Page 119 of Redemption
The first tear hits my cheek.
“I didn’t want my brother taking care of me. I wanted you, and I’m not even saying you had to get in a fight with the guy. I don’t know; I just wanted you to claim me as yours, butsomebody else did that instead—someone who didn’t even have a claim on me. I’m so tired of protecting others. And for what? All for a stupid game.”
This time, when I go to walk away, he lets me.
Later, I’ll apologize because I know what I’m asking from him is unfair, but right now, I’m sad.
He’s another person in my life choosing Langston over me.
Chapter 36
Mallorie Jade
Hayes might have said yes to the date, but he refused to let me plan it.
I argued with him for at least thirty minutes. In the end, I let him win.
Now, he’ll be here in ten minutes, and I’m far from ready. We are going to the waterfall, so it should be as simple as throwing on a shirt, shorts, and a bathing suit. But my mind is making it complicated. This isn’t just a fun trip to a waterfall with my brother’s best friend like every time in the past. It’s more—so much more.
I’ve tried denying this spark between us, but despite our history, it hasn’t died. An undercurrent of electricity runs through my body every time I’m around him, waiting to turn into a full-fledged flame, and I’m tired of trying to tamp it down.
So I took my Mom’s advice, and I kissed him again. I didn’t let myself think of Langston, or the guilt, or even Tanner. I was there in that moment with Hayes, and I knew I wanted more.
Even if the guilt over Langston’s death still sits like a rock in my stomach. I don’t know that the guilt will ever go away, but my feelings for Hayes aren’t either.
A knock at the door has me throwing on my swimsuit, black high-waisted cut-off shorts, and a t-shirt.
It’s not until I’m at the door that I look down and realize my mistake. The shirt I’m wearing is Hayes’s, not mine. I stole it the day I left because even though we were broken, I needed a piece of him to take with me.
I debate changing, but he’s already seen me through the window on the door. I’ll just have to hope that he doesn’t realize.
Smoothing it out, I flip the lock and open the door.
Hayes is standing on the porch, his hands are shoved in his pockets, and a smile plays on his lips. It’s the fire in his gaze that nearly knocks me over, though. He’s looking at me like a man obsessed, and it terrifies me.
His eyes dip down to my feet and slowly climb up, stopping for a minute on my bare legs before they continue their pass up my body. When he reaches my shirt, I know that any hope of him not remembering is a lost cause. The muscle in his jaw jumps, and that flame in his eye turns into an entire inferno.
“Nice shirt, you little thief.”
Words of the past meshed with the future.
The only way I see out of this is to pretend I have no idea what he’s talking about. So I gather my hair in my hands, wrapping it in a ponytail, and then I lie. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Dimples bracket his lips, partially covered by his beard, cut short enough that it’s just above a five o’clock shadow. “Sure, you don’t. I’ll let you get away with that lie because seeing you in my shirt is worth more than calling you out.”
I scoff. “I’m pretty sure, in a roundabout way, you just called me out on it anyway.”
He winks. “Maybe. But you can keep the shirt anyway. It looks better on you than it ever did on me. Are you ready to go?”
Rolling my eyes, I take his hand and drag him behind me to the truck.
“You know, you aren’t starting this first date on the right foot. You have to be nice to me if you want a second one.”
Tugging my hand, he pulls me to stop beside the truck door. Leaning past me, he grabs the handle and opens it. Then his hands are on my waist, and he’s lifting me.
“Ever the gentleman,” I say, teasing him, but his face stays serious.
With his hands still on my hips and my legs dangling in front of me, he steps in closer, forcing me to make room for him. “This isn’t our first date, baby. We’ve already been there, done that, and I’m not going back—only forward from here on out.”
