Page 45 of All I've Waited For

“No, no, no.” She pointed to the ocean. “I want to swim out there.”

“You’re nuts.”

“Chicken?”

Derek scoffed. “Hardly. But it’s against the rules to swim after sundown.”

“Only if we get caught. Besides, we’ll be in and out before anyone notices us.”

Derek tilted his head. “Why do you want to do that?”

“I don’t know.” She fiddled with her earlobe, shoulders deflating a bit. “Forget I said anything. It’s dumb and impulsive and—”

“No, no, no.” He was definitely going to regret this. “We’re doing it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.” He stood and offered her a hand up.

She tugged him toward the water. “I can’t believe you’re honestly going to do this.”

Her hand felt warm in his.Friends, friends.

He forced a smile. “I said I would, didn’t I?”

And Derek was a man of his word.

Even when he really didn’t want to be.

Amazing how a dip in fifty-something-degree water could make a girl feel all warm and toasty inside.

Ashley dried her hair with the beach towel Derek had pulled from the back of his Jeep after their illicit swim. “That was awesome.” She sat back against the passenger’s seat while heat pumped through the vents. A few empty food wrappers littered the ground at her feet.

He eyed her. “Yes, it was quite refreshing when you chose to dunk me in the frigid ocean.”

“You loved it.” She snorted at the memory.

He’d come up sputtering, barking with laughter.“You little—”

And then he had dived for her. She’d done her best to outswim him, but he was strong, easily catching up and snatching her around her waist before tugging her under. Her eyes had burned from the salt, and her skin had prickled from the cold, but she hadn’t felt that alive in a long time.

“It was more fun than I thought it’d be. But only because I got you back.”

“Only because I let you.” She ran her fingers through her tangled hair. “Now that wasn’t so hard to admit, was it? Derek Campbell actually knows how to have fun.”

“Shh, don’t tell.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

She studied Derek while he drove the short distance to her office. The stars and moon from outside the windshield illuminated the smooth planes of his forehead, and oh, he was the most handsome man she’d ever known.

Her mouth went dry. “Thanks again for doing that just to make me feel better.” She swallowed. “You’re a good friend.” Because that’s what they were.

Friends.

And if she wanted him in her life, she’d have to be content with that.

“Anytime.” His hands seemed to tighten around the steering wheel, but no, Ashley was reading too much into it, projecting her own feelings onto him.

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