Page 36 of Undertow

Maybe I’ve been too hard on him about his son. Landonisa jerk, but they have both been through an unspeakable tragedy. Perhaps talking to him will work. Maybe he could even benefit from having a loving female influence in his life again. It doesn’t sound like Hayden has really opened up to anyone since his wife died.

I’m not sure I could be that for him, though. I know I could if not for our conflict of interest, but my heart isn’t big enough to wrap around anyone who is cruel to my daughter.

My heart is big enough to wrap around Hayden, though. I can feel it expanding and wrapping around him now, trying to absorb some of his pain so that at least he doesn’t have to feel it all alone.

“Your wife sounds like an incredible woman,” I say softly against his chest.

“She was.” He grabs the back of my sweater and uses it to tug me back. I think he’s pulling me away from him because he wants space at first, but then he wraps his hand around my neck, keeping me still so he can lean down to brush his lips against mine. “She would’ve liked you.”

A smile tugs at my lips. That feels like a really solid compliment coming from him. “I bet I would’ve liked her, too.”

My eyes drift shut as he kisses me. It’s slow at first, following the pace set by the ocean lapping at the shore. He kisses me, and his lips linger. He kisses me again, and just tastes my lips.

It’s the most intimate thing I’ve ever experienced, and despite—maybe because of—the excruciating slowness, my heart pounds more and more furiously in my chest.

I ache for him. I could no more resist his deepening kiss than I could my next breath. When his other hand slides down and bunches up my dress, I pay no mind to whether or not we’re still alone on the beach. His hot palm moves down my lower back, then pushes into the back of my panties so he can grab my bare ass.

Arousal pools between my thighs. Tightens when he slides his hand lower and grazes my pussy.

And just like that, I’m on my back in the sand with Hayden’s body covering mine.

I run my hands over his handsome face so I can memorize the feel of his stubble against my fingers. If we only have tonight, I want to remember every minute.

I push my fingers into his hair as his greedy hands roam my body. My legs are wrapped around him, his hips grinding into my pussy, but it’s not enough. I want him inside me.

I start unbuttoning his shirt, and he lifts up long enough to shrug out of it. He throws it on the beach and reaches for the button on his jeans.

I’m startled when I feel a vibration against my inner thigh. Is it coming from his pants pocket?

Did he bring… a toy?

Interesting.

Did it turn on by accident, or does he have a remote?

“Is that…? Um… your pocket’s vibrating.”

He frowns, ripping his phone out of his pocket and casting an impatient glance at the screen. He must not recognize the number or not think it’s terribly important because he ignores the call and tosses the phone on the sand.

His attention shifts back to me, a wolfish smile on his handsome face. “Now, where were we?”

I grin as he leans in to kiss me, eager to pick up where we left off, but before we can get much further, his phone is ringing again.

“For fuck’s sake,” he says, rolling off me and grabbing the phone. He swipes the screen and puts the phone to his ear. “This had better be pretty goddamn important.”

I study his face, but his urgent call reminds me that I haven’t checked my phone since we came down to the beach.

Parker was supposed to text me when she got home from Hannah’s house, but I hadn't heard from her last time I checked my phone.

If there’s still nothing, I need to call her. Maybe she went home but forgot to text me.

My stomach drops when I pull out my phone and see a ton of missed notifications. There are missed phone calls and voicemails, the top text reading, “Where are you?” and a note underneath that I have twenty-three missed text messages.

And they’re all from Parker.

“Oh, my god.” My stomach plummets even lower. My fingers tremble as I swipe open the chain and scan the messages. There are so many.

The first message says she just got home from Hannah’s house, and it was an hour ago. Shortly after, a text that says, “Is that you?” I keep scrolling, and the next messages are Parker saying she thinks someone is in the garage.

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