Page 64 of The Billionaire I Left Behind

I grin and take off running toward the water, the cool waves licking at my ankles before I fully dive in. The rush of saltwater engulfs me, refreshing and exhilarating. When I come up for air, Bryan is right beside me, shaking water from his hair.

He splashes me, and I gasp. “Oh, you did not just do that.”

He grins, his eyes gleaming. “What are you gonna do about it?”

Challenge accepted. I splash him back, and soon we’re caught in a playful war, laughing between the waves as we chase, splash, and tease each other. I haven’t felt this free in years. It’s like the girl I used to be, the one who once belonged to the boy in front of me.

Bryan lunges, grabbing me around the waist, his fingers digging into my sides as he tickles me mercilessly. I shriek, trying to squirm away, but he’s strong, holding me easily, his laughter mixing with mine.

“Say that you surrender,” he taunts.

“Never!” I gasp between giggles.

He grins wickedly. “Your choice.” And with that, he spins me, pulling me under with him.

The water rushes around us, and for a moment, everything is quiet except for the heartbeat in my ears. When we surface, I’m pressed against him, his arms still around me, his skin warm despite the coolness of the water.

And suddenly, the playful moment shifts into something else. His gaze locks on mine, his green eyes darkening. I can feel the heat radiating off him, the tension thick between us.

I swallow hard. “We should probably get out now,” I murmur, my voice unsteady.

Bryan’s eyes linger on my lips before he finally nods, releasing me. “Yeah. Bonfire time.”

By the time the fire is crackling, the ocean breeze is cooler, making me grateful for the oversized hoodie I threw on after drying off. Bryan crouches near the fire, his strong hands stacking the last few logs, making sure the flames stay steady.

I sit cross-legged on a blanket, pulling out the marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate.

“I see you came well prepared,” he muses, plopping down beside me.

“I take my s’mores seriously,” I say, unwrapping the chocolate. “And besides, this was always your favorite part, remember?”

Bryan leans back on his elbows, tilting his head toward the sky. “I remember everything, Em.”

My stomach flips at his words. We fall into a comfortable silence, the only sound the crackling fire and the rhythmic waves against the shore. The stars are scattered across the sky like diamonds, twinkling just as brightly as I remember from when we were kids.

“I forgot how beautiful this was,” I murmur, staring up at the night sky.

Bryan looks over at me. “You used to love stargazing … used to say they were tiny holes in the universe letting heaven shine through.”

I smile softly, warmth spreading in my chest. “You remember that?” He shifts closer, his voice lower now. “Of course.”

I turn to him, but he’s already looking at me, his gaze intense, his expression unreadable.

“You always loved watching the stars, Bryan,” I say quietly. “Why?”

He exhales, rubbing the back of his neck. “Because they remind me of you.”

My breath catches.

“I mean it,” he says, his voice raw. “Every time I looked up, I thought of you.”

The weight of his words settles deep in my chest, and before I can stop myself, I reach up, cupping his face, my thumb tracing his jaw. And there’s the pull that neither of us can fight anymore.

And then his lips are on mine. The kiss is slow, deliberate, consuming. His hand slides up, tangling in my hair, tilting my head so he can deepen it. I sigh against his mouth, surrendering to the warmth of him, the way his fingers skim the curve of my spine, leaving a trail of heat.

He kisses me like he’s been waiting for this forever, craving it. And I kiss him back the same way.

I don’t know how long we stay like this, lost in the firelight, in each other. When we finally pull apart, his forehead rests against mine, his breath warm, uneven.

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