Page 10 (1/2)

Six years ago

GRABBING RILEY BY THE WAIST I fall backward, pulling her into the freezing water with id water surrounds us, nu our skin, as we slowly sink to the botto for Mexico toht causes my chest to ache as I pull her even closer while we break through the water’s surface, both of us fighting for air, and our bodies frozen

She sucks in a deep breath before releasing it and screa around in ainstto keep her teeth fro”

Her body is shaking violently from the cold, so I use this as an excuse to keep her war as I can re has never seemed to be on our side If I can’t have herthen I’ll wait She means more to me than any woman ever could, and I have a plan to show her that—a promise that I made to myself I just don’t kno to tell her I want her without ruining our friendship, but I’ll show her when the tiht

Placing one arainst s around ainst the wall of the pool to support her “I’ve got you, Rile” I brush her wet, brown hair out of her face and s botto her ass off I should feel bad for torturing her, but I don’t Not really I know she lovesthat lipI’ to bite it”

I see a hint of a shs “You can be such a dick sometimes, Cale”

“I know,” I admit “That’s why you love me so much, Riley Raines”

All laughter and playfulness seems to stop as our eyes ht as her uilty and I hate it I hate that look

“What, Riley?” I pull her chin up as she looks away “Say it,” I whisper “You know you can tell ”

She closes her eyes for aher bottoive ,” she says softly “It’s just thatI’s on the ends ofstud you You’ll do fine withouther eyes from my view

“Not true Don’t ever say that” My heart is beating so daainst her chest that I’m surprised she hasn’t asked me if I’irl thatthose words out of herelse How can she not realize howto miss the shit out of her? “It’s kind of hard not to be sad”

Ito make her feel bad This face always seems to work on her “I have to wait for you to coinity”

She looks stunned for a hter and squirh is so damn beautiful “You jerk You almost made me feel bad for you for a in Stop kidding around” She atterab her waist, stopping her

“Where are you going?”