Page 46 of Through the Water

He’d gone back to his phone, frowning at something on the rectangular screen. Yesterday, he’d spent most of his time watching the baseball game being broadcast on one of the televisions, his mouth set in a hard line. I’d recognized the longing in his gaze, and my resolve had weakened a little more.

I wondered how he’d react if I went over to him. If I cupped his jaw in my palm, would we even need words? Or would his strong hands instinctively move up to grip my waist, fully aware of what I was after? Would he kiss me slowly, or with a desperate hunger like the men in movies? I chewed on my bottom lip, caught between my doctrine and my desire—and not for the first time, either.

The side of Killian’s mouth tugged to one side, and he slowly lifted his head, meeting my gaze. I suspected he’d known I was watching all along, but he didn’t seem annoyed… or in any hurry to look away.

Maybe he felt the pull of the current just as much as I did.

* * *

I was restless as Tiffani wheeled me back to my room after class, reconsidering Morgan’s plan in one breath, only to pick it apart with the next. It probably would have been helpful if I’d had some experience with dating over the years, but no one had ever made a lasting impression.

Well, besides the boy at the lake. But, unless Killian ended up unconscious in the pool, I didn’t see how the encounter would help me now.

“Oh,” Tiffani breathed out. “You, um—just—”

I tensed my shoulders when I saw what she was pointing at—or, more specifically, whom.

Brad leaned against the wall beside my door, tapping out something on his phone. When he saw us approaching, he tucked it back inside his suit jacket and directed his attention to me.

I’d never particularly enjoyed being under the man’s watchful eye, especially when I couldn’t run and hide afterward. Something about it left me feeling dirty.

“There you are. I was just about to send out a search party.” His gaze roamed over my dress, the smile on his face slipping when I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Hello, we weren’t informed that Ariana had a visitor, or I would have brought her right away,” Tiffani explained as a flush crept up her neck.

He had that effect on women.

Tristan attracted attention due to a combination of good looks and fame. Brad managed just fine without the celebrity endorsements, although I imagined the expensive suits didn’t hurt.

He spent no less than three hours in the gym every day and never touched a carb during church dinners. His jet-black hair had gone gray around the temples about ten years ago, only making him more desirable to the women in the church. Many had tried, but no one had managed to land the church’s most eligible bachelor.

Personally, I’d never seen the appeal. Being in the same room with the man only made my skin crawl.

“That’s no problem.” He paused to give her a once-over, his eyes flashing with disinterest. “I was wondering if I might have a minute alone with her, though.”

I jerked my head toward him, feeling the color drain from my face. Brad noted the reaction with a barely concealed smirk. He liked it when I was scared.

“Yes, absolutely. You’ve had the training, I assume?” Tiffani gazed into his eyes, ignoring my silent pleas to send him away.

A blank look skirted across his face before he recovered, this time grinning like a cat who’d just cornered a mouse. “Of course, I did all the training. Now, let’s get her out of this chair. She’s got to be uncomfortable.”

I squeezed my hands into fists and looked away, determined to remain strong even though I had a sneaking suspicion I knew why he’d come.

As soon as Tiffani unlocked the belt, he moved in, his hand dropping down to cup my bottom as he guided me toward the bed. I flinched and tried pulling away, but his grip tightened to the point of pain.

It only hurts if you let it…

I crossed my arms over my stomach as the door closed, sealing my fate with an audible click. A sour taste lingered on my tongue, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to swallow. I forced myself to rehearse Morgan’s version of the events leading up to my accident. I was relatively confident I could write every detail just as she’d said it.

Brad slipped off his jacket and placed it on a chair before pulling a small velvet box from his pocket. I shrank back when he loomed closer, mashing my lips together to keep from whimpering.

He wasn’t here to interrogate me.

The corner of his mouth lifted as he ducked under the canopy, his thigh touching mine as he sank down onto the mattress. “Now that we’re alone, we can talk. I mean, I’ll talk, and you’ll listen. How’s that sound?”

I swallowed again and nodded, my lower lip quivering uncontrollably.

“Good girl. I wanna start by telling you a little story.” He undid the top three buttons on his dress shirt before reaching out to touch my necklace, letting his fingers graze along the tops of my breasts. My shoulders rounded at the contact, but I didn’t try to pull away again.

---