," she said softly. "When I was a teenager, I used to ride my bike down here, just to be alone. I’d bring a book or just sit and think for a while."
    "Did you always come alone?"
    A brief nod was her reply. "I considered this my most private space," she said in a whisper. "Up until now, I’ve never wanted to share my special spaces with anyone." She gazed up at Ryan as she said this, her eyes filled with love. "It’s different now. I want to share everything with you, Ryan. Everything I have is yours. All of my dreams and hopes and plans mean so much more when I