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“That why you looked after me?” I ask. “Because I’m your enemy?”
“If you were, you wouldn’t be here.” Presley shakes his head. “Look, Ryker, I’m not trying to smooth things over between us. I’m not trying to go back to the way things were. I just don’t want to have to bury you in a pine box. Can’t that be enough?”
“Sure. And for the record? I looked after you, too.”
Presley snorts. “Figures.”
I meet his gaze. “Help me keep her alive. Please.”
“I will.”
“Tomorrow, I want you to walk me through your emergency plans. I want to know what we’re going to do if someone does find her here.”
“You’ve got it, Big Brother.”
Chapter 26
Dahlia
The water is crisp, and the smile hasn’t left my face since I jumped into the pool thirty minutes ago. It has been so long since I swam. I used to love it, was even on a team, but there isn’t much room for it when you’re barely making ends meet.
“Having fun?” Ryker asks as he comes into the atrium. Without my glasses, he’s a blur, so I swim to the edge and retrieve them. Seeing him has become one of my favorite things in this life. And I don’t want to miss a minute.
“Yes! The water feels amazing.” With my glasses perched on my nose, the image of him clears, and I study his jeans and t-shirt. “You don’t look like you plan to swim.”
“That’s because I don’t.”
“Any particular reason?”
“Already did my laps this morning.”
I prop my face up on my hands, elbows on the cool stone of the pool edge. “When?”
“Four this morning.”
“Are you serious? When did you finish the movie?”
Something darkens in his expression, but it’s so quick to fade that I’m sure I must have imagined it. “I wasn’t super tired afterward, so I came down to swim. It clears my head.”
“I can’t believe you were up that early and are still functioning.”
“How’s the soreness?”
“Much better. Still a little achy on my side, but the water seems to help.”
He smiles at me, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I can get some coffee going if you let me know when you’re done. Presley ran into town for something, so he’ll be back this afternoon.”
“Coffee actually sounds great.” I swim over toward the stairs. By the time I’ve reached them, Ryker is already waiting at the top with a towel in his hand. “I really do feel so great. That swim—” My foot catches on the top step, and I go down—hard. Ryker rushes forward, and I slam into his body. He stabilizes me, both strong arms coming around to keep me at least partially on my feet. I shove my glasses back up onto my nose. “I am so sorry, I can’t believe I—” When I look up at him, and our gazes lock, it’s all I can do to remember to breathe.
His gaze drops to my mouth.
Please kiss me. Oh, please, please, please, douse this fire burning in me.
I bite down on my bottom lip, then refocus on his face.
“I shouldn’t,” he whispers as he lowers his face.
“Why?” I whisper.
