Page 44 of No One But You

Damn. How can someone be that handsome? My heart fluttered until he turned his gaze away.

“High school Kora, partying on the bank of a river around a fire pit.” Kai nodded. “I bet you were hot then, also, and had all the guys all over you.

I chuckled. “Not all the guys, but I did date one for all junior year and most of senior.”

“Really? Have I met him yet?”

I nodded and scrunched my face. “Yeah. You have.”

Kai became thoughtful. “I haven’t met many guys our age except Bryson. But I doubt that’s who you meant since he's your cousin and all," he glanced at me with raised brows.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Nope. Not Bryson. We're not kissing cousins."

“Well then, I guess that leaves Trevor."

I nodded.

“Dang. That would explain the evil eye he gave me the other night. I think he still has the hots for you.” He pushed my kayak away from his and started rowing slowly.

“You and Darlene both.” I rowed to catch up. “The beach is right around this bend.”

“Did I tell you I purchased land on the river?” asked Kai.

I sat up taller. “No, you didn’t. Where? Is it close by?”

“Honestly, from this view, I have no idea, but my property has a pebbly beach area that leads down to the water. It seems like it’s used often, as there’s a rough fire pit near the water’s edge.”

“No shit.” I raised my brow and rowed faster. “It’s not the land off Johnson’s Path Lane, is it?”

“Yeah, it’s ten acres off Johnson’s Path.”

“Damn. That’s your beach we always partied on. That property’s been for sale for a while. We heard someone purchased it but didn’t know who. You are planning on staying a while, aren’t you?”

“I’ve got nowhere else to go. Orlinda Valley caught my attention the first time I drove through, and it’s getting better and better every day.” His eyes didn’t leave mine, and my breath caught.

I sucked in my bottom lip and bit down. My nervous habit. “I always thought Orlinda Valley was perfect, but I was wrong.” My voice was a whisper. Barely audible over the singing of the birds and chattering of squirrels in the trees. My insides were doing all types of gymnastics. Darlene was right. I had feelings for this guy, and I still didn’t know his last name.

Kai’s gaze narrowed, and the temperature seemed to climb a couple notches.

“Come on.” He broke the spell as he paddled away toward the shore.

We were approaching Kai’s property. My kayak hit land, and he pulled me from the kayak like I weighed nothing. My arms automatically wrapped around his neck as his lips locked on mine.

The kiss was deep and intense. I curled my fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck and allowed my tongue to dance with his.

When our lips finally parted, we hovered within millimeters of each other, and my eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Welcome to my home.” He smiled wickedly. “I want to show you something.” He pulled me up the slight incline to the flat acreage just above the water’s edge.

It was a beautiful view. I had stood here before, many times, actually, as we’d partied up here in high school after floating down the river like we just did. We knew no one would ever find us here. “I’ve always loved this land.”

“You’ve been here before? Not just on the beach then?” He laughed.

“Most high schoolers have,” I joked.

“Well, I don’t want to hear who you’ve been here with, or what you’ve done. But come on,” he said and pulled me along.

We made it to the line of trees, and there was a camper parked on the grass, the slides open and the awning out. There were two Adirondack chairs with a table between them under the awning. Out, away from the camper, was a fire pit.

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