Page 60 of Little Did You Know

Liam and Justin joined us. Both were soaked from riding the jet skis on the lake.

"Ready for a ride on the jet ski?" Justin shook water from his hair, droplets scattering across the deck.

"No, thank you." Kat shook her head. "I prefer to stay on dry ground."

"Come on, it'll be fun."

"Excuse me," I said to my friends. "I'll catch up with you later."

I stepped out of the boathouse and skimmed the area for Olivia. She wasn't on the lake or the dock. I walked to the front of the boathouse and found her with a dark-haired man on the beach.

Each splash of water between them felt like acid in my veins. Her laugh—that laugh that usually made my day brighter—now scraped against my nerves like broken glass. When she ran her hand over his arm, my vision actually blurred at the edges. I could feel my heartbeat in my temples, in my fists, everywhere except where it should be, because watching her touch him felt like having my heart ripped out through my throat. The worst part wasn't that she was flirting with him—it was that until this moment, I hadn't realized how much power she had to hurt me.

"Hannah," I stopped her as she passed and headed to the dock. "Who is that with Olivia?"

Hannah glanced over her shoulder. "That's Luke. He's an intern in her department. He likes her."

"Let's go, Hannah!" The engine's roar nearly drowned out Liam's voice.

"I gotta go." Hannah's bare feet slapped against the wet dock as she jogged toward the water, already pulling her hair into a ponytail.

I wasn't sure how I felt about someone else who liked Olivia. I couldn't blame him. Eventually, it was bound to happen, but not now. Not yet!

Olivia laughed and started to run away from him, and he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into him. I might not know how I felt about him liking her, but I knew exactly how I felt about him touching her: furious.

"Take your hands off of her." Each word fell like ice between us as I crossed the beach. Luke's hands dropped from Olivia's waist as if burned, his confident posture crumpling under my stare.

Olivia's eyes snapped up meeting mine confusion covering her pretty face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Pearson." Luke took a stumbling step backward, throat working as he swallowed. Sand kicked up around his feet as he retreated. "I?—"

"Yo—" My hands curled into fists at my sides.

"Nick." Olivia's voice was soft but firm.

"Everything okay?" Kathryn materialized at my elbow, her sudden presence like a splash of cold water. The muscle in my jaw twitched.

She stepped between us, all warm smiles. "You must be Olivia." Her extended hand created a barrier between me and Luke. "It's so nice to meet you finally. I'm Kathryn, a friend of Nick."

"It's nice to meet you." Olivia's fingers brushed back a strand of hair that had escaped during her play with Luke. The gesture sent a fresh wave of tension through my shoulders.

"We should all grab a drink." Kathryn's voice carried the same soothing tone she used with agitated clients.

"Sounds great." Olivia's eyes darted between Luke and me, her smile not quite reaching them.

My gaze locked onto Luke. "Don't you have somewhere else to be?" The words came out soft, dangerous. Behind me, Kathryn's sharp intake of breath warned I was pushing too far.

Kat's small hand wrapped around my arm, but I pulled away. I wanted him away from her. If he touched her again, I would break his fingers. "Nick." Kat's voice was firmer this time. "Let's take a walk."

"No." The word rumbled from deep in my chest. My fingers closed around Olivia's wrist, pulling her against me. Her pulse raced beneath my grip, her eyes wide, but her lips stayed pressed in a tight line. "Get lost."

"Nick," Olivia gently pulled against my grasp but I didn't budge, "What's wrong with you?"

"Bye, Olivia." Luke's voice cracked like a teenager's. He took one step backward, then another. "See y—" His gaze dropped to where my thumb pressed into Olivia's wrist, and whatever he saw there had him pivoting mid-word, his casual retreat becoming an urgent escape.

"Nick." Kathryn's voice cracked like a whip, but I was already moving, Olivia's warmth against my side as I guided her toward the house. Blood rushed in my ears, drowning out everything but the need to get her alone.

I dragged her up the long path, into the house, and shoved her into the large walk-in pantry closet.

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