The Private Serials Box Set(82)

“What about you? What are your plans?” Sam asked, her eyes locked on Preston.

He looked to me and smiled. “I’m wherever she is,” he said, nodding in my direction, his eyes focused on mine. My heart fluttered at his words, warmed by the idea of him being near for now.

“One last run? For old times’ sake?” Parker asked me.

“Love to.”



It was hours later. Parker and I had gone on one last run, all the while he tried to convince me not to give up on Preston.

“I know it’s great right now, the reunion high is so perfect, and it’s probably hazing out all the bad stuff that hasn’t found its way in yet. Just promise me, when it does, when all the bad finds the cracks and seeps back in, you’ll believe in him and trust him enough to give him a chance.”

I was watching the sand move beneath my feet as I ran, feeling my feet sink in, then pull out, muscles burning with each step, breath panting. Listening to Parker was mesmerizing. It was so abundantly obvious he had every bit of faith in his brother.

“I promise,” I said through heavy breaths. It was such an interesting experience for me to watch Preston’s brother and sister go to bat for him, to have such unwavering faith in him. I found myself looking out to the ocean and wondering what kind of sister Nadia would have been. Would she have flown to Hawaii to make sure I was all right? Would she have seen how bad my marriage to Derrek was and tried to help me?

I’d never really felt the loss of my sister. Later in life, I knew the way my parents raised me was influenced by their loss, but I’d never considered what I missed by not having a big sister around.

“He’s lucky to have you and Piper,” I said, just loud enough that I knew he heard me, but still quietly. It always seemed sacrilege to speak over the sound of the waves of the ocean.

“Patton loves him too. He’s just less available to drop his entire life to help at the moment. You’ll meet him eventually.”

I gave him a smile and we continued our run.

Afterward, Parker found a flight, packed his bags, and took a taxi to the airport. It was sad saying goodbye to him, and I’d obviously become more attached to him and his friendship than I realized. But I knew I’d see him again; it was inevitable.

“Remember what I said,” he whispered into my ear as he hugged me goodbye. “Have faith in him.”

I nodded, smiling against his shoulder as I hugged him. “I will.”



Later that day, after everything had settled down, all four of us found ourselves on the beach. Sam and Piper were in the water, sitting together with the water lapping around their legs. Preston and I were laying on towels, soaking up the sunshine as it slowly made its way toward the horizon, the day nearly gone.

I sighed in contentment, thoroughly enjoying the relaxation the last hour had afforded me.

“I can’t believe that in the two months I’ve been in Hawaii, this is the first time I’ve just laid on the beach. I might not ever go back to work. I might lay out like this every day of my life until I shrivel up like a raisin.”

“I’d definitely sign up to watch you lay around in a bikini all day, every day.” Preston turned his head to look at me and gave me his sexy smile.

“Deal,” I said, laughing. “You’ll still love me when I’m all wrinkly?”

“Sweetheart, I’m going to love you forever, no matter what. The sooner you get that through your head, the better off we’ll be.”

“Deal,” I repeated, but this time I leaned toward him to give him a kiss. His hand slid behind my neck, holding me to him, and he deepened the kiss. In fact, he took it much deeper than I had intended and I found myself lost in his lips, lost in the way his mouth moved against mine, how possessive it was, and how much I liked being possessed by him.

My skin was warm from the sun, but hot from the way his tongue caressed mine, the way his fingers dug into the tender flesh of my neck. His other arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him, but he also rolled over me, pinning me into the sand between our towels.

His hand grazed the skin just above the back of my bikini bottom, fingertips sliding just barely into the elastic. My heart trampled in my chest, and even though we were on a public beach, in broad, albeit dwindling, daylight, I couldn’t bring myself to stop him. His hands felt too good on me. Thankfully, his hand didn’t roam any farther and I trained my focus on letting him kiss me.

My mind swirled with the feeling of him over me, his mouth taking everything from me: my breath, my voice, my ability to think clearly.

“Lena,” he finally rasped against my mouth, after what seemed like hours of making out on the beaches of Hawaii.

“Yeah?” I said, my hand raising up to run through his hair.

“I think we should go back to the apartment.”

I laughed at his to-the-point statement. Nothing sexy about the way he said it, but sex was all he implied. I kissed him through giggles, then laughed even harder when he pouted.

“I’ve only just come up for air. I’ve hardly spent any time with Sam.” I trailed my hand down from his hair to his cheek, trying to soften the blow of my tiny rejection. “We can go back to the apartment when it’s time for bed.”

He rolled off me and motioned toward where Sam and Piper were still sitting in the waves. “They wouldn’t notice if you left. They’re entertaining themselves just fine.”