Page 60 of Adrift

I chuckle. “You don’t have to be on the kayak to document it. There are great trails right next to the river where you can take good pictures.”

She twists her mouth, thinking. “Okay, that might work. Then I’ll start my introduction and a potential outline on that tonight.”

I trail my hand down to her waist and pull her in. “You know, you’re supposed to give any activity at least three tries before quitting.”

“Not if that activity is hazardous to your bones.”

I laugh, throwing my head back. “You’re cute when you’re ridiculous, but I’m going to get you back on a kayak once more this summer.”

“Challenge accepted.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Rani

Darian helps me into his truck before closing the passenger door. Lord, it’s like a hop, skip, and a jump to get into that thing. I feel like I’ve had my workout for the day.

He walks around the front of the truck to the driver’s side, and I ogle him like a lovesick puppy. It doesn’t help that he looks excruciatingly delicious in his cap. It somehow makes his scruffy jawline look even more tapered, and that just does things to me. Filthy, panty-melting things.

He smiles over at me as we both buckle ourselves up before he waves out the window to his mom holding Arman. When he turns the truck around, I open my window and blow my little man a few kisses.

A few moments later, I side-eye Darian, who is focused on the road, before I walk my fingers ever so slowly over the center console and to the hand resting on his thigh. I tickle the side of his pinky finger and notice the familiar tug on his lips. He weaves our fingers together without even shifting his gaze.

He clears his throat after a moment, while I relish in the feel of his fingers around mine. “I know we haven’t spoken about it, but how do you feel about keeping things quiet about us?”

I grin, looking over at him. “I like the sound of the word, us.”

He glances at me and this time, I see a rare smile on his face. “Yeah? Me, too.”

“I think it makes sense to get to know each other without the scrutiny of anyone else. I like the idea of keeping things just between us.”

He seems to relax physically, but a frown has replaced the smile that was there. Is that not the answer he wanted? I’m about to ask when my phone buzzes in my other hand.

Liam: Hey, Rani. I gather from the fact that you never responded to my last text that we ought to talk. Any chance you’ll be taking a walk with your nephew today? Or maybe we can grab coffee some evening?

I sigh, reading Liam’s text. He’d texted me last week to ask if I wanted to go on a walk, but I just needed a break from everything. Between worrying about his feelings for me, his feelings with the way Darian had treated him, and avoiding Darian myself, I needed a break from the boy drama. In hindsight, it wasn’t cool of me to ghost Liam because at the end of the day, he’s a good guy and not someone I want to hurt.

Darian glances inquisitively at my lap as I untangle my fingers from his. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s a text from Liam. He wants to talk.”

Darian snorts. “Tell him to fuck off.”

I give him a stern look–one I know he’s familiar with. “Darian, I am not going to tell him to simply fuck off. He’s my friend, and he’s a good person.”

“He tried to fucking kiss you after you made it clear you didn’t think being with him was a good idea!”

I scoff, incredulously. “Just how much of my conversation did you listen to?”

Darian presses his lips shut, his jaw flexing.

“Darian?”

“Enough of it.” He regards my mouth hanging open with a shake of his head. “Look, it’s not like I tapped your phone! The asshole was on my property, daring to touch what’s mine–”

He stops himself abruptly, and as much as I want to punch his arm right now–though, I’d probably just end up breaking my hand–I can’t help but grin. Like from ear to fucking ear. Like Jack Nicholson from The Shining.

Yeah, I look insane.

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