Page 55 of California Wild

Jesse propped himself up on his elbows, his brain struggling to catch the fuck up.

The sheet slipped lower on his hips, the cool air skimming over his skin, but he didn’t move to fix it.

Didn’t say anything.

Just stared at her.

His breathing was slow, steady—but inside?

He was fucking reeling.

“I must be fucking dreaming.” His voice was rough, deep from sleep, gritted with disbelief.

Hayley stood there, hands clenched at her sides, chin lifted like she was daring him to make this worse.

But he could see it.

That hesitation.

That second where she was recalculating.

Like she hadn’t really thought through what the hell she was doing until right now.

His jaw tightened. “Are you drunk?”

She lifted her chin higher, challenging.

“Yes.”

Jesse’s throat tightened, something sharp twisting in his chest.

Fucking hell.

Fucking Hayley.

He shouldn’t do this.

Not tonight. Not now. Not ever again.

But then—

“Come here.”

The words left him before he could stop them.

And Hayley?

She moved.

God help him—she moved.

And Jesse didn’t look away.

Didn’t breathe.

Didn’t dare let himself think about the fact that this?

This was the one thing he had wanted and feared the most.

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