“I’m not going to let him ruin my life anymore, Nolan. I can’t let him have that kind of control over me.” I had no idea how I was going to get him to leave me alone, but I had to find a way.
We ate our dinner and pretended everything was fine. After a while, I started to believe that it might be. Nolan turned out to be a great cook, and I rewarded him later in bed. I collapsed on top of him afterward, waiting for my heart to return to its normal rhythm.
“Hey, Jordyn,” Nolan mumbled.
I lifted my head. “Yeah?”
“I love you.”
I kissed his ear and whispered, “If you love me half as much as I love you, we’re both in trouble.”
“I’m not worried.” He kissed me, and all of my troubles were forgotten. “You are just the kind of trouble I need in my life.”
Nolan was the best thing that had ever happened to me and I wasn’t going to let anything, or anyone, take him away from me.
CHAPTER TEN
My first few months by the ocean, I spent my mornings and evenings alone, gazing at the vastness of the sea and contemplating my life. How had I gotten here? I was a living in a strange town, working in a restaurant on the ocean, and I came home each night to an empty home. It was a lonely existence. But then one night, all of that changed. I met a stranger that changed my life. Nolan was funny and sweet, and as much as I had tried to deny it, I had fallen for him.
Now, when I watched the sun rise in the morning, Nolan was by my side. When the sun began to set, we were too lost in each other to notice. Things were going so well, I knew it wouldn’t last- it couldn’t last. My past wasn’t going to stay in the past any longer.
I tried to push Nolan away, to protect him. But Nolan had other plans. He didn’t care about my past, or how it might affect him. He loved me, and I loved him even more. He was everything I wanted, and I was everything he didn’t need.
“Ken, you’re late.”
I finished cashing out my tips and shut the register drawer. Kennedy hustled behind the counter, bumping me out of the way with her hip.
“Sorry, I got held up. I’ve got this. You can go.”
“Is everything alright?” I eyed my friend carefully, noting her disheveled hair and smudged makeup. It was strange to see Kennedy look anything less than perfect.
Kennedy answered without looking at me. “I’m good. Everything’s good. Go.”
She turned to reach for a banana and knocked over a pile of apples. It was obvious that something was going on with her- she was never this clumsy.
She caught me staring at her and said, “I mean it, Jordyn. Get out of here. Go see your hot boyfriend.”
I tried to look offended that she thought I was so obsessed with my boyfriend, but thinking about Nolan always brought a goofy smile to my face. For the last month, our relationship had been close to perfect. I knew that would likely change someday, but until then, I wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.
“Alright, I’m taking off, but don’t forget we have plans tomorrow.”
Kennedy waved me away. “I won’t forget. Scram.”
So I scrammed. Or more literally, I grabbed my bike and started pedaling. It was another beautiful day in Serenity Beach- somehow I never got tired of 80 degrees and mostly sunny skies. The breeze coming off the ocean kept me from getting sweaty as I sped away from the Seabag and headed up the coast.
Nolan was still technically staying at the Estate, but he spent nearly every night at my place. During the day, he trained. He ran all around Serenity, swam in the ocean, and lifted weights. Mostly, he did anything but pick up a baseball because he still wasn’t sure he was ready to play again. It was my mission to change his mind about that.
When I entered the mansion, it was eerily quiet. I usually avoided the place during the day because of how empty and haunted it felt. I found Nolan in the gym, sweaty and focused. He hadn’t heard me open the door, so I stood and watched him. It was a treat to be able to observe him in his natural habitat. Contented, I sighed and leaned against the doorframe.
Nolan heard me exhale and his head jerked up. He turned, saw me, and grinned like a little boy. “How long have you been standing there, stalker?”
“Just long enough to develop a huge crush on you.” I pretended to swoon, but it wasn’t really that fake. “Nolan Meyers is so dreamy!”
Nolan hooked one finger at me, beckoning me forward. “Get over here and kiss me, woman.”
I was more than happy to oblige.
“You taste suspiciously good,” Nolan said when we separated a good while later.
“I may have been sampling the merchandise at work,” I conceded.
“I wouldn’t mind you sampling my goods.” Nolan practically leered at me.
