World's Richest Man: I Leaped Across Time

When I pulled up to Charlotte's place, she was already waiting outside. Her dark auburn hair was styled in loose waves. She wore a black t-shirt tucked into her jean shorts and white Converse sneakers.

A cream-coloured bag hung on her shoulder.

She hopped into my car with a wide grin spread across her face.

I glanced over at her as I started the car. "Did you get your swimsuit?"

"Yep! It's actually on me right now."

I took a quick look and saw a hint of a blue bikini peeking out at her cleavage.

She continued, "I also packed a one-piece in the bag. This bikini wouldn't last a minute in the waves. I know from experience."

"I wouldn't mind seeing that."

"Very funny..."

"You styled your hair, didn't you?" I asked. "Won't it get all messed up in the water?"

"So what? Does it matter?" She smiled. "I just felt like doing it."

...

We met up with two more cars; Sam was driving with Mia and his bodyguard, while Alex got into Lucas's car, who was driving a similar Ford to mine, but his was gray in color.

In the back of his car, there were a few surfboards of all shapes and sizes and some other stuff.

We drove north-west to Fort Walton Beach.

The Atlantic Ocean wasn't the best for surfing. The northern part of the Gulf of Mexico, where we were headed, had much better waves. They called them "The Breakers.".

During the drive, I survived more than enough teasing from Charlotte. But it was okay. That energy made the long drive fly by.

It took us around four to five hours to get there.

Lucas led us to a quiet spot he knew, away from the usual crowds. We followed him and found a secluded parking lot.

Lucas and I were both wearing green Hawaiian shirts and he was blonde as well so we kind of looked similar, although his hair was much curlier than mine.

Alex jumped out of Lucas's car with all the energy in the world, wearing a blue shirt and shorts.

Mia and Sam got out of the silver Mercedes that they arrived here in.

Mia's black hair was pulled back into a ponytail that was so long it reached her hips. She was wearing a thin white sweater and the shortest skirt I have ever seen her wear.

Sam was wearing a white polo shirt, black shorts and a gray baseball cup.

Lucas pointed at a small beach shack. "We gotta hit up that rental spot for surfboards," he said.

I eyed the boards in his car. "What about the ones you brought?"

Lucas shrugged. "Some of those are toast, and the sizes are all wrong for the ladies." He began walking toward the rental place. "Come on, I'll help you choose."

Charlotte quickly followed him. "You don't need to help me. I know what to get," she called out, then turned back to us. "Guys, what are you standing around for?"

We entered the small rental shop, where Charlotte helped me pick out a navy-blue surfboard that fit just right.

Lucas helped Alex and Mia get theirs.

As we stepped out, Alex was clutching a neon yellow board. "I swear if I get killed by the waves today, I'm blaming Lucas for getting me this board."

"Jesus, Alex..." I shot him a look. "Stop saying shit like this."

Lucas looked at him with a grin. "Just don't go doing anything stupid if it's your first time out there…"

We managed to shove the surfboards onto the already crowded car racks, then drove a little further down a road.

We reached a more sandy road and got maybe a quarter mile in until the Mercedes couldn't go any farther.

We parked up and got out, finally getting a full-on view of the beach, stretching out beneath a bright blue sky.

Mia took a deep breath. "Wooow, this view is incredible," she said, turning to Sam with a sympathetic smile. "It's such a shame you can't see it, Sam. It's really lovely."

We started moving our gear from the cars to the beach. Alex and Mia carried my cooler filled with drinks, while I helped Lucas unload his grill and his cooler, which was packed to the brim with beers.

Lucas also had a stack of wood in the back of his car, so he probably had plans for a campfire later on.

The beach wasn't completely empty. A few older men were lounging on beach deckchairs, catching some sunlight.

There were some young and pretty surfer girls in bikinis walking by as we walked back to the beach with our surfboards and some of the men kept shooting glances at them.

"They're all dirty old men when you peel away a few layers of civilization." One of the girls said.

"I know!" said the other girl, making it into a yelp. "That's why I've given serious thought to being a lesbian!"

Interesting...

We set everything down on the sand.

Charlotte, once she was ready, slipped her shorts down her thighs and let her shirt slide over her shoulders, revealing a blue two-piece bikini.

She adjusted her top and draped herself across a sun lounger, her long, toned legs showing off to their fullest.

I looked at her compliant body, admiring her toned, athletic physique that she got from playing tennis.

"Jack?" Charlotte looked up at me.

"What?" I asked as I lay down beside her.

She tilted her head slightly. "I don't know. I've seen you look at me dozens of times, but you never looked at me like that..."

"Like that?"

"Yeah," she replied with a teasing smile. "You looked... I don't know... hungry, maybe? I've seen other guys look at me like that, but not you."

"I'm just admiring a beautiful woman... That bikini you are wearing shows you off nicely. I suspect that the beach always looks like a battle field when you sounter out of the surf."

Charlotte flashed me a beautiful smile. "I always wear a one-piece wetsuit when I surf, so there isn't that much to see," she said.

I saw Lucas chugging a Coke, looking pretty chill.

Mia was sitting on a blanket next to Sam, her hand resting under his arm.

Alex was about to grab a beer from Lucas's cooler.

"Dude! Are you stupid!?" Lucas yelled out, "Don't drink and surf! Save those for later."

We finally decided it was time to hit the waves before it got cold.

Charlotte walked back to my car to change.

She returned wearing a bright yellow one-piece wetsuit. She'd said she didn't think it looked great, but she was still turning heads..

It had turned into a perfect day; the air was warm, like it can get sometimes in summer. Ideal for surfing.

Lucas confidently walked up to the water's edge, his hair tousled by the wind.

Charlotte grabbed her board, and I saw her eyes already mentally mapping out the best spots to catch waves.

Alex looked pretty nervous.

Lucas tried to teach him a bit by standing his board on the sand and showing him how to stand on top of it, but Alex struggled to keep his balance even on the shore, waving his hands around.

"I don't think he's ever been on a surfboard in his life." Mia commented.

I glanced at her. "Yea, no. It's his first time. He probably won't even try getting in the water."

I walked up to Alex. "Hey, don't worry too much. Just remember to stay loose and keep your knees bent."

He nodded, though his eyes looked unsure.

Lucas's patience had it's limits and he finally gave up on trying to teach Alex. He grabbed his own board and headed to the water.

Mia, too, got in the water. "Watch and learn, everyone," she announced as she laid down on her board and padded along.

Charlotte had been out in the water for a while as well.

I was the only one left with Alex, who was still struggling, his board wobbling on the sand.

I sighed and then looked out at the water.

"Fuck it," I muttered to myself, and I dropped my board into the water.

I wasn't a surfing enthusiast in any way, but I did learn it to a decent degree.

After all... this wasn't my first time on this beach.

But back then, there was no Mia; no Charlotte.

Just the sea and the air... paddling hard to catch a good break. Then the magic of the slide along the face of the wave.

The sea green and white around me... The board slicing through the water, making me feel as if I were about to fly...

Exhilarating.

When I hit the crest, I leaped off the board and into the sea.

I resurfaced, gripping the board.

I saw Charlotte gliding effortlessly on her own wave, her wet suit clinging to her body, every motion beautiful as she carved through the water.

She leaped into the water with a splash and paddled over to me.

As we floated there, Mia finally managed to catch a wave, and she stood up, wobbling like a new tree in a storm. She was making it work, though.

After falling, she paddled fiercely, trying to catch the next wave more confidently now.

But as she stood up, the wave grew taller.

"Shit!" Lucas shouted.

Mia lost her balance.

She was flung off her board, the wave crashing over her.

She disappeared beneath the surface.