Page 125 of We Redeemed the Rain

“Why?”

“You said we’d make memories.” I wriggled my hands free and skimmed his neck, letting my fingers sink into his hair. “And of all the things I want to remember in this moment, it’s you.”

He swallowed, his eyes flicking to my lips. His hands settled on my hips, fingers grazing my bare skin and bringing every nerve ending to life. I sucked in a frantic lungful of air as his left thumb followed the curve of my waist.

When I found my voice, I whispered, breathless. “Maybe when I’m old and gray, I won’t remember the squishy mud or any of the other things in this disgusting pond”—his chest heaved as I continued—“but I’m going to remember you, Samuel Taggart. And the way you made me feel in this moment. The way you’vealwaysmade me feel.”

Tag gazed at my mouth now, his lips slightly parted. “And how—do I make you feel?”

I hung my weight on his neck, pulling him down to whisper over his lips, “Like I’m one second away from losing my heart forever.”

“Bea.”

My name in his mouth, spoken so gently, so tenderly was my undoing. He held me with need. He wanted me, too.

But he reared back, snapping to attention. I stumbled forward and he steadied me by the elbows with a murmuredsorry. Stuck in a fog, in a funk, it took me a moment to register what was happening.

A truck pulled up the gravel drive.

We were so engrossed in the moment, we didn’t notice the truck until it was slowing down to park behind the Chevrolet.

“Oh no.” Tag ran a frustrated hand through his dripping hair. “Put them on.”

“What? What on?”

“Yourclothes.”

The edge of urgency in his voice had me scrambling to open my tank top, momentarily confusing the arm and head holes. I felt a little dizzy and disoriented, too, oddly fumbling with the fabric a few beatslonger than I should have. It was probably just intense excitement doing a number on my nervous system. Or maybe it was just the stupid headache that started back up.

“Put them on. Hurry up.”

I obeyed, my pulse jumping speeds for new reasons. Tag intentionally stepped between me and the opening truck door, blocking my vision. What was happening? Why did he suddenly seem jumpy?

“Who—who is that?”

He glanced over his shoulder at me. “It’s Cooper.”

THIRTY-FIVE

Tag

The last person I wanted to see right now was Cooper Hayes.

Why now, of all moments?

When I wanted him around, he vanished. When I wanted to kill him for showing up, he had the audacity to get out of his truck and smile like he didn’t walk out on me after we struck a deal.

My blood went from heated with desire to boiling with rage in two point five seconds.

Maybe it was for the best. Because I was one breath away from kissing Bea. My body still pulsed with desire to kiss her. To taste her until we collapsed on the grassy bank and surrendered to each other.

Do I really want that?

The sensations running through my body were so conflicting. If given the opportunity to give myself to her, would I do it?

I didn’t even know.

I knew I wanted to. Butwantedandwouldwere different.

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