But today was Saturday. And tomorrow the weather would likely keep them out of the water all day. And… well, that was the end, wasn’t it? He would be leaving for the city, and she had to get back to her life in East Hampton. This, right now, could be all she got.
Or maybe not, a small voice whispered in her mind.
She shook the thought away, watching as he carved into the wave, the sea foam churning under his feet as he did a barrel turn to come at it again. Hope wasn’t a plan. Yes, she could confidently call him her friend now, but that didn’t negate anything he’d said in the message he left at the bakery. Whatever had happened between them, he was over it. Maybe it hadn’t meant anything to begin with.
The wave mellowed, and Will dove back into the water, resurfacing a moment later and paddling toward her. His board pulledup alongside her own, so close that their legs brushed together. His breath was coming in quick and heavy gasps, and his blue eyes looked electric under the gray skies.
They both stared out at the horizon for a long minute. It wasn’t awkward—if anything, she felt more comfortable in his silence than she did anywhere else—but still, it seemed like there was added gravity now, like they both knew there was something to say and now it was just a waiting game. She knew what she wanted to say. Or rather, what she wanted to ask:Do you still have feelings for me? Because I think I have feelings for you. But what was he waiting to say? What if she poured her heart out and all he had to tell her was what time he was planning to leave the next day?
No. She couldn’t contemplate that. So, instead of honesty, she opted for the next best thing: avoidance.
“Taking a long break over here, Mr. Darcy,” she said, forcing a wry smile.
He stared out at the ocean for another moment, then turned those blue eyes to her. “Just enjoying the view, Ms. Bennet.”
Her pulse leapt and a hot flush coursed its way through every inch of her body almost simultaneously.Get a grip, Lizzy. She was ridiculous.
A peal of thunder in the distance just as she saw the growing peak of a wave approaching. It was huge and barreling toward them—the perfect diversion.
“It’s mine!” she yelled.
Will’s brow furrowed. “Elizab—”
The dull roar of the surf drowned him out as she paddled forward. She turned just as the wave met the tail of her board, pushing her as her arms cut through the water. Her arms burned at the pace until she finally popped up, leaning back to cut into the barrel. But there wasn’t a barrel. As soon as she was up, the wavecollapsed, throwing her into the air only to yank her back down again by her tether. The water swallowed her up then, pulling and pushing, and she couldn’t tell which way was up.
Somewhere in her brain she remembered that this sort of thing had happened before; she knew what to do. But right now, her mind was blank. All she knew was that there wasn’t any gravity, only freezing water dragging her down and her lungs burning in her chest.
Then there was something warm around her arm. Warm and firm and pulling her harder than the waves.
She broke through the surface, taking air in giant, desperate gasps as her feet found solid ground. But the warmth didn’t leave her arm. In fact, it was all around her now, cocooning her as she coughed and wheezed.
“Lizzy!”
Oh. It was Will. The realization came to her slowly, as did the fact that his arms were around her, pressing her to his body as the water lapped at her waist. It felt so safe and warm, she closed her eyes and let her body go limp against him.You saved my life, she wanted to say.Oh, and I absolutely have feelings for you. But just as suddenly as he had pulled her to him, he yanked her away, gripping her shoulders to make sure her gaze was locked with his.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he roared, his blue eyes sharp and alive with panic. “You can’t just paddle out into a wave like that! What would have happened if I wasn’t here? What—”
She leaned into him before he could finish, bringing her lips to his to kiss him. She wasn’t even aware that she was doing it. All she knew was that he was worried about her, that she mattered, and suddenly she couldn’t remember why she hadn’t done it days before.
He hesitated, his body tense.
No, no, don’t pull away, she thought, wrapping her arms around his neck to keep him close.
Then he groaned and crushed her against his chest. His mouth was suddenly devouring hers, swallowing her moans while his hands tightened their grip. Somewhere in her mind, she was aware that the ocean was churning around their legs, that it had started raining, too. But none of it mattered. She was too lost in his warmth, his taste…
A crack of thunder split through the sky, making them both jump.
And just like that, the spell was broken. Will was frozen in place, his arms still around her, but looking down at her now like he’d committed a cardinal sin.
“Shit,” he murmured.
Her brows knitted together as he released her and took a step back. Had she missed a step? Done something wrong? She couldn’t tell. She didn’t even know how to ask. And then, suddenly, she didn’t have time to.
A flash of lightning lit up the sky, catching Will’s attention.
“The storm’s here. We should head back.”
She swallowed. “Okay.”
