Page 11 of Cash (Big Hot Alphas 4)

I smile. “It’s really sweet of you to invite me. But let’s meet up later. I feel like I’m crashing your family vacation.”

“You’re not.”

“Well, still.”

“You trying to get rid of me already, Harlow?” Cash says, squinting at me.

I grin. “No. Promise.”

“Good. Because I’m not going anywhere. And neither are you.”

Cash’s hands slide down to my hips and he pulls me on top of him. I draw in a breath as I straddle his hard-on. He’s ready for me—and I’m ready for him.

“This needs to come off,” Cash grunts, pulling the shirt off me. Then he grabs my hips again and lowers me down onto him, filling me deeply with the first thrust.

Cash keepsme in bed for as long as he can, until finally he really does have to go. He gives me his number and I call him so he has mine. Standing in the doorway of my hotel room, we kiss each other goodbye—a kiss that is so damn hard to break from once we start—and then Cash leaves and I walk back into the room, practically floating from our time together.

I could probably lie in bed all day, just daydreaming about Cash. But I’m inHawaii, for God’s sake. I’m not going to waste away the day in my hotel room. I change into my swimsuit, throw some loose clothes on top, and head out of the hotel.

Every day I’ve been here has been beautiful, but today is especially luminous.

As I head down to the beach, I can still feel Cash’s kisses on my lips, his hands on my body, his sex inside of me. Last night—and this morning—was mind-blowing. But there was so much more to it than just the physical pleasure. We belong to each other now. I don’t know how else to put it.

And nothing has ever felt so right.

When I make it down to the beach, I’m glad to see it isn’t too crowded. There are only a few dozen other people here, and even fewer out in the water. I find a spot to set my stuff, strip down to my swimsuit, and walk out to the ocean.

As I wade out into the water, my thoughts are still on Cash. I can’t help but daydream about what our life together is going to be like. Living together. Getting married. Having babies.

Growing old with the love of my life.

I immerse myself in the water, diving in and swimming for as long as I can beneath the surface before coming up for air. When I finally come up, I glance back at the beach and am amazed at how far I swam. I turn away again and continue swimming, savoring the feeling of the water around me.

It really is heaven here.

A few minutes later, though, the peaceful water around me shifts. Abruptly, I feel myself pulled; it feels like something has been snatched out from under me. I kick harder, trying to move out of the invisible grasp, but I can’t escape it.

The current starts to pull me under, and panic blooms in my chest.

I’m pulled under for several seconds before I manage to resurface. When I come back up, I realize how much further away from shore I am now and the panic in my chest grows hotter. I try my hardest to swim back to shore, but the current is too powerful.

Fuck.Fuck. I can’t get back.

Nightmarish thoughts of being pulled out to sea flood my mind.

No. This can’t happen.Please.

Only able to tread water now, I call out for help. I’m not even surewhatI yell. Cash’s name, maybe.

I think of us as kids. Think of him kissing me again after all those years. Think of the future I want so desperately to have with him. I can’t lose that. I can’t.

But my arms are starting to get tired. My lungs are starting to burn. The very idea of being on land feels suddenly impossible. Like it’s something I’ll never experience again.

I yell out with what voice I have left. I fight the current. I tell myself I won’t die out here. I won’t. I can’t.

But then the water pulls me under again.

And everything goes black.

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