“Then go.” I brushed my thumb lightly over his wrist, understanding. He hesitated, leaning in. Just a fraction.
This was my chance. I took a deep breath and dove underwater, swimming as far as I could to the other side of the pool, staying there until my lungs burned.
When I finally resurfaced, Luke was turning around the corner. It was probably for the best.
But what the hell happened? What the hell did I just do?
20
Luke
When I was in high school, my PE teacher used to say that I could achieve anything I could imagine. I just had to know what I wanted. Equally important was knowing what I didn’t want. Same with food. Giving in to cravings brought only short-term gratification, pushing me further away from bigger goals. That mindset kept me motivated through my teenage years, university, my career. Understanding what I wanted and acting on it became my guiding force.
I was leaning against the kitchen counter upstairs, a hot cup of coffee in hand, staring at the bedroom door. Yesterday’s events flooded my mind, and I closed my eyes to let the memories walk me through once more.
Hazel’s soft body pressed against mine, her chest rising, her flushed cheeks, the dress I wanted to tear off of her. And the sounds she made.
Oh my fucking God. The sounds.
Last night I tried to forget them, to regain control, but now they were back. The feelings were back. Bright as the morning itself.
I recalled my teacher’s words from years ago. The problem was that Hazel was like the unhealthiest snack I’d seen in my life. But for once, I didn’t care about the future, about my long-term goals. Right at that moment, all my logic, promises, principles vanished. I just wanted her.
I exhaled, still staring at the door. Frustrated. Conflicted. I wasn’t sure if I regretted not kissing her last night or letting it go that far in the first place. Unfortunately, Alex insisted on recreating last year’s prank by throwing Logan into the pool onan inflatable mattress. At least this time, we covered him with a blanket.
When I returned to our room, Hazel was completely passed out. It was obvious she’d smoked way too much last night. Maybe it was a good thing I didn’t kiss her. She was intoxicated after all. That was my obvious reasoning, but deep down, I knew I didn’t want her to regret it in the morning.
I had allowed myself to glance at the beautiful lines of her face, the wet strands of hair tangled on her pillow, her white T-shirt covering her body in places where I had touched her. That’s where I was. Jealous of a blanket. I’d slowly caressed her clavicle and silently sighed, wishing on Alex all the diarrhea in the world for interrupting us in the pool. Then I’d tucked her in and put a glass of water on her nightstand.
And now I was standing in our small kitchen corner, wondering how to clean up this mess. I should apologize, because I also knew the truth that if I’d kept her pressed against that pool wall, I’d have devoured her. And her scent still was driving me fucking insane.
Damn it.It made everything so complicated, knowing she would be willing to... That she wanted this. Me. Us together.
I shook my head, forcing out the thoughts creeping back in.
Focus.
I couldn’t have her as a one-night stand. Even if we both couldn’t deny the sexual tension between us, Hazel deserved more than I could give her.
I drank the last drops of my coffee and placed the cup in the sink. Hazel was still sleeping right where I left her. She probably would be for a few more hours, so I headed downstairs. The first floor was empty except for Logan, still floating in the pool. I grabbed my book and stretched out on the patio couch.
An hour passed before I heard footsteps, and of course, it was the beautiful, stoned angel who had gotten us all high last night.Hazel wore a white T-shirt with navy blue shorts. Half of her hair was up in a bun, the rest falling over her shoulders.
“Hey,” she said warmly, hands in her pockets, hiding tiredness. Or guilt, perhaps.
“Hey,” I said, setting the book down. She noticed and gave a faint smile. “How are you feeling?”
“A little tired. Less thirsty, though.”Just returned the favor, I thought. I would have done it anyway. “You?” she asked, her smile warming my heart like the first day of spring.
“I’m okay. University gave me some resistance to this stuff,” I laughed. “Although I think I pulled a muscle.” Hazel gave me a confused look.
“Alex and I put Logan on a mattress yesterday. He’s floating in a pool now,” I explained. “That’s why he...”
I trailed off. Yesterday came rushing back. The memory of her soft skin hit me, making me draw a deep breath. She remembered, too. Her eyes couldn’t hide anything from me. She froze, then opened her mouth, but there was only silence. We held each other’s gaze.
“Listen, about that, I’m—”
“It’s okay,” she rushed out. “Weshouldjustforgetaboutit.” Her eyes dropped, and she nervously rubbed her palms. She was trying to escape me.
