“It’s obvious how important it is to you.”
“It is, it’s?—”
She cut herself off, still protecting herself.
But I didn’t want her to do that anymore. I squeezed her hand and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
“I told you—I see you, Selena Torres.”
“It’s the thing I built. Something that was just mine, something I was good at. Even if…some people have never seen the value in it, it always felt right to me. Like it’s what I was meant to do. I really do care about this beach, all the beings who live on it. This is how I help them.”
“Tell me more about it.”
She gave me the defensive face I knew so well, but I didn’t let go, and it melted away into something more vulnerable.
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time.”
“El Tiburón, professional surfer and guest DJ, has time?” She smiled, and it was half fight and half laugher—and all her.
Keep her. I want to keep her just like this.
“No, but Chase Perez does. Don’t you know I’d swim to the ends of the ocean just to see you smile, Torres?”
“Back to those cheesy lines.”
“But are they working?”
“They are.”
Her smile shifted, fully unguarded. The one I’d been waiting weeks for, so of course I had to ruin it.
“You want to kiss me so bad right now, don’t you?”
She scoffed, shoving playfully at my chest.
“Don’t be idiotic. I want to punch you in the face.”
“With your lips?”
“Chase—”
“Admit it. You’re swooning. I’m irresistible.”
“You’re insufferable,” she said, but she was also laughing, and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
She leaned in and rested her forehead against mine.
My breath hitched, just a little.
The shark came up slow and went still, waiting to strike, its entire focus on the few inches between her mouth and mine, everything else in me going quiet to make room for it.
“Selena.”
She tipped her face, brushing her nose against mine.
I closed my eyes, waiting for our lips to meet when?—
