Page 16 of Taking Root

Gasps of laughter ripped from her throat as the water sprayed her and soaked the hem of her dress. Danny’s chest ached with a hearth fire warmth she hadn’t felt in years, so strong she didn’t feel an ounce of the cold waves swirling around them. Danny leaned forward to splash more of the salty brine at him, scooping her hands into the foamy swell below.

Right as she tried to fling it, she stumbled. The water careened before her as she tossed her hands out for balance.

Instead of hitting the cold sea that came up to her knees, arms wrapped around her and she was crushed against Adrian’s chest.

“Got you,” he whispered, a little bit breathless.

The tides crashed past them, the moon gleaming silver crests on the moving water, but the two of them stood still as their eyes locked.

His thick, dark strands were a wild mess, and several drops dripped down his cheek. His chest heaved, so close she could feel the movement like her own thundering heart.

He gripped her like she’d melt away and looked at her with a wonder reserved for the crystalline sky above. Desperation swept over her faster than the tide, a longing so intense and real she wanted to drown in it.

Danny stepped on her tiptoes and leaned in, pressing her lips to his. The kiss was featherlight and filled with the hesitation buzzing through her, as if this moment would crumble apart as quick as the sand. Adrian responded at once, his mouth hot and hungry against hers. Danny dug her fingers into his shoulders as he wrapped his hands around her waist. She melted into him, surrendering to the melody of his mouth.

He tasted sweet and earthy like the wine, and he kissed with a mesmerizing skill and urgency that caused her to gasp for air. Her nails curled into the fabric of his sportscoat, and the cold waves coiled around her calves as she leaned into him, all hard planes and incendiary heat. His grip around her waist imprinted like a brand, and a moan escaped her throat.

The sound of a phone ringing cut through the quiet between them, so jarring she stepped away on instinct. For a moment she reached for her purse, but she’d left it by the shore. Her lips were swollen, and her chest heaved as she stared at Adrian.

“It’s yours,” she murmured.

“Fuck it,” he growled, but she reached forward to pluck the phone from his pocket, a grin curling her lips. Too real. Things had gotten too real, and she needed some way to step back.

The screen said Lex. “Your sister’s calling,” she said, handing the phone over. “You should pick it up.”

Adrian heaved a sigh but lifted the phone to his ear and answered. “Hello? This better be good.” A second later, his expression darkened, and his lips thinned. “Fuck. We’ll be right there.”

Danny cocked her head to the side, homing in on the “we.”

“Mom fell,” he explained, slipping his phone into his pocket. “Do you mind coming with? I can understand if you want me to drive you home first. I pretty much took us on the worst date in history.”

Danny shook her head and grabbed his hand as she took the first strides through the water toward the shore. Worry buzzed off him like an oncoming storm. No way would she keep him from his family any longer than necessary. “Let’s go.”

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