Page 7 of Make Me Unwind

If I am, I suck at it. “No.” I clear my throat and take a step forward. The toes on my injured leg snag on the sand, causing me to lurch forward. Fuck. My arms flail as he grabs my biceps and holds me upright.

“Are you okay?” His eyes scan my face.

“Yes.” I jerk out of his grip and swipe my hands on my leggings. “I’m fine.”

He frowns and rakes a hand through his hair. “I know it’s none of my business, but I noticed that you limp sometimes. I hope you didn’t get hurt when I taught you to paddleboard.”

“No.” I stare at the kayak behind him. “My muscles were sore, but that’s not why I limp.”

“What happened?”

I lick my lips while doubting he cares about my story. “When I was fourteen, I was riding my bicycle, and a drunk driver ran into me. My leg was severely injured, which required numerous surgeries.” I raise my shoulder and let it drop. “I lost count of how many surgeries. Then came the months of rehab. I was able to return to sports after a year, but when the weather changes, it gets tight and hurts. That’s when I limp.”

The way he studies me causes a shudder to rock my spine. I swallow over the lump in my throat. He’s like everyone else. If a girl isn’t perfect, she’s not worth their time.

I slap a smile on my face. “Let’s get to learning how to kayak. I’m sure I’ve wasted at least ten minutes, so there isn’t much time for my lesson.” I hardly recognize my voice with its high-pitched tone.

“Don’t.” He shakes his head and grips my upper arm tighter than before. “Don’t make light of what you’ve been through. Thank you for telling me. I know it must be difficult to explain yourself to others and to have people….” He stops as if he’s trying to think of the right words. “Think you’re fragile.”

“Fragile?” I roll the word around in my head. Maybe. At least with my brother and my mother. They worried that I’d always be mentally fragile after the accident. And maybe I am. But others? They don’t see me as fragile. They see me as broken. Tainted. Damaged.

“I see a woman who’s strong.” His eyes dip down to my lips, and I shudder for an entirely different reason. “A woman who’s been through too much but is still willing to push past her limits. Even when she doesn’t want to.”

I’m barely breathing when he gets done speaking. For several seconds, I can’t form words. Finally, I say, “And you figured that all out in a day?”

“Yes.” One corner of his mouth arches upward. “I watch people. I should have recognized it sooner. You’re a survivor.”

Is he flirting with me? How do I find out? Would it be the end of the world if I lost my virginity to this man? Heat creeps along my skin. Not at all. He’s the most attractive man I’ve ever met. His muscles have muscles. And his eyes are as bright as rolling grass. Not to mention, he’s older. I’m sure he knows exactly what to do.

And it’s not like I’d ever see him again. Lexie’s words float through my head.

He steps back, putting distance between us. “Let’s get this lesson going.” He cuffs me on the back. “I anticipate you’ll pick this up as quickly as you did paddleboarding.”

Shit. He wasn’t flirting. I’ve been relegated to one of the guys. He might not be running for the hills in horror, but he also isn’t planning to yank me into his arms and touch me in ways I’ve only fantasized about.

Chapter Four

Asher

As she smoothly dips her oars into the water, the kayak stays steady and flies toward the beach. The muscles in her arms flex and shift with each movement. It’s impossible not to appreciate her strength and innate athletic talent as I paddle my kayak at a slower pace behind her, randomly calling out instructions for any corrections she should make.

Just like paddleboarding, she picked up this new skill with the grace of a natural. What would she have become without the accident?

Don’t go there. Those are your words. Just because you’re wallowing in your parent’s basement doesn’t mean she’s not lived up to her potential. Injury or no injury. She’s leading her life and trying new things. Maybe it’s easy for her. Maybe everything is easier for everyone.

“Dip lower into the water. Straighten out by smoothing out your strokes.” She follows my directions to a T without looking back.

She’s a stunning girl. A perfect body that’s meant for exploring. Except she’s too damned young for me. And I’m going nowhere with my life.

I intended to retire from the Navy, not get an honorable medical discharge. When your entire focus is on one thing, you end up in an entirely different place…. I growl under my breath. Quit being a pussy. No self-pity. I’ll figure something out.

As she grows smaller in the distance, I study the land. Brilliant sunshine blazes down on me, sending a trickle of sweat between my shoulder blades but in the distance, dark clouds will roll with that incoming rain. I love the beach and the resort my parents built. But running a resort was their dream and now my brother’s.

What do I want? My goal for the future isn’t to work for my brother teaching water activities. I rock back into the seat, letting the paddles glide along the surface. Do I go back to school and get a degree? I rotate my shoulders and neck. I hated school when I was a kid. I can’t imagine going back to metal chairs and desks that are too small.

My specialty in the Navy was mapping and surveillance. Where in the hell will I use those skills in a civilian job? It’s not like the hardware store needs to know where the closest warzone is in another country.

Piper’s kayak slides to a stop at the beach. She twists her head around, looking for me. When she finally sees me, she frowns. “Shit,” I groan. This one is feisty, and somehow, during my morose wallowing, she’d managed to get 30 yards in front of me.

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