Page 70 of Forsaken Oath

It’s like a switch has been flipped inside me, unleashing a side of myself I barely recognize. The Eloise who spent the last few years with her head down, just trying to survive, to keep her little family afloat—she’s a distant memory right now. In this moment, under the gleam of headlights, I feel alive in a way I haven’t in years. Bold. Powerful. Desired. Like anything is possible.

Beau leans in close, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he murmurs, “I can’t wait to hear every single one of those ideas, Peach. In great detail.”

A shiver races down my spine at the promise in his voice. I turn my head, planting a soft kiss on the inside of his wrist. The rain picks up, fat droplets splattering against the roof of my car, the ground, our heated skin.

“We should get out of here,” I whisper, the words hanging in the charged air between us. “Before someone else shows up.”

He nods slowly. His thumb brushes over my jaw, and I shiver at the brief contact. “Stay close, yeah?”

I slide into my car, the familiar scent of leather and the peaches and cream air freshener wrapping around me like a familiar blanket. He closes my door, tapping on the hood twice, before jogging to his Hellcat.

I pull my phone from the cupholder and tap out a quick text to Margot.

Me: I finished. I feel pretty good, but no results yet. Going on an adventure. Don’t wait up.

My phone vibrates with an incoming text before I can even put it down. Damn, she must’ve been waiting by the phone.

Margot: it better be a sexadventure with Beau

I laugh, amusement drifting around inside me like floating bubbles.

Me: I don’t even know what to say to that

Margot: Less texting, more sexing.

Margot: Was that too far? I’ve been practicing one-liners all night.

Me: Gotta drive. I’ll text you when I’m on the way home.

Margot: *mimics Louie’s “parent voice” if you come home tonight, I’m going to be so disappointed in you, young lady.

I chuckle and toss my phone back in the cup holder without replying. My pulse kicks up again when I pull behind Beau, following him as we pull onto the main road.

The taillights of the Hellcat blaze like twin beacons, guiding me toward whatever comes next.

Beau’s handis warm and solid in mine, his thumb brushing over my knuckles as he leads me down a gravel path lined withflickering solar lights. The air is cooler here, crisp and heavy with the scent of pine and damp earth. The glow of the cabin lights casts soft pools of yellow against the dark, the quiet hum of crickets filling the spaces between our footsteps.

It feels like a different world out here.

It’s close to eleven now, but the adrenaline from the race hasn’t left my system. If anything, it feels sharper here, under the glow of the moon and Beau’s steady presence at my side.

“You’re sure it’s okay for us to be here?” I ask, tilting my head to catch his expression in the faint light. The path curves toward a small clearing where a shared pool glistens under the moonlight. Off to the side, I spot the telltale shape of a hot tub, steam curling into the cool night air.

He looks over his shoulder, his mouth curving into a crooked smile. “Relax, Peach. We’re just borrowing the amenities. My brother won’t care.”

I glance around the property, taking in the neatly spaced rental cabins, their wooden exteriors blending into the surrounding trees. Each one has its own porch with rocking chairs, soft yellow light spilling out from the windows. It’s peaceful here, almost unnervingly so, like stepping into a postcard. “You’re awfully confident about what your brother won’t care about.”

“Call it years of experience,” he says, squeezing my hand as we step closer to the hot tub. The water ripples under the faint breeze, illuminated by soft underwater lights that cast shifting patterns on the deck. “Besides, if he finds out, I’ll take the heat,” he says with a wink.

I huff out a quiet laugh, rolling my eyes. “If we get caught, I’m throwing you under the bus.”

Beau grins, pulling me closer until our bodies are nearly flush. “Duly noted, Peach.” His free hand skims up my side,fingertips brushing the bare skin above the waistband of my jean shorts. “Hot tub or pool?”

My lips twist to the side as I weigh my options. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me until now, but I obviously don’t have a swimsuit. And I don’t know if I’m brave enough to jump into a pool with him in my birthday suit. Don’t ask me how wearing a red thong and bralette is any different from a swimsuit. I don’t understand the logic either, but it’s there.

“Pool,” I murmur, strolling toward the shallow end. I can’t remember the last time I was in a pool. Years and years, though.

Beau’s eyes gleam in the moonlight, his smile turning wicked as he nods toward the glimmering water. “Great choice. I forgot to mention that it’s heated.”

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