Page 11 of Phoenix

Since the day my parents died when I was eight, water has been my escape. I’m sure a therapist could find some deep connection to my need for water, but I like to keep it simple. No need to make it more complicated than it needs to be.

I stay under the surface until my lungs scream for relief. I push myself up, wipe the water from my eyes, and take a deep, cleansing breath.

The day is over now. Washed away.

Now comes tomorrow.

No sooner do I pull myself from the tub, dress, slip into bed—and nearly fall asleep—does my cell ping with a text message. I pull it from the nightstand and open the messaging app.

Amelia: Cadence wants to know when you’re visiting again.

Me:Stop using Cadence to do your dirty work and stop texting during lunch.

Amelia:Fine. Just bring your ass. I miss you.

Me:You better. And soon...I promise.

Amelia:I hope so. Case has been asking about you too.

Me:Case who? ??

Amelia:Oh stop it. He asks every time I see him. Are you ever going to tell me what happened between you two?

Me:Nothing and that’s the truth. We just...clicked. That’s all.

Amelia:I somehow don’t believe that.

Me:Well, it’s true.

Amelia:I’ll get the truth out of you...one day.

I drop my phone back to the nightstand and flop back onto my pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

My heart is in Savannah.

I miss my best friend. I miss the city. It stole my heart.

I never expected to love a place so much until I set foot in a square in the Historic District of Savannah, Georgia.

It was love at first sight.

Not to mention, Case Carmichael is there.

Fucking Case Carmichael. I swoon just at his name.

Smooth-talking alpha, cocky as fuck cop, and best friend to my best friend’s fiancé. The man could talk the panties off a nun and she’d beg for more.

So the fact my panties didn’t come off for him at all had him all riled up. That’s a fact I tucked away in my back pocket, brought all the way back to California with me, and pull out anytime I need a good boost of confidence.

He tried to work his charm on me when I was there with Amelia, after the whole “ex-husband is a psycho bastard” debacle. However, I, by the grace of God—unwilling to get hurt and the fact he’s a cop—was able to just say no, like he was a drug.

I’ve been with men like him.

They sweep you off your feet, fuck you like a god, make you come ten times in one night, and then kick you out on your ass in the morning.

No thanks.

I have my handy-dandy rabbit vibrator for that, and he doesn’t talk or make me leave after we are finished.

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