Page 46 of Rekindle My Heart

The sun was lower in the sky by the time Ryan parked in his driveway. About ten miles ago, water had finally quit running from the back of the boat.

Erica sat on his front step, scrolling through her phone. A scowl scrunched his face. What the hell was she doing here?

He got out of the vehicle, adjusted the still-wet pants sticking to his legs, and picked up his water-logged phone.

He pushed his sunglasses up his nose. Thankfully, he hadn’t lost them in the water.

“Are you lost?” He grabbed his cooler and keys and closed the distance between them.

She stood. “I wanted to make sure you were okay. I didn’t know Travis would capsize your boat.”

“I should cite him for reckless operation of a water craft.” He wrung out his hat and dropped it on the hand railing to dry.

“He thought you were a paparazzi.”

“Did he, now? I’m surprised he even noticed me with all that skin you were showing.”

She stiffened.

Damn, he wasn’t going to say that. “I need to shower off the river and eat something. My sandwich ended up as fish food.”

“I’ll go. I see you’re fine.” She planted herself a foot in front of him. “You would still be dry if you’d have trusted me to do this in the first place.”

“Did you get anything good?”

“Not yet.” Determination flamed in her eyes as she fisted her hands on her hips. “Next time, don’t follow us.”

An icy wave skated along his spine. “Next time.”

“Travis is taking me fishing next week.” She crossed her arms, giving her cleavage a lift. Damn if he didn’t look.

“No. You don’t need to put yourself in danger again to get information from this guy.”

“Who said I’d be in danger? Travis was a perfect gentleman.”

Ryan snorted. “He made sure you didn’t get sunburnt. How many times did he lotion your back anyway?”

Her face turned crimson, and her breath heaved out inches from his face. “Jealous?”

“Yes.” The word slipped from Ryan’s lips. He dropped his cooler and keys and fisted his hands in her hair. “I know I don’t have a right to be, but I was.”

Her eyes widened, and her tongue slipped out. She grabbed his shirt. To pull him closer or push him away, he couldn’t say, but when her fingers brushed his chest through his wet shirt, his control snapped.

He closed the few remaining inches of space and sealed his mouth to hers. Her lips opened an inch, and he was gone. No gentle exploration. Hard kisses amped up at record speed. She made a purring sound in her throat and two seconds later, Ryan’s tongue slid between her lush lips.

Her arm looped around his neck, and her fingers tightened in his hair. Tiny tugs shot sensation straight to his groin. He broke the kiss. Air sawed in and out as they both panted, eyes locked in shock and lust.

“Erica.” The rasp of his voice begged her to come inside. But her answer flashed in her eyes. Lust cooled and regret took its place.

She dropped her hand from his hair. The heated tingles on his scalp subsided.

She tentatively touched a finger to her mouth. Inches of charged space stood between them.

“I should go.”

No!The word screamed in his head but couldn’t push past his lips.

She spun and ran to her car.

Stop her. Beg her to stay. Apologize. Something. Anything.

But she was right. They had too much water under that bridge to go there. Hell, the water had not only gone under, but it washed out the bridge completely.

He watched her drive off before picking up his things and unlocking the door.

Yes, their time had passed. So, why did it live in his dreams?