Page 68 of The Bridges I've Burned

We didn’t talk much the rest of the way. Hendrix took in the sights as we traveled down the main drag of Ocracoke, and within minutes, we were pulling up to the small yellow house.

“So, did she mind sharing the rental again?” Hendrix asked as I put the car in park.

“I didn’t really ask.”

“You didn’t ask?”

I hopped out of the car, and he followed. He met me at the trunk.

“Nope. Just sort of showed up and moved right back in.”

I left out the part about how she had been locked in her room, masturbating, when I got back. Or how I stood outside her door, like a fucking creeper, and listened.

Or how I’d snuck back to the living room and pretended to be completely unaffected by the whole ordeal, even though all I wanted to do was toss her over my shoulder, take her back to that room, and see just how good that moan sounded when she was wrapped around my cock.

“I don’t think she minds,” I added, which was the truth. She’d never mentioned otherwise at least. “She seemed just fine when I mentioned you would be visiting.”

“Well, that’s because I’m awesome.” He palmed his neatly trimmed beard and waggled an eyebrow at me.

“It’s a wonder you fit in the door with that big ego of yours.”

“That and my big?—”

I planted a hand on his chest and gave him a shove. He laughed, and we both got to work on hauling out luggage and my guitar case. With everything in hand, we headed to the front door, and I punched in the code and let Hendrix in first.

“This place is—oh, hello.”

I’d heard him say hello to hundreds of women over the years. It was the kind of hello that reminded me of Joey from Friends. Hendrix had a swoonworthy baritone voice and a killer body, thanks to hours in the gym. Women loved him, and they loved his hello. But the moment I heard him greet Elena in his special way, I instantly wanted to push him out the door and slam it in his face.

I stepped in behind him and found her walking toward us from the kitchen. She wore—was she in a robe?

“Going to the beach?” It took me a moment to realize the robe was actually a bathing suit cover-up.

She’d pulled the gauzy floral fabric tight across her body, but I could still make out the thin straps of a bikini tied around her shoulders.

“Oh, um, yes. I was actually about to text you, in case you wanted to meet us there when you got back.”

“Well, now, I’m back.”

Her curious gaze wandered over to the man next to me.

“This is my best friend, Hendrix.”

Elena took a tiny step forward, probably to offer her hand.

Hendrix being Hendrix dropped everything he was carrying and swung an arm around her shoulders. “What’s this I hear about the beach, darling?”

Darling? What the fuck?

She grinned, making my mood instantly sour. When was the last time she’d smiled at me like that?

Before you left like a fucking coward with your tail between your legs….

She’d been doing her best to ignore me over the last few days. It was a stark contrast to the flirting banter and easy conversations we’d had going before I left.

It was also annoying as hell.

“I would think you’d be familiar with the idea. You know, sand, waves, lots of half-naked girls,” she teased.

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