Page 80 of If We Never Met

"Dammit," he said, as two male photographers jumped out of a car. They raced forward, snapping photos with each step.

"Should we run?" Keira asked.

"No," he said, as he looked into her eyes. "Let's not run."

She gave him a searching look. "Okay. Whatever you think."

He hoped her trust in him wasn't misplaced.

Questions were shouted out at them as a dozen more photos were snapped.

"Here's the deal," Dante said, ending the barrage of questions. "My breakup with Nikki Voltari had nothing to do with Keira. Nikki and I simply want different things from life. Keira did not steal me away from Nikki. She was never friends with Nikki, and she has done nothing wrong. She's a really good person who simply got caught up in the drama that Nikki created to increase her followers." He raised a hand as more questions were shot at them. "I just have one more thing to say. I'm here in Whisper Lake to rehab my shoulder. The center here is one of the best in the country. I plan to be back in Miami when my rehab is over, and I can get back to my team. My goal is to be as fit as I ever was, but that will depend on the work I do here, work that I can't do with you all chasing me around. That's it. That's the whole story. You can take a million more pictures, but there's nothing else to say."

As he urged Keira toward her car, one of the photogs said, "We hope you get back on the mound, Dante."

"I hope so, too."

He jumped into the passenger seat while Keira got behind the wheel. She started the car and drove out of the lot. They both watched the mirrors as they left, but no one was following.

Keira turned to look at him as she came to a stoplight. "Thanks for saying that about me."

"I told the truth. I'm not sure they believed it."

"I don't care. You said it. That's what matters to me."

He wanted to tell her that she was what mattered to him, but the light turned green, and she turned her gaze back to the road. There would be time to tell her. However, as they drove toward the harbor, he knew that time was not his friend. And there would be other things he had to tell her—like goodbye. But he wasn't going to think about that.

The afternoon flew by as they cruised around the lake, stopping to swim and innertube, as well as explore some of the hidden coves with the water a beautiful turquoise blue. Adam and Brodie took turns driving the boat with Chelsea, Hannah, and Jake hanging out up front. Keira was at the back of the boat with Dante, Gianna, and Zach as well as Hailey and her friend, Megan. At the moment, Dante and Zach were getting the girls onto the innertube for another ride. She smiled as she watched Dante help Hailey adjust her life jacket. He was good with kids. In fact, he was good with everyone. It felt like he'd been part of her group of friends for years instead of a little over a week, and that put an ache in her heart. Because he would be gone soon, and moments like this would just be a memory.

She pushed that painful thought out of her head. She would be sad later. Today, she would just enjoy being with him.

"I like him," Gianna said, breaking into her reverie as she sat down on the bench next to her. "Dante fits right in."

"I was thinking the same thing," she admitted.

"Hailey talked about him in the car. She's a big fan, by the way. She said he told her that when people saynice try, they're just showing their support. Hopefully, she'll remember that the next time I forget and tell her that I'm proud of her for trying her best. Dante seemed to really understand Hailey's mindset."

"He did," she muttered, distracted as Dante stripped off his shirt, his muscled chest glistening in the sunlight.

"Oh, my," Gianna said with a laugh as she waved a hand in front of her face. "It's getting hotter by the minute."

"It sure is," she said with a grin.

"Do you want a drink to cool off? I made some strawberry lemonade. It won't be as good as a cold shower, but you can always jump in the lake."

"Sure. And I'm fine."

"Tell that to the flush on your face."

"That's from the sun."

Gianna laughed, then got up to get the lemonade.

As she glanced back at Dante, she had to silently admit that he was bringing the heat to her face, too. Her body tingled with memories from the night before, the taste of his mouth, the feel and weight of his body on hers, the rough edges of his impatient fingers, the way they'd come together with wild impatience and almost desperate hunger. She couldn't remember ever feeling like that. Maybe she was making it better than it was. Maybe she'd need to be with him again to find out for sure.

"Here you go," Gianna said a moment later, handing her a cold glass of lemonade.

She took a grateful drink, dragging her gaze away from Dante as Chelsea sat down with her and Gianna.

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