Page 109 of Beyond the Stroke

“But true.” Logan grins.

This is what I needed. A night with the guys on the beach talking about meaningless shit. Marrying Summer, then Connor showing up to train with the Current all in the span of a week has shifted the foundation of my once predictable life. But this feels good.

“Oh, shit,” Logan murmurs under his breath.

“What?” I ask, half-chuckling as I reach for a seltzer water from the cooler.

“Connor’s here.”

My head jerks in the direction Logan’s looking.

Sure enough, I can make out Connor’s dark, messy hair and arrogant grin through the flicker of the bonfire flames as he greets a group of people. But I refuse to give Connor the satisfaction of a reaction. It’s clear from his actions since the moment he arrived in Coral Cove that’s what he wants from me. So, I’ll ignore him just like I’ve done at practice.

It’s fine. Totally fine. No reason to tackle him into the bonfire.

Sitting back down, I crack open my water and take a large gulp, determined to not put any more energy into Connor’s presence.

“Did someone change the music again?” Charlie asks, checking his phone.

“Hell no.” Logan shakes his head. “We all know how protective you are of your curated playlists.”

Eli chuckles. “Yeah, for a guy whose pre-race warm up song is ‘Call Me Maybe,’ you’re awfully particular about setting the right musical tone tonight.”

“‘Call Me Maybe’ gets my blood pumping like no other song can.”

“Maybe if you’re prepping for a middle school dance,” I tease.

“Mock me all you want, but it’s scientifically proven to boost performance.”

“I’d love to see the science backing that.”

My jaw relaxes and my mood lifts, until I catch Finn grimacing.

“What?” I ask. Before he can answer, I follow his gaze across the bonfire to where Connor is standing, but he’s not alone this time. He’s talking to Whitney and Summer, and my state of relaxation vanishes.

I know both women can hold their own, but seeing Connor near my sister and my wife sets off a primal instinct to protect what’s mine.

Just the sight of them in the same proximity has me up out of my chair and moving in their direction.

As I approach, I see Connor holding Summer’s hand. When her hand drops, it’s obvious it was a handshake introduction but that doesn’t matter to me. Every instinct in my body flares with irritation.

Seeing him near her twists something deep inside me. I can’t shake the feeling that he’s trying to get too close. He’s testing me, pushing boundaries in a way that feels calculated. I’m sure it’s just a part of his usual game, but that doesn’t make it any easier to deal with.

“There he is.” Connor motions with a lazy grin as I approach.

“Hey,” Summer says with a soft smile. “I was just about to come find you.”

I can tell by the look on her face that she’s trying to diffuse the situation. But it’s not her issue, it’s mine.

“Connor.” My tone is as sharp as the terse nod I give him. “Didn’t expect to see you here,” I say, wrapping a possessive arm around Summer’s waist to stake my claim. Even though I’m focused on addressing Connor, I immediately notice how perfectly she fits against me. The curves of her body beneath the soft fabric of her dress, and the warmth of her body pressed against mine.

She relaxes into me and now my heartbeat quickens for a different reason. Not from the adrenaline of coming over to confront Connor, but the proximity of Summer and how she affects me.

When I turn my attention back to Connor, I see the glee in his eyes. He knows he’s gotten a reaction from me.

Connor leans back slightly, like he’s enjoying the discomfort he’s stirring up. “Didn’t realize I needed an invite. Team bonding, right? That includes me now.”

I don’t know if it’s the way he keeps pushing or just the fact that he’s here when he clearly wasn’t invited, but my irritation is building.

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