Page 1 of Lust For

CHAPTER ONE

The trip out to the beach was long. The traffic was so horrendous, the four-hour trip had turned into five. But what should I have expected at the peak of tourist season in Corolla, North Carolina? It’s July and the tourists are flooding into the state for the beaches and other attractions it has to offer.

I put my Jeep into park and lean back into the leather seat. My limbs are stiff and sore from the drive. I still can’t believe I came out here just because my mother asked me to, but the guilt in her voice was enough for me to know that she and my father weren’t going to be able to make the trip anytime soon. Out of my brother and I, I’m the one with the more mobile career, so it made sense for me to come. After all, I currently have a gap in my commitments for my career in fitness. Normally, I wouldn’t have minded coming, but it’s not the season I enjoy most. Even though the town is small and quaint, I prefer when it’s more private, like in early June or even late August.

But my parents are ready to sell this place since it doesn’t get used as much as it did when us kids were younger. My twin brother and I used to stay every summer. Audrey and Aiden—a pair who did everything together, until he moved out to Los Angeles full time to be with his band, Crave. I’m proud of him and the boys for finding success. However, it means we don’t see each other as much as we’d like.

I get out of the Jeep and head toward the house, then take out my key and unlock the door. When I enter the house, I can see that someone is currently living here too. There are pizza boxes in the kitchen, a sweatshirt hanging over the back of the couch, and shoes lying in front of the back door. None of which should be here. This house should be empty and quiet.

I reach for the pepper spray in my purse, ready to zap whoever this fucker is. “Come out! I’m going to call the police,” I call out to the intruder.

There’s movement and noise coming from the back hall—either my room or Aiden’s, I’m not sure. A dark figure emerges from the hallway and finally comes into the light. My shoulders slump and relax as I recognize the man standing in front of me.

“What are you doing here?” he grumbles.

I don’t answer him immediately, because Derek Walsh is standing in front of me wearing only a towel. It’s slung low on his hips, so I have a view of absolutely everything. Well, expect maybe the good stuff. He’s just like I imagined him to be, all hard lines, muscles, and tattoos. Some are colorful and others are black and white, and I wonder what it would be like to trace each one with my tongue. His body looks like the most beautiful canvas I’ve ever seen.

His spiked black hair is disheveled and dripping with water. His brown eyes are wide and staring at me. I can see that his mouth is moving, but I honestly can’t bring myself to pay attention to the sounds that are coming out. He looks almost angry at me. Although, that wouldn’t be new for Derek. He always had a mean streak a mile long.

He and Aiden have been best friends since they were in middle school. Aiden is only older than me by two minutes, but one would have thought those minutes were hours, or even years, with the way Aiden made them sound. He always made me feel like the dorky little sister growing up.

“Jesus Christ, Audrey. What in the actual fuck are you doing here?” he asks, when I finally decide that I should listen to the words coming from his perfect lips.

The thing that Derek’s never known is that I want him. I always have and probably always will. When my brother and his bandmates are one stage, he’s all my eyes can focus on. No matter how many times I try to watch Aiden play bass, I always go back to the lead singer.

“I’m here to get this place fixed up. My parents are selling,” I respond. Then I find my bearings, remembering that this is my family’s house, and he shouldn’t be here. “What are you doing here?”

He runs his hand through his hair. I watch the water slide down his strong forearms. Again, I fight the urge to walk over to him and run my tongue along the path that the droplets are taking.

“They’re selling the beach house?” he asks, leaning back against the counter.

“Well, yeah. I mean, I don’t come here all that much. Neither do they and you guys are always in LA. Why are you not in LA?”

He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, not saying a word. The silence stretches between us longer than I’m comfortable with.

“Derek?” I prompt, annoyed that he hasn’t answered my question. “How did you get here?”

“Aiden,” he says, making it sound like the most natural thing in the world. “Aiden gave me the key the other night. I flew in and I’ve been staying here for the past twenty-four hours. He didn’t mention that you were coming or that Joe and Marie were thinking of selling the place.” He throws out my parents’ names like they’re just our friends rather than the people who raised him while his mom was in and out of rehab. I never knew Derek’s dad, and frankly, I don’t think he ever did either.

“Oh. Well, you can’t be here. I’m getting this place cleaned and seeing what repairs need done before we put it on the market.”

“Your parents couldn’t just hire someone to do that? Being the dutiful daughter, you had to come out here and box things up?”

“You’re lucky they didn’t.” I roll my eyes, growing more annoyed with him by the second. “Whoever they would have hired might have called the police on you or shot you. So, you’re lucky it’s me.”

It’s been a long day, and I can tell it’s about to get even longer. All visions of coming here, making a quick stop at the house before heading out for groceries, are lost. Even the plan of enjoying a pizza on the sand while the waves crash into the shore seems like something that won’t be possible now.

Nope, not with Derek staying here. He’ll probably try to get me to leave.

“Can’t you do that another time?”

“I just drove for five fucking hours to get here and do this,” I spit in his direction. My hands find my hips, and my chest juts out in defiance. No, I will not be the one leaving. “Besides this is my parents’ house.”

He shakes his head. “I know that. But Aiden gave me the key.” He says it like that’s all the permission he needed.

“It wasn’t Aiden’s key to give,” I tell him.

He lets out a laugh. “Aud, are you really hell-bent on throwing me out of here?”

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