Page 2 of Replay

Two rounds later, I’m several more drinks in. I sneak a peek over my shoulder to where a pissed-off Nathan stands, clenching his fists. I bite my lip, liking that he’s just as jealous over me as I am over him.

Graves leans closer and rests his hand on my hip. “You suck at this game.”

I tilt my head back, laughing, because he’s right.

The next thing I know, Graves is being pushed to the ground, and I’m being pulled from the table. “Sorry to break up your little bonding session, but I’ve had enough of his fucking hands on you.”

Everyone’s attention zeroes in on us, likely whispering about how uncharacteristic this is for the happy couple we are, but the alcohol buzzing through my system has me not caring in the slightest. I let Nate’s firm grip on my hand guide me into the back door of mine and my dad’s condo. Neither of us says a word as he drags me down the hall to my bedroom.

As soon as he shuts my door, I’m in his face. “What the fuck, Nate?”

“What the fuck is right, Berkley. You know how bad he wants you. I was trying to let you have your fun, but fuck… I want togo out there and break his fucking face in.”He takes a breath, running his hands through the longer strands on top of his head. Strands I love to twirl with my fingers. Strands that make me want to vomit just thinking about someone else lying beside him, runningtheirfingers through his hair instead.

His hazel eyes penetrate me when I don’t respond. “I stood there for thirty minutes picturing you and him doing this every weekend at Mountain Ridge, until one weekend, you let him fuck you.”

I rear back like I’ve been slapped. I don’t want Graves, not in the slightest. I want Nate and only Nate, but I don’t say that. I’m too pissed he could ever think such a thing about me. “Like you are one to talk. I saw you with your newest friend, so I chose to drink and forget this fucked-up situation.”

“You have no idea how fucked up this situation actually is,” he grinds out, and the anguished turmoil that was on his face earlier today is back in place. “And for your information, I shook her hand and politely excused myself to find you.”

“I just…” The alcohol hits me suddenly, and I lie on my bed, the long day of sun and booze taking over my body. “I feel like I’m drowning in my insecurities right now, and I fucking hate it,” I whisper.

Moving closer, he releases a heavy breath and pushes the hair from my face, his tone softening. “There is nothing to be insecure about. No one will ever be you. I wish…” His hesitation has me opening my eyes, finding his pained ones. “I wish you would’ve just let me have Coach get you a spot with me in Texas.”

I shake my head, because I fear that may be the biggest mistake of my life. “I just can’t leave him,” I mutter, eyes burning with emotion as I turn onto my side, wanting sleep to overtake me. I want to wake up tomorrow and pretend this never happened.

The bed dips beside me, and Nate wraps me in his arms. He kisses away the tears that trail down my cheek as he reassures me. “I’ll never love anyone more than I love you, BB.”

My doubts melt away in his embrace and, finally relaxed, I drift off to sleep. But I swear I hear him whisper, “He ruins everything,” before I pass out.

The sun creeping into my room the next morning stirs me awake. I try to fight it, but the queasiness in my stomach won’t let me. Bits and pieces from the end of the night flood back into my mind.

Nate isn’t touching me, but I feel him beside me in the bed. I want to roll over, wrap my arms around him, and tell him I’m sorry for last night and that everything will be okay, but when I notice him lying there awake, staring at the ceiling, dread like I’ve only felt one other time in my life consumes me.

Getting out of bed before I lose my shit, I make my way to the shower, pretending I don’t notice he’s awake. The water cascades over my sun-kissed skin, and I try desperately to convince myself that I’m thinking too much into this, and that everything is fine. He’s probably just nervous about leaving and likely upset with me for ruining one of our last nights together, instead of just coming to him and talking about how I wasfeeling. We’ve always had a mature relationship in that regard, but last night, we were the furthest thing from mature.

I remind myself of how perfect things have been the last two years since I moved back to Nori Beach. From the very first day my eyes trailed up that tan, muscular body that I later learned purposefully overthrew the football on the beach, just to have a reason to run over and talk to me. He was unlike anyone I had ever seen, with his dreamy hazel eyes and his captivating smile. I think I fell instantly. Every day since then, he has fiercely adored me and brought so much happiness back into my life. Which is why the thought of losing him floods my mind with an onslaught of crippling fear.

My nerves skyrocket again when I leave my ensuite bathroom and find Nate sitting on the edge of my bed.

His eyes meet mine, and I swear he looks like he’s been crying. My heart plummets, and that sickening feeling hits me again. All the positive thoughts from the shower are churning into negative ones as my gut sours.

No… no… no. We have a plan. Don’t do this, baby.

Please.

He gives me a weak smile. I swallow roughly and walk beside him to where my clothes lay on the bed.

Nate picks up my simple blue panties and, without a word, he bends for me to step into them. My towel falls to the ground, and he slides them up my legs. He gently kisses my stomach, not sexually like he normally would, but somehow even more intimately. Almost like it’s the last time he knows he will have me like this. My stomach lurches beneath his lips at the thought.

“Blue…” he whispers, gently touching my panty line. Tilting his head up to mine, he continues, “Blue was the color of the bathing suit you had on the first day I saw you on that beach. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. And then you spoke to me… I’ve been so fucking gone for you since that exact moment.”

My heart flips at his admission, but my brain tells me not to let my guard down.

He presses his eyes together before grabbing my shirt and slipping it over my head. That’s when I notice a tear escape the corner of his eye, and I feel like my throat is constricting. I want to say so much, but no words come out.

As his eyes meet mine, he reaches for my hand. “Lay with me, BB.”

The sound of the nickname he gave me steals the air from my lungs, and I suck in a breath before lying beside him.

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