Page 59 of Half Baked

“You’re worried aboutmebeing safe right now?” I shout back at him. “I watched the training; I watched you fling your body out of a helicopter into the water! And in a storm like this today? Hayden,what the hell!”

“You’re… mad?” He blinks at me in confusion.

“Yes, I’m fucking furious!” I didn’t even realize it until the words started tumbling out. But I can’t stop now.

“You’re mad at me.”

“Yes,” I shout louder.

“You’re here because you’re mad at me for saving seven lives today?”

“No, of course not. The fact that you saved them is amazing.” I wave my hand dismissively. How could I be mad about thatpart? Instead, I take a shaky breath and blurt out the truth. “I’m mad at you for making me worry about you. For making me care that this is what you do. I was so terrified for you tonight; I’m a fucking mess over it. Look at me!”

Hayden slides his hands from my shoulders, one moving to cup my jaw and the other dropping to my waist. He pulls me towards him and murmurs, “Kiss me, pretty girl.”

“What?” I pull back from his embrace, my brain hazy from the rush of emotions.

“I am looking at you, Poppy, baby. I always am. And you’re here right now. So, when are you going to stop pretending you don’t feel this?” he growls, attempting to pull me towards him again.

This time, I move towards him. Taking a step to close the distance between us, I press my body tight to him. As I do, his mouth crushes against mine frantically. It is utterly exquisite to finally kiss him, and I reach up to tangle my fingers in his hair at his neck, holding him to me.

Water rolls off his face to mine, and the rain is still pelting us furiously. But I don’t feel it. Instead, I feel the way he grips me like he never wants to let me go, his fingers curling in to clutch me in his strong grasp. I feel the way his mouth slants against me and tastes how he is salty as he kisses me deeply. I open further, eager for his tongue to claim its territory.

Because every inch of meishis territory.

Reading my opening for what it is, his tongue moves to taste more of me with urgency. I sink into him, moaning when he slows his pace, taking his time with the kiss, with me.

Only when I’m past breathless and verging on dangerously needing oxygen do I tear my mouth from his. Resting my forehead on his chest, I work to regain my composure. He wraps his arms around me and drops his chin to the top of my head, shielding me from the storm with his body.

“Let’s get you inside and in some dry clothes,” he rasps against my drenched hair.

“But do you need to?—”

“What I need is to get you inside. I’m all yours, and I’m not leaving your side.”

Hearing the words that he’s mine, even if he means only in this moment, a flame of hope ignites within me. Because I think I’ve been his for some time.

Chapter 26

Hayden

Ialways have a rush of adrenaline after a mayday call, it’s to be expected. What I do out there is life or death, at the mercy of an angry, magnificent sea.

But the moment I looked up and saw Poppy at the station, it’s as if pure fire began coursing through my veins. She’s like a drug I’ll never get enough of. My addiction locked in with that kiss.

Keeping her hand tightly in mine, as if worried she might disappear, I lead her into the station. The team is still in the helicopter bay, leaving the common area empty for us to cross through on the way to my bunk room. Which is good. Not because I’m doing something wrong sneaking her in, this isn’t the Coast Guard anymore and I’m not a cadet. But because I don’t want to scare her away with their reactions. I’m terrified that at any second she’ll realize I’m safe, and the rush will wear off, and she’ll pull away again.

We step inside my room, and the moment I close the door behind us, I take her in my arms even though I know I shouldn’t. She’s shivering now that we are in the air conditioning, and my wet body isn’t going to help the situation. But I don’t want to let go. Instead, I drag my hands up and down her back, attempting to create some heat.

“I was so scared,” she whispers into the side of my neck. “I wasn’t prepared for that.”

Her admission is soft, as if she still doesn’t know what to do with it yet. It spears my heart all the same.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I know you don’t like feeling unprepared.” I kiss the top of her head right as she lifts it to look at me.

“You know that?”

“I’ve noticed it,” I explain. “But I didn’t think you’d be… I hoped that you were starting to care about me. But I didn’t think you’dworryabout me. I’m sorry.”

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