I swatted him on the arm. “Don’t be lewd.”
“I can’t help it. When I’m around you, my mind goes right into the gutter.”
“Let me help with that.” I moved away, putting at least a foot of space between us. “Better?”
Nolan shook his head. “Definitely not.”
“How’s the workout going?” I took a seat on the bench.
“It was going okay. But that’s definitely about to change.”
“No, don’t let me distract you. I can find some other way to occupy my day.”
“No way.” Nolan smiled. “You can’t stop by looking that amazing and think I’m just going to let you leave.” Of all Nolan’s many attractive traits and impressive skills, nothing had as much of an effect on me as his smile. It was my kryptonite.
“Fine. I’ll sit here quietly and inspire you.” I sighed dramatically. “Oh, the sacrifices I make for your career!”
“Yes. Poor you.” Nolan’s focus flipped like a light switch. “Do you want to go down to the beach?”
“That was random.”
He jumped to his feet and held out his hand. “I need some fresh air. Maybe a dip in the ocean. Swimming is a great workout.”
“Alright,” I said, taking his hand.
The mansion was located on a large plot of land and had its own private beach. It was a beautiful part of Serenity, but the most appealing part was that it was private. No annoying tourists getting in the way. Without hesitating, I stripped down to my underwear.
Nolan had already removed all of his clothing and jumped head first into the water. I eased myself in more slowly, letting waves crash over me.
“Take your time!” Nolan called, a wide grin on his face.
I stuck my tongue out at him and then dove in. When I surfaced again, I couldn’t find him. I swam in a quick circle and then his head broke the surface right in front of me, his arms encircling my body.
“What took you so long?” he asked, water dripping from his long eyelashes.
“What do you mean? I’m right on time.” I kissed his perfect lips, reveling in their warmth and saltiness.
Nolan got bored after a few minutes and headed back to the shore without me. I probably would’ve stayed in the water even longer, but when I glanced toward the beach, I caught Nolan toweling off and my heart jumped. He wrapped one towel around his waist and started to spread another towel on the sand, but he turned to watch me walk ashore.
Apparently, he liked what he saw. He couldn’t keep a cocky grin from his face as I approached. When I was a foot away, I stopped and we stood without touching, eyes unblinking.
“I’m beginning to think this idea was just a cheap ploy to have sex on the beach,” I said, narrowing my eyes.
“Did you just call me cheap?” His eyes sparkled dangerously.
I reached for his towel, tugging gently until it gave way. “That’s better.”
Nolan reacted quickly, scooping me off my feet and laying me on the towel. I yelped in surprise, then latched my arms around his neck so he couldn’t get away.
We lay on the beach for almost an hour afterward and I could feel the sun warming parts of my body that had rarely seen the light of day.
As the ocean
water and sweat on my skin evaporated, I said, “We should probably have lathered on sunblock. Your ass is going to be so burnt.”
Nolan laughed. “It’ll be worth it.”
“You say that now, but I’m going to be the one that has to lather on the aloe.” To prove my point, I pinched his butt cheek.
“You do me, and I’ll do you.” He stroked a hand over my breast which was already beginning to turn pink.
“So generous of you.” I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, basking in the warmth of the sun and Nolan’s soft caress.
He stopped suddenly, and shifted over me. I opened one cautious eye.
“So, I’ve been thinking…” Nolan smiled slowly. “I’m going to start playing again.”
“For real?” Both of my eyes were open now as I studied him to see if he was being serious. “That’s awesome news.”
“I called up the manager and he’s willing to take me back.”
“When do you leave?”
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t sound so excited…”
“Stop. You know I’m going to be devastated when you leave. I’m just curious how much time we have.” I couldn’t even begin to think about how much I was going to miss Nolan.
“I need to take off in a couple of days. But I want you to come with me.”
I loved that he wanted me to go with him. That meant he was just as attached to me as I was to him. But I couldn’t do that. “My life is here, Nolan. I can’t just leave.”
“I can’t leave you here.” He looked more serious than I had ever seen him.
“This is about Ben?” Now I felt like an idiot. “You don’t want me to go with you because you’ll miss me. You just don’t want me to be here alone.”
