Page 42 of Wait For It

He raked his fingers through his dark hair while looking down at his phone, and I inhaled a sharp breath, catching my shin on the edge of the block.

Natalie stopped the watch and high-fived my palm. “You seem pleased with yourself, as you should be. That was really good. This time, though, let’s try to move just a little faster.”

I was doing it again, gazing at Killian and grinning. Getting lost in my head had always been a favorite pastime of mine. The Killian part was a relatively new addition, though.

He lifted his eyes to meet mine, and my heart gave an unsteady thump of approval, urging me to reconsider my stance on seduction.

Patients and therapists moved seamlessly around me, in and out of the gym, like the rushing waters of a river. There was constant motion as people fought to regain their independence, but the world came to a standstill when the corners of Killian’s mouth turned up in a grin.

It was complete madness, but I didn’t want to stay close to shore, not when he looked at me like that. I wanted to abandon my moral obligations and swim into the current, letting it drag me into deeper waters.

A hand landed on my shoulder from behind, and I whirled around, losing my balance and breaking the spell. Natalie righted me; her brows knitted in concern. “Whoa—I didn’t mean to startle you. You okay?”

When I nodded, she began explaining what we were going to be working on next, but I couldn’t hear her over the rush of blood in my ears. I tucked a couple of loose strands of hair behind my ear and snuck another discreet glance over to Killian.

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.

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