Page 50 of Until We Break

“Yes, we’re good.”

“Good enough to get back to what we were doing?” I winked, feeling the ice thaw between us.

Her fingers trailed over my stomach, reaching for the hem of my shirt. She pulled it over my head.

“I guess that’s a yes?”

I pulled her toward me, kissing her, vowing to myself I wouldn’t fuck up like this again. I wouldn’t keep anything from her. More than anything, I had to get rid of Carrie’s check.

“That’s a yes,” she purred as I carried her back to bed.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Margot

The wind howled, rattling the blinds. Like crystals tapping on glass, it was a gentle tinkling sound. I closed my eyes again only to jerk upright at the next screeching gust that was followed by a deafening clap of thunder. I pushed forward on my palms, careful not to disturb Caleb. He slept through the clanking and the whistling. Was he used to storms like this or was he a heavy sleeper? Either way, he hadn’t moved.

At first, I thought I was in the middle of a nightmare. Nothing was familiar. I couldn’t get my bearings. The lightning flashes were disorienting. My heart began to race, and my palms felt clammy.

I was a stranger here.

A stranger trying to connect to someone who belonged to this place. Someone who was a part of the history. Part of the island. What was I doing?

My feet touched the floor, and I sat l on the edge of the bed, listening to the storm thrash outside. Caleb exhaled and Iwaited, expecting him to open his eyes and pull me back to his body. Nothing happened.

I glanced at the empty space next to him where I had been nestled. We’d made a cocoon. Our own sphere of heat and safety. I didn’t know what was stopping me from curling against his chest again and wrapping my legs over his.

I lifted the quilt that dangled off the edge of the bed and wrapped it around my shoulders. Had it happened too soon? Was it too fast? I bit my lip, tucking the quilt tighter. Was that why I couldn’t quiet the pace of my heartbeat or was it the storm whipping the island?

Another flash of lightning lit up the room. I spotted Carrie’s check on the dresser. I walked toward it and held the check in my hands. I still couldn’t believe she had written it. I couldn’t believe she tried to pay Caleb for saving Lucas. When I thought about her dinner invitation, I shook my head. If she had wanted me there, she would have reached out to me the same way she tracked down Caleb. I didn’t think I could go. Not when I took a step back and looked at how Caleb ended up with the check.

How much did I know about him? I’d gotten an excellent preview last night and early this morning of his skills. There was a connection between us—a physical energy I couldn’t deny, but was there anything else? Why was it so easy for me to sleep with him when I was as lost as I ever had been in my life? Was I naïve enough to think I’d find answers here? As if a man could somehow solve my messed up life. I’d tried that once before with Ethan. It didn’t work then.

“Hey, you okay?”

I jumped at Caleb’s sleepy voice. I turned toward the bed, trying to disguise that I had been studying the check. I left it on the dresser and clutched the quilt to my chest. It dragged behind me.

“Yes. The storm woke me up. I couldn’t go back to sleep. I was thinking about going home. I was afraid I’d be the one to wake you up.”

Caleb sat up. “You wanted to leave in the middle of the rain? In a tropical depression?” There was concern in his voice.

I twisted my lips together and sat on the bed. His arms immediately wrapped around my waist. He dragged me across the mattress and the quilt fell back to the floor.

“Not a chance,” he growled, sliding his palms over my low back and along the curves of my ass. “It’s dangerous. It’s windy. You’re not going anywhere in this storm.” He kissed the side of my neck. “Besides, you don’t even have a car. You think I’d let you get swept out with the tide?”

I hadn’t gotten that far in my thinking. I was spinning in doubt and insecurities. Those didn’t include realistic planning and logistics. The truth was I wasn’t sure how to get home from the Coast Guard base. We had left the party, taking the beach path. I was turned around in the darkness. I doubted it would come into focus once I left his room. Could I even find my way to the front gate of the base? I needed him to guide me home.

I needed him. The words struck me. When was the last time I had thought that? Said that? Definitely not out loud. Definitely not to Ethan.

“Where did you go?” he asked. “It feels like you’re a million miles from here, Margot.”

My lips dipped to meet his. I didn’t want to try to explain or answer any questions. I didn’t want to self-reflect or psychoanalyze any longer. When I let my thoughts win out, I missed what was most important. I missed what was right in front of me. Caleb.

My body warmed to the way he touched me. It was instinct to lean into him. I began to align my hips with the rigid lines of his body and mirror his movements. His hands were masterful, sliding my body beneath him.

“You sure you’re okay? It’s going to pass over us by afternoon. It’s nothing to worry about. We’re safe in here. This place was built to withstand even a category 5 hurricane.” His fingers dug gently along my inner thigh.

“You sure?” I asked timidly.

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