28. Callum
TWENTY-EIGHT
CALLUM
The creek water was warmer than I expected.
Not warm, exactly—cool enough to take the edge off the heat of the day—but with the sun dipping lower, the shallows had absorbed just enough of the July warmth to be comfortable.
Elodie bent down, brushing her hand through the running water. She toed off her boots with quick, practiced motions, then balanced on one foot as she peeled off her socks.
She shot me a mischievous look over her shoulder. “Come on, Blackwood. Live a little.”
I huffed out a breath but followed suit, stepping out of my boots, rolling my socks down, and shoving them inside my boots before following her into the water.
The smooth river rocks were slick beneath my bare feet, but Elodie moved like she belonged there, like the water had always been a part of her.
Elodie waded in deeper, the hem of her jeans darkening as the water lapped against her calves. She tilted her head back, letting the last golden rays of sunlight spill over her face, and fuck if it didn’t do something to me.
I wasn’t the kind of man to talk about beautiful moments.
I’d seen too many things, lost too many people to believe that life handed those moments out freely.
But standing there, watching her with bare feet in the creek, laughter on her lips, water glistening on her skin—hell, I wanted to believe in them.
“El,” I called, my voice rougher than I meant it to be.
She turned, blinking those big bright eyes at me, and smiled. “Yeah?”
I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I took my time, drinking her in.
The curls that had escaped from her bun, damp at the edges.
The flush high on her cheekbones from the warmth of the day.
The way she fit here so damn easily, like she was always meant to be part of this place, like she belonged right there—with me.
I wanted to reach for her. Pull her into me. I wanted to get my hands on her skin and feel the soft, wet press of her against me in the water.
“Shh.” My finger pressed to my lips when a sound broke through the stillness and my ears pricked. “Do you hear that?” I whispered, searching for the source of the sound.
She stilled, concentrating on the sounds of the forest.
A low, breathy moan. A woman’s voice, punctuated by the sharp, repetitive grunts of a man.
Elodie’s eyes went wide. “Oh my god,” she whisper-shouted.
I didn’t have to look far to find them—tucked just off the trail, only half hidden by the trees, was a couple who apparently hadn’t been able to wait until they were back in town to tear each other’s clothes off.
Elodie’s shoulders shook with silent laughter as she covered her mouth, but when she looked at me, her gaze turned wicked, and she waded toward me. “Well, well. Star Harbor sure is... lively tonight.” Her eyebrows bounced.
I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down my face. I knew exactly what she was thinking. That damn sparkle in her eye told me everything I needed to know.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warned as my attention narrowed on her pretty face.
She gasped, all false innocence and blinking lashes. “Think about what, Cal?”
I stepped closer, slow and deliberate, until I was right in front of her, looking down at her. My mouth hovered over hers. “About giving them some competition.”
Her breath hitched. Just a little—just enough, and fuck if I wasn’t tempted.
I took one step forward, then another. Elodie’s body stayed flush with mine, her steps mirroring mine as I moved forward.
I could have backed her up against the nearest tree, pressed my body into hers, let my hands and mouth explore all the ways I already knew she would fit against me. I could have let her feel how badly I wanted her—how close I was to losing my grip.
But the second she made a move like she might actually push me on it—just the tiniest shift in her stance, watching her teeth sink into the plush pillow of her lower lip—I curled my fingers around her wrist and yanked her toward me, lowering my mouth to her ear.
“Not here,” I murmured, my voice low and rough. “Your moans are for me, Darling. No one else gets to hear them.”
Her sharp inhale sent a thrill down my spine. Her body softened, just for a moment, before she covered it up with a grin. “Possessive much? ”
I shrugged, not bothering to deny it. “Get on the damn 4-wheeler.”
She laughed, but she obeyed, turning toward the bank, sloshing through the shallows toward dry land.
I followed, my eyes trailing the way her wet jeans clung to her legs, appreciating the way the denim hugged the curve of her ass. My pulse ticked against my throat, something low and raw coiling in my gut.
The woods around us were quieter now, the lovers in the distance coming down from whatever high they’d chased. The air was still except for the occasional rustling of leaves, the distant croak of a bullfrog, and the rhythmic sound of water spilling over smooth stones.
