Page 18 of Hot Water

“What if he doesn’t want me to work from anywhere? What if he wants this to end when his vacation does?” I whisper, clutching the phone tightly. “I think I have to break up with him.”

Tears pool in my eyes at the thought. It’s a terrible, awful thought. I don’t want to break up with him. I don’t want this to end at all. But he hasn’t said anything about me moving to Texas with him or him moving to Los Angeles with me.

He hasn’t given me any hint that he wants this to continue beyond vacation. I mean, he said I was his future. But what does that even mean? For all I know, he could have meant that I was his immediate future and that was it.

I know he feels something for me. I felt it when I was in his arms today and he was inside me. But… I’m spiraling. I know I’m spiraling, but I can’t stop now that I’ve started. I’m in love and I’m freaking out.

“Oh, honey. You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

“So in love,” I whisper. “He’s amazing, Mom. He’s everything I ever wanted. But what if I don’t get to keep him?”

“What if you do, darling girl?”

“I… I want to keep him,” I whimper pitifully. “I want that so freaking bad! But what if I don’t break up with him and he breaks my heart, Mom? I’m so scared that’s how this is going to end.”

“Oh, hell no,” Sinclair growls from behind me. “You aren’t breaking up with me, mermaid.”

I fly off the bed with a gasp, my eyes wide as they land on him standing inside the doorway to the bedroom, his face a thundercloud. He stomps toward me, hot and furious.

“Sinclair,” I whisper.

He doesn’t say anything as he gently pries the phone from my hand. His eyes never deviate from my face. He lifts my phone to his ear. “Mrs. Reynolds? My name is Sinclair Midnight,” he murmurs. “I’m crazy about your daughter. But she’s going to have to call you back after we get a few things straightened out.”

I whimper, flickering my gaze toward the door.

Should I make a run for it?

Crap. He’s a cop. He probably runs way better than he swims.

“Don’t even think about it,” he mouths to me, eyes narrowed to slits.

I gulp.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll tell her. And I promise, she’s being well taken care of here. Yes, ma’am.” He pulls the phone away from his ear and tosses it toward the bed.

“Sinclair, I thought you were going to see Sullivan.”

It’s clearly the wrong thing to say because the next thing I know, I’m flying through the air. I land on my back on the bed, with his hand behind my head, cradling it so it doesn’t bounce.

“You told your mom that you want to break up with me,” he growls, looming over me like a hot, pissed-off giant. “What the fuck, mermaid?”

“I don’t want to break up with you!” I cry.

“That’s not what it sounded like to me.”

“Well, you missed the part where I told her that I’m in love with you, you big jerk!” I push against his chest, but he’s an immovable wall. “And I guess you also missed the part where I said I’m scared you’re going to break my heart when you end this at the end of your vacation.”

For the second time since I met him, he does the exact opposite of what I expect. Instead of responding with words, he stares at me for a long moment, and then he throws his head back and laughs loudly.

“Stop laughing at me,” I growl, tears welling in my eyes as I push him again, trying to throw him off me. “I don’t want you to break my heart, Sinclair. It’s not funny.”

“Baby.” He grabs my hands, pinning them to the bed beside my head. “The fact that you think I want this to end when my vacation does is hilarious. Have you not heard a word I’ve said to you this week?” He presses his forehead to mine. “I’m in love with your crazy ass, mermaid. Head over fucking heels in love with you.”

“You didn’t say that.”

“I’m saying it now, Amelia,” he growls. “I love the fuck out of you. You aren’t breaking up with me, and I’m not going to break your heart. You’re my future, mermaid. My forever.”

Well, that’s far more clarifying. I like the way forever sounds. I like it a lot.

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