Victoria's POV

I stood barefoot on the warm sand of Padang Padang beach, my rented surfboard tucked under one arm, my heart racing with a mix of nerves and forbidden excitement. I’d always come to Indonesia alone to have fun but this time I came to escape my draining job and the ache of a fresh breakup, but signing up for private beginner surf lessons felt dangerously impulsive, it felt like the kind of choice that could leave me drenched in more than just saltwater.

“Ready to catch your first wave, Victoria?”

His voice rolled over me, deep and smooth like the ocean itself, carrying the relaxed confidence of a...