Page 21 of Wild Hearts

Pain radiates down the left side of my body. I clutch at my shoulder as I come up for air, sputtering and coughing on a mouthful of salt water. Another wave washes over me and I panic, not knowing which way is up. Strong arms wrap around my waist, pulling me to the surface as more waves crash over us, but it’s the voice asking me if I’m okay that threatens to knock me off balance.

I let go of my throbbing shoulder so I can push away the hair that’s plastered across my face. As I turn, my eyes lock onto Brady’s intense gaze. My words stick in my throat and heat rises up the back of my neck.

“Shit, Wren. I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.” His eyes sweep over my body, checking to see if I’m seriously injured.

I swallow, my throat raw from the salt water. “No worries,” I manage to croak out, wishing I could just disappear.

I’m acutely aware that his arm is still wrapped around my waist, and I’m pressed up against his muscular six-foot-three frame. As if he realises this himself, he takes a step away from me and drops his hand. His surfboard is tucked under his other arm.

I push my hair back and tie it up with the elastic around my wrist. I wince at the dull pain in my left shoulder, rolling it to check for any serious damage.

“You’re gonna have a pretty nasty bruise.” Brady’s voice is apologetic. He reaches over to run his fingers over the spot where his board hit me, and I suck in a hissing breath at his touch. Goosebumps break out all over my body.

“I’m fine,” I lie through gritted teeth, trying to ignore the throbbing in my shoulder.

He studies my face before nodding. “Uh huh.”

I scramble for something to say. “You’re surfing again?”

His piercing green eyes lock me into place and send a shiver through my body that has nothing to do with crisp ocean water. The spell breaks when he clears his throat and glances back toward the crowded beach. “Yeah, I, uh... yeah.”

I start to worry that he’s seen straight through everything I’ve said to him. That he really knows what’s going on with me, but I’m being ridiculous, because he can’t know. He will never know.

He clears his throat again. “Sorry for hitting you with my board. I should head in. I start work in fifteen.”

“Yeah, no worries.” I drop my gaze. “I’ll catch you later.”

“Yeah. Catch you later.” He looks like he wants to say something else, but he shakes his head and turns away from me.

So much for being able to be friends.

My shoulder is still in pain, so I make my way back to shore, moving in a diagonal direction so it doesn’t look like I’m following Brady in.

I’m so pathetic.

When I return to my towel, Ivy is deep in conversation with Lachy and Harley, who must’ve rocked up while I was in the water. Harley lowers his sunglasses down and grins at me.

“Where’ve you been hiding?” he asks. “I didn’t even get to see you last week at the party, and you’ve been MIA all week.”

“Just settling in.” I shrug. “I’ll be around permanently now. You’ll be sick of me in no time.”

“Never.” His cheeky comment is dampened as his face goes slack. I turn to follow his gaze which has landed on a group of girls close to us in age, who are walking past in their bikinis. One of them, an attractively tan girl with striking raven hair, glances over at us, her cheeks reddening before she looks away.

“What was all that about?” I ask, eyebrows raised.

“Nothing.”

Ivy and Lachy are wearing matching smirks.

Lachy nudges his mate. “So, it’s a secret from everyone then? Not just her family?”

“Shut up,” Harley grumbles.

“I’m confused,” I announce with an exaggerated pout.

Harley rolls onto his stomach and drops his head into his hands. I’m not getting anything out of him, so I look to Ivy and Lachy, waiting for one of them to fill me in on what I’m missing.

Ivy giggles. “That’s Ellie – the prodigal daughter of the principal at Blue Haven High,” she explains. “Let’s just say Principal Foster was glad when Harley graduated last year. He definitely wouldnotapprove of our cheeky ruffian dating his little princess.”

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