Page 45 of Distant Shores
My lips parted as I haphazardly put my glasses back on, nearly taking out an eyeball in the process.
Her.
Miss Sewell.
Entirely without permission, my gaze traveled down to her knees, as if the scrapes would still be there weeks later.
She cleared her throat again, and my gaze bounced back to her face.
Lordy.
Blue eyes that were still the bluest blue bounced between me and Delly.
I hadn’t imagined it.
“Don’t look now, Addy,” Delly muttered under her breath. “But there’s a beautiful stranger at our door. And she definitely seems broody.”
But my gaze was already locked on the woman in question, and I wasn’t sure I could look away if I tried.
13
IRELAND
Adair stood up from the kitchen table and knocked his crutch over when he reached for it.
“Ah!” He lunged, but it was too late. The crutch fell on top of my board, sending them both rolling across the tile floor. His unruly brown hair fell into his face as he stumbled, and I panicked, reaching for him.
There was no fucking way this was happening again.
I grabbed the first thing I could reach—his biceps. But then he reared back in surprise, dragging me forward so hard that I head-butted his chest.
And just… stayed there, too stunned to move.
Oh my God.
I inhaled, some part of me registering his smell, the feel of his chest.
Pine trees. Fresh air.
Surprisingly firm, hidden beneath his baggy shirt.
“Well, then,” the girl still sitting at the table said before clearing her throat.
I jerked back, meeting Adair’s wide hazel eyes.Probably a mirror of my own. I released him, but not before patting his arms.
“Y’all must have some planets in your charts at war or something,” the girl said, standing up from the table.
I balled my hands into fists, dropping them to my side. Damn pat-happy traitors struck again.
Maybe I should roll straight out of this situation. Out of this house.
Just… take my board all the way to the Gulf and walk into it.
With kettlebells strapped to my belt loops.
“I’m an Aquarius,” she said as if that took precedence over her name, nudging her brother out of the way so she could move in front of me. “And I’m Adeline Jacks.AndI know that saying your sign is obnoxious, but I’m trying to take the heat off this guy.” She elbowed Adair. “I’m really, really hoping you’re our new roommate.”
I internally shook myself off and took her offered hand.
