Page 71 of Tender Heart
Now I lose it, doubling over, and the spear clatters to the rocks.
“Care to share with the rest of the class?” Cal says with a chuckle.
“I—” Laughter steals the words forming in my mind. I clutch at my side. My belly aches before I can suck in a fresh lungful.
Callum darts from the rock and rushes me, sweeping me off my feet, spinning me around. My head falling back over his arm, the clouds spin above me. Happiness slices through every vein, every inch of me. The rumble of his laughter murmurs against my ribs, and I shift my gaze to his face. The happiness captured there—a grin so wide it stretches his features and blue eyes lit like neon flame—is stunning.
My laughter peters out.
My world stops spinning.
My feet touch the ground and hands cup my face.
The warmth of his forehead presses against mine. A rough chuckle slips past his lips as I palm his jaw, working the soft bristly beard under my fingertips. I’m mesmerized as it moves under my touch. Running a thumb over his bottom lip, my breath hitches as his lip drags under my touch. Flutters are set inflight in my belly, giving way to a delicious warmth as I huff out, “Huh.”
“Evie, fuck . . .” His face turns pained.
I swallow hard.
“Fish,” I whisper.
“Fish.” His jaw feathers, and his hold softens.
Slipping from his embrace, I walk back to the rock pool in a daze. I swipe up the spear and try to focus on the task at hand. My mind loops on the tiny slice of happiness we found. The bridge of my nose prickles, and tears bloom behind my eyes. This man—this island—has brought me back to life. I thought grey would only ever be the lens I looked through. Now, color is weaving back in.
Something moves below me, and I remember the spear in my hand.
I throw it at the movement.
Miss.
Hunt. Eat.
So veryEat, Pray, Love.
The Fire Island version...Hunt, Eat, Happiness.My stomach grumbles. Leaning down, I swipe up the spear and double down on my efforts. I squat down and still, poised and waiting for an unsuspecting slip of a fish. We’re going to need a few.
I stab the quick fish that dares to dart by. The sharp barb pins him to the rocky wall of the pool.
“Shit! Oh god. I’m so sorry, buddy.” I cringe as it flops helplessly.
A warm hand slides behind my neck as Callum moves into my side. “You did good.”
“Ah, not sure I’m the hunt them, eat them type.”
“Own it, baby girl. Take life by the balls. Lest you want it to find yours?”
“Ugh, fine. But for the record, I hate this.”
He dots a kiss to my temple before tugging the spear up and plucking the fish off and tossing it into the bucket. “Next one.” He hands me back the spear.
With a sigh and a hunger that’s now burning a hole right through my belly, I narrow my focus to the quick little fish. I line up another, making sure to stay as still as possible. That seems to help.
I snag one, tossing it into the bucket myself. This Jane doesn’t need Tarzan’s help.
My heroines never need assistance. Why should I?
I decide right there and then to channel my inner heroine from this day forward. When another oyster hits the bucket, I glance over to see Cal wink at me. I chuckle and shake my head at him.
