Page 39 of Breathless

Between my legs, he grows hard, and I gyrate my hips, thankful we’re in deep enough that no one can see what our bottom halves aredoing.

Those rough fingers skate along my bikini bottoms, and my pulse races. Yes. All theyeses.

Someone shouts on the beach, and abruptly we pull back, panting and out ofbreath.

He smiles and cups myface.

When he speaks, his voice is rough. “We’d better stop before things go too far.” A chuckle escapes him as he leans closer to kiss me one more time. “Tonight, though, we need totalk.”

He moves us closer to shore. I slide down his body and take a stepback.

Is he merely putting off telling me something terrible? The heart-pounding elation zipping through my body comes to a screeching halt. “That soundsominous.”

“Nothing bad, Bitsy. I promise. Just…” He squints in the sun and studies my face. “I wanna make sure we’re in the same place. That we want the samethings.”

I nod, ignoring that twinge of fear whispering that wedon’twant the same things. That maybe he’s looking for something casual, hisusual.

But he did say he’s readynow.

I nod, knowing that if he wants to be friends with benefits, I won’t do it. I won’t do casual. Not with him. Because my heart can’t handle being disposable tohim.

Although… when was the last time Logan Carter had agirlfriend?

My stomach twists as I consider the answer, the one I don’t want tohear.

Because the answer is never. Logan has never had any kind of significant relationship with a woman that lasted beyond a fling orhookup.

Wanting to be brave, I return the smile. “Of course. We’ll talk.” I have some things I need to say aswell.

Needing a break from the intensity of his stare, I glance at the beach, where our friends play volleyball in the sand and hunt for seashells. Two of Tori’s bridesmaids splash in the water closer toshore.

No one pays any attention to us,fortunately.

Everyone’s having fun, which is what we should be doingtoo.

Determined to shake off my somber mood, I tug on his arm. “Race you to thebeach?”

And I take offrunning.

15

Logan

After a fierce volleyballcompetition where we let Ethan and Tori’s team win—’cause I’d be a shitty brother if I rained on that parade—I collapse in the sand. Lying back, I toss my arm over my face to shield it from the sun. The moment my eyes close, all I see is Joey. The way her lips felt so soft. That silky hair through my fingertips. Her luscious body againstmine.

Needing to hide how she affects me, I flip over onto my stomach, adjust my junk, and turn my head, which gives me the perfect view of Josephine, who’s laughing with Tori andKat.

That kiss has my head in a place it’s never been before, thinking about shit I’ve never considered with any otherwoman.

But Joey’s different. I’ve always known this. I’ve always known she’sspecial.

She was right. I wasn’t ready for this. For her. I’ve been too damn stubborn about crossing a line withher.

I wasn’t always so opposed to it, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seriously considered anything withJo.

Patrick drops down next to me. “Corona?”

I nod and sit up. “This your way of apologizing for being acock?”

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