Falling Fast (Falling Fast #1) - Tina Wainscott Page 0,50

strategically covered the scars. It was a small price to pay. She nodded. “But not yet. Before I leave, though. Promise.”

“I can wait.” He took her in for another second, and she saw the same spark in his eyes he’d had when he kissed her. But life had obviously taught him to hold back, and he did just that. “I brought a bag with a change of clothes.” He started walking into the house.

“You mean you were planning on staying? I didn’t even have to ask? Or bargain?”

He shot her a sly smile. “It was a backup. Just in case.”

She leaned against the railing, watching him disappear into the shadows of the house. Asking him to stay was begging for trouble. For temptation. Especially given the hunger rumbling through her stomach like that V-8 engine of his.

A few minutes later, he dropped a duffel bag just inside the back door and came out to the deck. “The house is full of paint fumes.”

“I noticed that when I ran inside to grab the wings.”

“Both bedrooms have fumes, too. I figured that might be the case, and that’s why I brought my stuff. I didn’t want you sleeping out here alone.” He tipped his chin toward the beach, which was now nearly dark. “Never know what might come out of the night.”

She hadn’t thought about that. “Like serial killers?”

“Maybe.”

“Pirates?”

He maintained his serious expression. “Likely.”

“Is that the only reason you considered staying? To keep me safe?”

After a moment of hesitation, he said, “No.”

She knew he’d wanted to say yes but didn’t point it out. Too much relief suffused her that he would stay. “Thank you.”

“It’s not entirely unselfish.”

He was leaning back against the railing, his hands wrapped over the flat board. The breeze toyed with his short hair, and, behind him, the waves beckoned in the dark. She moved a step closer, closer, until she was only a foot away.

“We both have scars, inside and out,” she said. “Life took us from sixty to zero, and we never got to say goodbye. Or keep in touch.” She traced her fingers down his arms, feeling him shiver. “I was burned, but you were hurt, too. I suffered through rehab, but you were prosecuted and went to jail.” Her fingertips slid up the soft skin of his inner forearm. “Rose said people gave you a hard time. I got sympathy, but you got derision. You suffered as much as I did, in your own way.” When he was about to refute that, she reached up and placed her hand on his face, her thumb resting against his soft lips. “I know how we can heal.”

“How?” His voice was hoarse, his body rigid.

She took a step back. “When you let me drive today, when you kissed me…it took me right back to those beautiful, idyllic days. You said we can’t go back, but what if we can? I want to be that girl again. I was cheated out of those last two weeks. We both were. I want them back. With you. Can we be those kids again?”

She didn’t give him time to wrestle with an answer. “Do you remember that night you asked if I wanted to skinny-dip? But I was weirded out by the black water and the fact that I couldn’t see anything. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s not to be afraid when there’s something you want. I spent a lot of time in the hospital regretting that I didn’t take you up on that offer. No more regrets, Raleigh. Not for me.” She pulled off her top and tossed it aside. “I’m going swimming.” Her bra went next, and she kicked off her sandals, slid out of her shorts and panties. Then she grabbed up the towels on the bench. “You coming?”

She ran off the top step, towel flying, arms and legs out as Cody had done earlier. Free. The sense of it, of adventure and a touch of recklessness, rushed through her. Her feet landed in the sand, and she ran toward that dark, rolling mass. She told herself it didn’t matter if Raleigh came or not, but her senses reached out behind her and sought confirmation of his presence. She dropped the towel and did a shallow dive into the water.

It was bathtub-warm and cocooned her body. As she burst to the surface, she searched for him through the water sluicing down over her eyes. Her heart jolted as she spotted the tall shadow advancing. His bare chest gleamed