Page 46 of Shifting Sands

She hesitates for half a second, then kicks off her boots and curls up beside me. She fits against my chest like she’s been doing it forever, and I wrap my arms around her like I don’t want to let go.

Because I don’t.

“Why do I feel so good when you’re around?” I ask as I kiss the top of her head.

“Because you’ve been sucked into my awesome zone,” she says.

“Awesome zone?”

She nods. “Yep. It’s the atmosphere I choose to live in.”

“I guess that’s better than a non-awesome zone.”

“Oh, yeah. Much better. Most people walk around choosing to live in that one. They’re just miserable, sad sacks.”

I chuckle. “What makes up this zone of awesomeness?”

She shrugs. “Me, my friends, my mountains.”

“Ah, friends I got.”

“You do?”

I nod. “I believe you met a few of them.”

Her forehead creases. “I have?”

“Yeah, Sebastian and Avie, your temporary neighbors.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I went to high school with Seb’s brother, Lennon. He and I and our friend Wade Lusk were close. We played football together.”

“Wade is Eden’s husband, right?” she asks.

“Yep.”

“And Lennon is Amiya’s man?”

I nod.

“Wow, you have great friends. They remind me a lot of my people. In fact, I’m not entirely sure Amiya isn’t Erin’s more sophisticated blonde doppelgänger.”

“I can see that,” I agree with her.

Silence stretches between us and I decide it’s the perfect time to come clean but before I can say anything she snuggles deeper into my side and speaks.

“You know, I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” she says softly. “You and me … on a boat … at night … in November.”

“I can,” I say into her hair. “I’ve been dying to get you alone all week.”

She tips her head back to grin up at me. “So, this was your plan? Get me on the water and seduce me?”

“Is it working?”

“Depends.”

“On what?” I ask as I brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

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