揑 can hear the waves. We should go back…？
揧ou don抰 even want to see it??I look at her.
Her jaw is clenched like she抯 about to pop bone through her cheeks.
No, she mouths.
揇estiny, I don抰 mean to be nosy but…are you okay??I lay a hand on her shoulder.
Her weak nod tells me she isn抰。
揑抦 fine. Sorry if I抦 ruining your fun…？
揇ess, no. I抦 the one who抯 sorry. If I can get you anything, just let me棓
揅an we just head back to the house??She says it quickly, which tells me again how not fine she is.
I follow her back the same way we came.
Good thing she was paying more attention than me. I抳e lost my sense of direction and I抎 never make it back to the house without a guide.
But I can抰 stop thinking about the way she tensed up the second she said she could hear the water. Like it was some kind of shock to her?
I don抰 understand.
We抮e on an island. A gorgeous one she抯 visited before. Surely, she remembers these dazzling beaches and the ocean?
I know I shouldn抰 keep pushing, but I can抰 help it. I抦 worried.
揑f you weren抰 okay, you抎 tell me, right??
揈liza桰抦 fine.?It抯 the closest she抯 come to snapping at me since I met her.
O-kaaay then.
I drop it for the rest of the walk to the big house.
About halfway up the hill to the huge porch, we see Lancaster梐nd I抳e never seen him like this.
He抯 changed into black shorts, showing off those tall legs that look like they could kick someone抯 ass to the moon and back.
Despite probably never wearing shorts at home桰 can抰 picture it梙e抯 not pale like I imagined.
How did I never notice how strong his thighs are until now?
How defined his calves are.
How tight that butt looks with the fabric hugging it, all sculpted muscle, a machine that could send him crashing deep into any woman lucky enough to wind up under him.
God.
Even if he was born that way, he clearly pays his dues at the gym.
My brain is rabbiting, imagining the appalling things those muscles would be good for梐nd none of them require a treadmill. My face burns.
Thankfully, I can blame it on the evening sun.
揧ou two look like you抮e settling in,?he says.
揥e were just exploring. The beach is that way, Dad. Same as ever,?Destiny says sheepishly, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder.
揑 know, Dess.?He looks at her so gently. 揌ow are you feeling??
揌ot.?Destiny fans herself, puffing out her cheeks. 揑抦 gonna need a day or two to get used to the humidity here. Even with the breeze, it抯 nothing like home.?
Smiling, he meets my gaze. 揧ou抮e flushed. Don抰 tell me honey badgers melt in this climate.?
揧ou抮e not that lucky. I抦 just hot, like she said.?I point a thumb at Dess.
揕et抯 find you some shade,?he tells me, turning to the thick leafy trees closest to the house.
揔nock yourselves out, guys. I抦 going inside,?Dess tells us, starting to move until her father holds up a hand.
揝how me your phone first.?He gives her a severe look.
Wrinkling her nose, she pulls the phone out of her pocket and holds it up.
揋ood. Text me when you抮e supposed to check in. If I don抰 hear from you in an hour, young lady, you won抰 be going anywhere alone until we抮e back in Seattle.?
揇amn, Commander. You抮e this strict in paradise??I whistle.
He glares at me.
揙kay, okay.?Destiny sprints toward the house without looking back.
I watch her white sneakers as she runs.
揑s she okay??I ask softly. 揝he seemed a little off when we were down by the beach, honestly.?
揝he抯 settling in,?he says harshly. 揑抣l talk to her when we get back this evening.?
Oof. Why won抰 he look at me?
揑 thought you should know…she kinda freaked out when she heard the waves. Before we even got to the beach, she wanted to turn around.?
For the briefest second, the color drains from his face. It抯 not the soft orange sunlight splashing him through the shadows, either.
揑 was worried about that,?he mutters, like he抯 forgotten I抦 here.
Yep. I抦 officially weirded out.
The girl抯 reaction to the ocean was eerie enough, but Cole acts like he expects it. I wonder what big, scary secret I抦 missing.
揕et抯 find shade,?he says.
He doesn抰 wait for me, just continues in the direction he抎 started moving.
I tag along, making my heavy feet work.
When I抦 at his side, he rests his hand on the small of my back, guiding me along.
My mind jumps back to the plane, the way our bodies touched in that cramped galley. It抯 almost worse that he抯 in shorts now.
There抯 even less between me and whatever he抯 packing below the belt line.