Until Alex - J. Nathan Page 0,62

eyes.

“Don’t say it.” I jumped out of the truck.

She slipped out the passenger side, calling over the bed of my truck. “I wasn’t going to.”

I cocked my head.

“I swear. I’m working on an alternative phrase.”

I furrowed my brows. “An alternative phrase?”

She nodded. “One that means more.”

I grabbed the small cooler from the bed of my truck. “How ‘bout you’re swell?” I offered like a true smartass.

She arched a brow. “You’re swell?”

I flashed a smile, the one that never failed to get girls to come home with me.

Alex looked unfazed, swinging her beach bag over her shoulder. “It has potential.”

“Is that your way of saying it sucks?”

She shook her head. “I appreciate you trying to help. You’re swell.”

ALEX

The ocean glistened like a magical paradise as I stood up to my waist in the water. The sun blazed down on my shoulders as my fingertips grazed the calm surface. Hayden was right. I needed to make new memories at a place that now held so much darkness.

Out of nowhere, water splashed into my face, causing me to gulp down a mouthful of disgusting salt water. My eyes jumped around, seeking the sound of Hayden’s laughter. “You jerk,” I choked out, wiping the briny water from my eyes and mouth.

Before I could retaliate, he ducked under the water and disappeared. I spun around, searching the surface. Though the water stretched as far as the eye could see, the water around me was clear enough to see both sea life and human predator.

But where was he?

I got my answer by means of a drenched back. I spun around, laughing at Hayden’s playfulness, but he’d disappeared again.

My eyes scanned the surface as I spun in a slow circle. There was no way I’d let him surprise me again. But like a fish, he stayed under far longer than most humans could.

Suddenly, goose bumps scrambled up my arms.

I froze.

Warm breath traveled over the wet skin on the back of my neck. Even with salt water everywhere, Hayden’s aloe scent overpowered it.

This time he didn’t splash me. This time he placed his hands on my wet hips, gliding them up and down my skin. Then, without warning, he locked his arms around my stomach, pulled my back to his chest, and yanked me down into the water with him. I let out a yelp before being tugged under.

I loved the fun, carefree Hayden. He’d been like that since we arrived—scratch that. Since he had his hands on my ass to boost me over the fence to our own private beach. He claimed to know the guy who owned the property. And since he’d gone away for the weekend, we had the beach to ourselves. But I wasn’t a fool. We scaled a fence and didn’t have a key to the house. We clearly weren’t invited guests.

I finally escaped Hayden’s clutches and hurried out of the water and over to our towels spread out on the hot sand. I sat down, reclining on my elbows so the sun could soak up the beads of water covering my body.

Hayden stayed in the water, swimming laps and floating on his back. I wondered if the beach held fond memories for him. Or if the tranquil setting just relaxed his serious side.

As much as I appreciated the view, appreciated watching him unwind, appreciated him trying to help me forget, I’d waited all morning for him to mention the previous night.

Maybe he didn’t remember. Maybe he’d been too drunk to mean what he said.

Hayden finally emerged from the water, strutting toward me with innate confidence. The sun sparkled down on his soaked hair, and the water clung like a second skin to every ripple in his chest and indentation in his arms.

“You thirsty?” he asked, sitting down beside me.

I faked a grimace. “You planning on serving me something in a red cup?” With a grin, he reached inside his small cooler and handed me a sealed bottle of water. I unscrewed the cap and took a long refreshing sip. “You’re swell.”

He flashed a crooked smile. It had to be the panty-dropper smile. “It does have a certain ring to it, doesn’t it?”

I turned my attention back to the beautiful view. Last time, the beach and its inhabitants were cloaked in darkness. I remember thinking it was so peaceful, when I couldn’t even see fifty yards out. Now I could see for miles where the shimmering surface met the blue horizon.

Cameron had pointed out a lighthouse, but I could only see a faint