Page 4 of Need You Now

She pulled it closer to her body. “Back off, Connor.”

He knew her enough not to push, even though he could see shreds of pain beyond the pissed-off female attitude.

“I’m just trying to help.”

“Well, I don’t need your help.”

He rose, not in the mood for a fight, especially with her. “Fine. Good luck walking in the sand with a sprained ankle.”

“Go to hell.”

Connor snorted. “Already been there, darlin’. No plans to go back.”

He walked a few steps and bent down to get his board. He’d hoped since he moved back that they could talk and clear the air between them. Unresolved things based on his being an asshole as a kid. While he still had his share of screw-ups, he liked to think he’d learned a thing or two.

One of which was to ask for forgiveness.

Based on her scowl, Abby definitely was not in a forgiving state of mind.

He turned his back and walked away, only to pause when she cried out.

She must have gotten up and fallen again, because she still lay on the ground, but several feet away from where he’d found her. It took all of his control to ignore her and move to his backpack lying in the sand.

Slinging the bag over his shoulder and grabbing his board, he made his way toward the boardwalk, but she called out to him.

“Connor, wait.”

He stopped but didn’t turn around.

“Don’t leave me,” she called.

The familiarity of the words slammed into him, reminding him of another time when she’d said them.

“What do you mean you’re leaving Pelican Bay? You can’t go. Don’t leave me, Con.”

He shook away the memory and focused on the here and now. You couldn’t change the past, only learn from it and make better decisions in the future.

Time to take his own advice.

Backtracking, he stopped a few feet away from where she still sat in the sand. The tide must have come up, as now her shorts and tank top were wet and plastered to her body. He wanted to point out she wouldn’t have gotten covered in wet sand if she’d taken him up on his offer to help. Smarter to hold his tongue and wait for her to make the next move.

They stared each other down until she finally lowered her eyes to her ankle. “I can’t walk on it.”

“It’s starting to swell.”

A wave crashed and wet her again, this time splashing her face.

She grabbed a fistful of wet sand and threw it at the retreating water.

He bit back a laugh. She was sweaty, wet, pissed off as hell, and had never looked more beautiful to him.

“Don’t you dare laugh at me, Connor Maguire.”

“The thought never crossed my mind.”

She snorted. “You’re full of shit.”

“What do you want, Abby?”

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