"NO deal."
"Beth…" I growled.
She released her grip on my body and started swimming for shore. "Come on, Thor. We have to sneak back into the hut without Grandma seeing us. You're supposed to be sick, remember?"
"Why would I go back to the hut when everything I want is right here? In my arms?" He reached out and gently caressed my hand, I shivered in response.
"That was a good speech." Beth exhaled.
I could feel her heart race as we swam us back toward the beach. Once we could touch the ground, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her, wrapping her legs around me in the process.
"I could love you," I whispered.
"I could love you too."
I finally gave in. I forgot about my career, forgot about prom, forgot about Kerri — I forgot about everything, purposefully, and focused, purposefully on the curve of her hips as I held her against me, on the softness of her skin as my lips brushed across it. I focused on the sound of her soft pants when my tongue licked the salt water from her neck.
Beth arched her back as I kissed down the front of her chest, causing our bodies to fit together perfectly. She was on fire, and I wanted nothing more than to remember this moment — since we'd somehow screwed it up so badly the first time.
She dug her nails into my head, touching part of the scar from the accident. And for some reason, I froze.
Something felt familiar.
Something wasn't right.
Beth. The accident.
Beth and the accident.
"Bye, Dad!" I called out and ran to the car. "Beth." I smiled. "I'm going to marry her someday."
I jerked back from her as if she'd just burned me.
"Jace?" Beth held my face. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
I shook my head, unable to find my voice. It had been a memory. I'd been dressed in the same tux I'd worn to prom. What the hell?
"Jace?"
"I, uh..." I couldn't catch my breath. "I think I really may be sick."
"It's okay." Beth pulled me in for a hug. "Let's just go back to the hut, alright?"
"But—"
"Jace. It's fine, plus you look really pale."
"Right." I gripped her hand like a lifeline and waded through the water to shore. The memory was still there, I'd said her name, I'd gotten back into my car that night with her name on my lips. Why?
Chapter Thirty
The agent yawned. "So, the senator admitted his feelings. Good for him."
"No," Grandma sighed, "not good. You see, there was one thing I wasn't counting on happening, one person I wasn't able to…" she shrugged, "manage."
"You mean one person you couldn't control?"
"I prefer manage." She g