Elodie reached the muddy bank first, hesitating for half a second before planting her foot and pushing herself up.
She made it halfway before her bare foot slid on the damp earth.
I caught her before she went down, my hands clamping around her hips, jerking her back against me.
Her sharp inhale hit the humid air, and suddenly there wasn’t enough space between us.
My fingers flexed against her hip bones, anchoring her there, every inch of her ass pressed into me. The heat of the day had faded, but she was still warm—her body molded against mine like she belonged there.
Like she knew she belonged there.
Her breath was uneven, her body tensed in my grip, but she didn’t pull away.
I dipped my head lower, my lips a fraction away from the curve where her shoulder met her throat.
I could feel her pulse there, a quick, rapid beat.
She smelled like earth and river water, like something wild and untouchable, and for a split second I wanted to bite down, mark her, brand her as mine.
Instead, I exhaled slow, deliberate. “Careful, Darling.”
She shivered.
Then she turned her head slightly, just enough for our eyes to meet in the dim light. A challenge flickered there, dark and teasing. “Or what?”
My jaw ticced. I tightened my grip, then just as quickly released her, stepping back.
She let out a breath, something close to disappointment flickering in her expression before she masked it with a bratty look. “I knew you didn’t have it in you.”
My nostrils flared. “Keep pushing and you’ll see what happens.”
She grinned, and before I could stop her, she was scrambling up the rest of the incline, laughing under her breath. “Are you gonna stare at my ass all night, or are you coming?”
My hands fisted at my sides. “Brat.”
She only laughed harder, but I could hear the tightness in it, the way she wasn’t quite as unaffected as she wanted me to believe.
We walked the rest of the way in silence, the 4-wheeler still a ways off. The woods had swallowed it in darkness, but I knew where it was. She moved ahead of me, her bare feet padding over damp earth and scattered leaves. After pulling on our socks and boots, I hauled the backpack over my shoulder.
Every few steps, Elodie glanced over her shoulder, her eyes catching mine, something electric humming between us. By the time our ride came into view, I wasn’t sure who was chasing whom.
She reached it first, running her fingers along the seat like she was considering something. Then she turned, leaning back against it, waiting.
Her chest rose and fell, her breath shallow. Her shirt was clinging to places it had no business clinging to, and I let my gaze drag over her, slow and thorough, making sure she saw it.
Her lips parted.
I stopped in front of her, close enough that my body heat licked against her skin.
I wanted to press her against the metal, slot my thigh between hers and make her moan my name. I only resisted because the slow torture of teasing anticipation was far better. I’d promised Elodie a proper date, and I’d be damned if I didn’t give it to her.
Instead of acting on impulse, I reached past her, grabbing the helmet from where I’d stashed it on the rack.
She let out a breath that sounded a lot like frustration.
I smirked.
She scowled.
I held the helmet out, waiting.
After a long beat, she snatched it, shoving it onto her head. “You’re impossible.”
I stepped back with a grin and winked. “And you like it.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she climbed onto the seat without another word.
I dragged a hand down my face and released a slow exhale, trying to shake off whatever the hell this was. The heat, the adrenaline, the way she looked at me like she already knew what buttons to push and exactly how hard to press.
I needed a distraction .
So, like an idiot, I tossed her the keys. “Scoot up. It’s your turn to drive.”
Her eyes lit up, mischief sparking like a damn firework as she caught them midair and scrambled to make room for me behind her.
Turns out, letting her drive was a mistake—or maybe it was the best decision I’d made all night. I couldn’t tell.
Elodie had always been wild energy, but behind the wheel, she was something else entirely. She took the trails fast, kicking up dust, letting out sharp, delighted gasps whenever we caught air over a hill. Every time I looked at her, she was grinning like she’d just found some new kind of freedom.
And me? I was grinning right alongside her.
I didn’t realize how much tension I was carrying until she laughed—full, unrestrained, and effortlessly happy. The tension I was carrying unfurled itself from my ribs.
She threw me a playful look over her shoulder. “Admit it. You’re having fun.”
I just shook my head, a full smile spreading across my face as I gripped her thighs. “Drive before you crash us, Darling.”
Her laughter rang out into the night.