Page 98 of Finding Storm

And my heart fucking jets. It skyrockets out of my chest. And I’m pretty damn sure it lands back down, right in the palm of her hand.

“Spend the day with me,” I blurt.

“Spend the day with you?”

“Yeah,” I’m quick to say. “Can you do that … or are you busy?” I tip my head back in the direction of the B&B.

“Yes. I mean, no.” She shakes her head. “I’m not busy.” A smile lifts her lips, lighting her eyes. “What do you have in mind?”

“Anything,” I tell her honestly. “As long as I’m with you, I don’t care.”

“Where have you been all my life?”

“As long as I’m with you, I don’t care.”

Yep, those sentences have been on repeat in my head ever since he said them.

It’s not often a girl hears those words.

Especially not this girl.

And I’m still trying to figure out in what capacity he meant them.

Where have I been all his life—as a friend?

As long as he’s with me, he doesn’t care—as a friend?

You can’t throw these kinds of bombshell statements on a girl and then leave her hanging. I need answers.

Not that I’m going to ask him for answers.

I’m brave. But not that fucking brave.

Storm left it up to me to choose what we’d be doing today, and as I didn’t think he’d want to spend the day around people in case he was recognized, I figured we’d do the one thing we could where he’d be ensured privacy.

Take my dad’s boat out.

So, I told Gran I was going to take Storm out on the boat. And I ignored the excited gleam in her eyes.

She’ll be at the B&B today because she doesn’t have any plans, so it’s worked out well. And considering Storm is our only guest until tomorrow when more guests arrive, there’s not a lot to be done, except ready their rooms, which I can do later.

I didn’t tell Storm where we were going. I thought I’d let it be a surprise.

So, I packed up a picnic. The water isn’t usually warm this time of year, but it is an unseasonably warm day today at eighty degrees, so the water should be okay to swim.

I borrowed a pair of Beck’s swimming trunks for Storm to wear. And I’m not considering going swimming, so I can see Storm’s bare chest again.

No siree.

Although swimming does mean wearing a bathing suit in front of him.

Not nervous about that at all.

I’ve let Storm have control of the stereo. I was feeling generous. Not my usual MO to give up music control in my car. But when a guy asks where you’ve been his whole life, then he can pretty much have whatever he wants. Coochie included.

So, we’re currently listening to one of his favorite bands, Avenged Sevenfold. “Afterlife” is what I think he said the song’s called.

It’s not my thing, just a lot of noise if you ask me, but he seems happy, and that’s what matters.