Page 32 of Forgive You

I deliberately move my chest up and down with each intake of air, trying to get her to follow my rhythm, but it doesn’t work.

Since when is she having panic attacks?

“Breathe,” I command. “I got you. You’re okay.”

I sit her down on the crisp cream sheets of the small twin bed, crouching between her legs. Her breaths are short, her gorgeous brown eyes haunted with a panic that claws its way through my heart.

Fucking hell.

I’ve never seen her like this. I’ve seen her hurt, sad, angry like a wildcat, but never like this.

I squeeze her knees, forcing her gaze to lower to mine.

“Do you remember when Hunter moved back into town and the four of us had a bonfire to push him and Charlotte back together? Do you remember?” My grip tightens until I get a small nod, almost making me smile.

There you go, baby.

“You faked some kind of thing I needed to check out in your Jeep even though I know shit about engines, and then we bickered about which bar we were going to go to after we got those two to kiss, but that never happened, did it?”

A frown conjures on the pretty face, and I suck in a deep breath. “Did it?”

“No.” Her head shakes vigorously, and the muscles in her cheeks relax just an inch.

The intake of her breath is still not steady, but at least she’s trying.

That’s it, Jules.

“Why not?”

Shallow breaths continue to fly over her parted lips, but her chin dips, pointing her caramel eyes at me.

“Why not?” I dig my fingers into her knees.

Sass is shot my way, the panic slowly disappearing from her gaze. “Because you were bitching and moaning about mosquitoes.”

It’s almost comforting that she’s not freaking out enough to bite my head off whenever she gets the opportunity.

“They were eating me alive,” I huff, and she releases a chuckle, then shuts her eyes.

Her shoulders move up as she takes a deep breath before they lower with her exhale, and she repeats the move.

“That’s it. You’re okay.” My palms rub up and down her thighs, setting a pace to encourage her to follow along.

“You gotta keep breathing, baby.”

My molars are grinding like a fucking wheat mill while my fists are itching to go back out there and knockdear Mikeoff the boat. Her“stop”was loud enough to be heard in fucking Catalina.

Her frown deepens as she glares down at me. “Don’t call me baby.”

“Yeah, that’s what snaps you out of it?” I push back a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

She fully sucks the air into her lungs, exhales, and repeats the move as her defiance returns to its full glory.

Her cheeks are still a little flushed from soaking up the sun, and her tanner skin stands out against her blue bathing suit. The soft fabric fits every inch of her body perfectly, highlighting the curve of her hips, but it’s the swell of her breasts that makes my mouth dry.

I let my eyes roam down her length, rolling my lips to prevent them from doing stupid things when goosebumps pebble her flawless skin.Goddamnit.

My dick twitches, a response to my eyes exploring, pushing freely against my board shorts that hide absolutely nothing. I let my ass fall to the dark blue carpet, knees in the air to hide the tent between my legs while I continue to take her in.

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