Page 25 of Stealing Summer

I was well aware that I needed to keep my distance from Reese Carrington. Getting caught up in his whirlwind would probably bring chaos into my life, and I couldn’t afford to let that happen. This wasn’t a play—this was my actual life, and I was used to living in my safe, comfortable bubble. I knew I had to be cautious around him because of his reputation. Despite everything, it seemed as though the world shifted when we were together and the pull between us was too powerful to resist.

As soon as I spotted him, leaning against his speedboat with an air of nonchalance, I was struck by his presence. Reese’s unreal eyes met mine, and a smile spread across his face, revealing those dimples. His golden deep tan seemed to glow beneath the sunlight.

“Hartford. Wasn’t sure if you’d show. Hop on,” He extended his hand towards me as he held the boat steady. The water lapped gently against the sides of the vessel as I hesitated for a moment before finally taking his offered hand. His grip was firm and reassuring, and I found myself reluctantly stepping onto the deck.

“Where are we going?” I asked, attempting to sound casual.

“Not far,” he said, flashing me another one of his heart-stopping grins. “I figured we could just go for a ride and enjoy the view.”

Reese started the boat’s engine and looked effortlessly at ease, steering us into the open water with practiced skill. I couldn’t help but admire the way he was so confident and calm in everything he did.

“Reese,” I called out over the wind as we started to speed up, “why did you invite me here?” My voice wavered slightly, betraying my nerves.

He glanced back at me before he slowed the boat to a more relaxed pace. “Last night was... interesting,” Reese replied cryptically, a mischievous grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “I was kind of hoping you’d come find me.”

I raised an eyebrow, attempting to maintain an air of indifference despite my racing heart. Interesting? I guess you could call it that. He knew exactly what he was doing last night, being extremely hard to resist. It was infuriating and exhilarating all at once. And to top it off, I had to witness those girls throwing themselves at him.

“Well, you had plenty of attention last night,” I said, pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear and averting my eyes. “And interesting? Is that what you want to call it?” I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Would you prefer me to be more specific?” Reese teased, turning the boat towards a secluded cove.

“Maybe I would,” I shot back defiantly, trying not to let my gaze linger too long on his toned frame. “And then maybe you could be more specific about what the hell we’re doing out here.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked rhetorically, pulling the boat to a stop and cutting the engine. The silence that followed was almost deafening, leaving only the sound of gentle waves. “I’m into you. How much more specific can I be?”

My breath hitched at his admission, but I refused to let him see just how much his words affected me. Instead, I shot him a steely gaze, determined not to fall under his spell so easily.

“You don’t even know me,” I blurted out, feeling the need to draw a line in the sand. “And you should know that nothing is going to happen between us again.” The memory of our previous encounter threatened to surface, but I shook it away.

He’s not the type of guy I’d ever picture myself dating. He was arrogant and self-assured, and he probably had no intentions of settling down. He was alluring, I’d give him that—but we lived completely different lives.

Reese’s smile broadened into a devilish smirk as he leaned back against the boat railing, his emerald eyes glistening with mischief. “I know… that’s another reason we’re here. I wanna get to know you,” he said, with amusement. “I’ll play by your rules.”

He paused for a moment, running his fingers through his dark hair before continuing, “But want to know what I think?” I raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite my reservations. He pushed off the railing and leaned in close, his warm breath tickling my ear as he whispered, “I think you’re going to have a hard time keeping your hands off me. Before you know it, you’ll be begging to kiss me again… probably asking to sit on my face.”

His confidence was bordering on arrogance, yet it was undeniably alluring. I felt a flutter between my legs and my pulse raced at his bold statement, but I refused to show any weakness. Instead, I laughed hysterically at his confidence, trying to brush off the weight of his words. Those words that sounded incredibly hot coming out of his mouth.

“You’re laughing at me?” Reese asked, smirking in disbelief.

“Your ego,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s just... very impressive.”

“Is it now?” he replied, raising an eyebrow playfully.

“I don’t even know how there’s room for us to be on the same boat with your ego,” I confirmed, unable to suppress a grin.

As I looked over at him, I could no longer keep it suppressed—the memory of our passionate kiss came flooding back. Thinking about his soft lips against mine sent cold shivers through my body, despite the warm sun shining brightly above us. I scolded myself for even entertaining the thought, but it was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

“At least you think something about me is impressive,” Reese replied, his gaze never leaving mine as he maintained a confident grin. “But it’s only a matter of time before you realize what a catch I am.”

“Keep dreaming,” I shot back, trying to ignore the way my skin tingled under the intensity of his stare. As much as I wanted to deny it, there was something about the force drawing me into Reese Carrington that I couldn’t control. And it terrified me.

“We’ll see about that,” he said simply, his eyes glittering with anticipation. He straightened up, giving me some much-needed space as he turned his attention to the glistening waters surrounding the boat.

I exhaled slowly, my pulse gradually returning to normal for a moment. I knew that Reese had planted a seed of doubt in me. Could I really resist the magnetic pull between us?

“Truthfully, you want to know what I like about you, Hartford?” Reese said, breaking the comfortable silence. His eyes were fixed on me.

I raised an eyebrow, letting out a playful smirk. “Let’s hear it.”

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