Page 35 of Crushed By Love

I freeze up when the water hits my middle and I don’t want to take another step. I imagine that if I do, the sand will drop away and I’ll be pulled under. Flashes of nearly drowning assault my mind. Cooper is still holding my hand and I swear if he tries to make me get in any deeper, I’m going to knee him in the balls.

“Relax.” He inches closer. “Listen to the waves. How do they sound?”

I swallow hard and take them in. Crash. Swish. Crash. Swish.

“Terrifying.”

“Most people find them relaxing.”

“I’m not most people.”

“Yeah, I’ve realized that.” His words catch me off guard and I turn to him, searching his face, hoping for a compliment but expecting an insult.

What I find sends my stomach swooping. It was definitely a compliment––the man is looking at me as if I’m the only sunset out here tonight. I don’t know if anyone’s looked at me like that before.

“Do you trust me?” he asks.

“Of course not.” I don’t trust anyone.

He grins, squeezing my hand. “I won’t let you drown. How about I stay a step ahead of you? Make sure it’s safe?”

“That seems like an okay plan.”

He steps in front of me so he’s walking backwards while he’s facing me. He takes my other hand so that he’s got both of mine in his now. But he’s got more than my hands in his. He’s got my life and maybe even a piece of my heart. Does he realize that? Does he feel what I’m feeling right now? Confused and excited and hopeful and terrified. And did I say confused?

Tugging, he leads me into deeper water.

“The waves are worse when you’re close to shore like that. We’ll go out a little bit and they’ll be better.”

“If you say so.” The water is colder tonight than it looks and my skin is already covered in gooseflesh. I make the mistake of looking down at myself, finding nipples that are hard pebbles from the cold. “Oh geez,” I murmur and Cooper smirks.

“Go faster, Coop.” I demand and he takes a large step back, pulling me with him.

“Not that fast,” I squeal.

“Look at me. Right here.”

I meet his eyes and focus on them instead. The deep brown is hooded by long lashes. Long strands of his tawny hair hang across his forehead and he tosses his head back. When he does, I get an even better look at his eyes. My insides turn molten––because I can read exactly what’s behind those irises.

Lust.

He likes what he’s looking at––he wants me.

It makes me entirely uneasy and wholly excited at the same time, a torrent of battling emotions.

This is so confusing. There’s no denying it now. I’m attracted to both of these brothers. I want them both. What is wrong with me?

“Don’t go too deep,” I whisper as we take another step out, this time the waves are high enough to cover my breasts.

“I’ll go as deep as you’ll let me,” he rasps, and my cheeks flush at the sexual innuendo. But it’s not a joke, he means every word. What am I supposed to do? Forget supposed to . . . what do I want to do?

“This is good.” My voice is husky. The water is at my neckline and his pecs. The waves are still frightening, but he’s right that they aren’t as bad as during high tide. And I have him to anchor me.

“What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” he asks.

“Just that I thought I understood this place but I don’t.” Thought I understood you but I don’t.

His eyes search mine. “And what do you want to know?”

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