“The condom didn’tbreak.”
Then how come I felt like I couldn’t breathe if he wasn’taround?
How come I wanted to duct-tape my body tohis?
“You look a little pale,” hesaid.
I lifted my hair and twisted it into a rope. “However clingy I get, don’t run from me,okay?”
He leaned over again and gripped the back of my neck. “Why would I run from the one thing Iwant?”
As he kissed me, the tether between us solidified into a thick and shiny rope, which I itched to pluck but still feared to touch. In the end, I set the temptation aside for another time, a time when August would be so certain of my feelings for him that he wouldn’t worry if I couldn’t move his body with mymind.
39
Iwasglad it was Saturday. At least none of August’s employees would witness my walk ofshame.
August flicked his gaze toward me as we ambled hand-in-hand toward my car. “I know some very capable house painters who workweekends.”
I powered open my car doors. “I’m sure youdo.”
“Let mecall—”
I kissed his still moving mouth, then pulled away and said, “I like paintingwalls.”
“If memory serves me, you also like what I did to you lastnight. . .”
Heat smacked my cheeks. “I did also likethat.”
“And swimming in lakes.” He gestured to the sky. “I mean, look at this weather. It’s perfect for what I hadplanned.”
Maybe I could let Jeb—No. I needed to help out. Especially if we wanted to move intomorrow.
“You know what I also really like?” I asked. “Sunset swims. Less peoplearound.”
His eyes flashed. “You make a convincing argument. What time should I pick youup?”
“Six. At the apartment, so I have time tochange.”
He looked up at the sky before returning his gaze to my face. “That’s in too manyhours.”
I smiled. “Want to bring uslunch?”
His lips curved. “I can most definitely do that.” As he leaned in for a kiss, my phone vibrated inside my bag. I disregarded the call, giving August’s addictive mouth my fullattention.
A while later, he drew open my car door, and I settled behind the wheel. And then he backed away and watched me leave, the rope between us stretching like spun sugar. At a traffic light, I dug my phone out of my bag to call Sarah, but then remembered I couldn’t make contact withher.
My disappointment was quickly superseded by apprehension when I noticed Liam’s three missedcalls.
Bracing myself, I dialed himback.
It was Lucas who answered. “We’re waiting for you in thegym.”
“I thought you said I had the dayoff.”
He sighed, then dropped his voice, “Just get here quick,Clark.”
“Did theCreeks—”
