Page 41 of Tide Over

I hear him blow out a breath. “I’m not sure. I’ve been so focused on the kitchen I haven’t thought much about the rest of the house.”

I just nod, giving the rod a little nudge to keep the lure moving.

“What do you think?” he asks.

I turn my head to look at him as he gazes back at me. “It doesn’t matter what I think. It’s your house.”

His brow furrows as he keeps his eyes locked on mine. “It matters to me. You live there too.”

My heart skips a beat, but I swallow hard and quickly look away. “Yeah, but… I won’t be living there forever. Eventually, you’ll want your own space. Especially if you want to start a family someday.”

Theo falls silent, and I glance back at him. He’s looking down at the boat floor, but when he meets my eyes again, there’s something in his expression I can’t quite figure out.

“I don’t think that will happen,” he says, shifting his gaze out over the water.

I watch him for a moment longer, unsure what that means. There seems to be a shift in him, and I can’t help but worry I’ve said something wrong. But also, it’s true. I won’t be living here, in his house, forever. I’m slowly coming to terms with the fact I have feelings for him, but from everything I know about Theo, he’s straight. And while I try to figure out this mess in my head, the last thing I want to do is get in the way of him building the life he wants.

“Why not?” I ask quietly, the words slipping out before I can catch them.

Theo’s gaze flicks towards me, but he quickly looks away as his posture tightens, almost like he’s bracing for something. His fingers fidget, and his jaw clenches. But it’s not frustration or anger that crosses his face… he looks sad.

“I’ll never be able to find what I’m looking for here,” he says, his voice heavy with quiet resignation.

My pulse quickens as a flutter builds in my stomach. A strange mix of curiosity and courage stirs inside me, pulling me closer to the question that’s now burning in my mind.

“What is it you’re looking for?” I ask, once again unable to stop myself.

Theo exhales, his breath slow and deliberate, before he cautiously turns to face me. His brown eyes lock onto mine, and it looks like he’s trying to hold something back. But I hold his gaze, and the tension in his expression gradually fades. His eyes soften, and something between us shifts as an unspoken energy seems to take over.

But just as his lips part, raindrops start to fall.

Theo pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and glances up at the sky. “Should I put the cover up?”

He doesn’t meet my eyes again, almost as if he’s relieved by the interruption, which only fuels my curiosity. What was he about to say? Questions swirl in my mind, and a hopeful feeling flutters in my stomach as I wonder if whatever he’s holding back might be something I’ve been quietly wishing for.

But as the rain starts coming down harder, drumming against the water around us, I shake my head. “We should probably just go back in.”

Theo nods, casting a hesitant glance my way. And I think I see disappointment in his eyes. But I’m not sure if that’s because we didn’t get to finish fishing… or because he didn’t get to say what he wanted to.

And as we put away our fishing rods and Theo brings us back to shore, the unspoken disappointment lingers in the air between us.

By the time we pull up to the dock, the rain is pelting down in thick sheets, and the wind has picked up, whipping across the water to rock the boat beneath us. I hop out onto the dock as Theo tosses me the rope to tie us off and he shuts off the motor. I tie the boat snug against the dock as Theo secures everything on board, and the water grows rougher as the rain completely soaks through our clothes.

When Theo moves to step onto the dock, the boat lurches with a wave, causing him to stumble. I quickly reach out to grab his arm as he works to catch his footing, and I pull him onto the dock. But even when he’s safely standing before me, I don’t let go.

That same quiet energy from earlier hums between us, stronger this time. He stands before me, the wind whipping around us and the rain pounding against the dock as my hand remains on his arm. And all I can feel is the warmth of him under my fingertips, despite the cold.

Our eyes are once again locked, and as I search his, the questions continue to swirl in my mind. I don’t even know what I’m asking… but I’m hoping for an answer.

And the next thing I know, our lips meet.

An electric tingle races up my spine as my heart pounds wildly, my breath catching in my throat the moment his soft, rain-soaked lips meet mine. I don’t even know who moved first, who crossed that final inch between us… but it doesn’t matter. My fingers tighten around his arm as my lips part, and the taste of rain mingles with something unmistakably him. He steps forward, closing the small distance between us, and my heart thumps even faster. And when I feel his tongue against mine,and his rough stubble scraping my skin, a heat rushes through my body that has me feeling confused, yet so good.

Until Theo suddenly pulls back, eyes wide with panic.

Well, fuck.

SEVENTEEN

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