I felt very exposed on the beach. With a gentle nudge, I pushed Nolan away and rolled on my side. I found my discarded clothes and began to dress.
“Jordyn. That’s not it at all. I want you to come with me because my life sucked when you weren’t in it.” Nolan put his hand on my shoulder. “Look at me, please.”
When I turned back to him, he kissed me, long and urgently. It was like he knew the power of his kiss, how it made me forget everything for just a moment. He took his time, then pulled back just a fraction of an inch and said, “Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”
And in that moment, I believed him.
~NOLAN~
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Jordyn’s visit was the best part of my day. When Jordyn visited, she brought the light back in. Going down to the beach, we were able get away from everyone and everything else. As she walked out of the ocean, water dripping from her tanned skin, I marveled at her beauty. I loved this woman, and all I wanted to do was spend every second with her.
I was under a lot of pressure from my team manager and agent to rejoin the team. If I didn’t get it together soon, they were going to drop me for good. I actually needed to get some training done and that was never going to happen with Jordyn around, so I drove her home and then headed back to the Estate alone. She had protested my insistence on driving her, stating that she could ride her bike just fine, thank you very much. But I’d thrown it into the trunk and forced her into the passenger’s seat.
It was bad enough that she had a crazy stalker making threats, but she also had to insist on going about her life like that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t safe for her to be out riding her bike, especially as the sun was beginning to set.
When I dropped her off, it was almost impossible not to follow her inside. Besides being insanely attracted to her, I also hated the idea of her being alone in that house. She’d had the locks changed, and added a deadbolt, but Ben had already broken into her place multiple times.
“You’ll call me if anything comes up? Anything at all. A noise outside, a weird feeling, whatever. Call me.”
She had looked at me like I was the crazy one, but she agreed. I made sure she locked the door behind me before returning to my car and pulling away. I took the coastal drive, like always, thinking about Jordyn. I really hoped she would accept my invitation to go with me. It would be good for us to get away together, to a place where we wouldn’t have to worry about her crazy ex-boyfriend.
I was so distracted, I didn’t realize just how fast I was driving. Jordyn was always lecturing me to be careful going around the curves. When I put my foot on the brake just before heading into the biggest curve, I heard a loud snap and the car didn’t decelerate. I pushed down harder but nothing happened.
As a last ditch effort, I tried to swerve hard in the other direction, but it was too late. My car slammed into the guardrail, busting through in a loud crunch. My head snapped as the airbag went off, and the next thing I knew, the car was flipping upside down and I was headed down the cliff.
I woke up in the hospital, which was easily determined from the heart monitor beeping over my head, the scratchy hospital gown I was wearing, and the IV in my arm. I tried to lift my head, but it seemed to weight about 1,000lbs and it felt like my brain was about to explode inside my skull.
“You’re awake.”
I felt a squeeze of my hand and I blinked hard. When my eyes reopened, Jordyn’s face was hovering over me, twisted with worry.
“Hey.” It came out like a croak and made my throat feel like it was on fire.
Jordyn disappeared from sight, then just as quickly reappeared holding a cup of water. She put the straw to my lips and I took a tiny sip. It cooled my throat instantly and I took another, bigger drink.
“Thanks.” This time it was still hoarse, but not quite so miserable sounding.
She smiled sadly, running a hand over my cheek. “I was pretty worried about you.”
“I’m fine.” I realized that was a stupid thing to say. “Actually, you would know better than me. What’s the damage?”
“Concussion. A cracked rib. 23 stiches over three different areas.” She ticked each item off on a finger. “The doctor says you should make a full recovery, though, so that’s good. But your car was not so lucky.”
“I feel so stupid,” I groaned. “You warned me about those curves.”
Jordyn didn’t say I told you so, or lecture me that I should’ve listed to her. She didn’t say anything at all for a minute. When she did speak, her voice was so quiet I almost thought I didn’t hear her right. “Your brake line was cut.”
“Cut? What does that mean?” I wasn’t sure if it was because my head was pounding or because of the concussion, but things definitely were not clicking.
“Someone tried to kill you, Nolan,” she said, leaving no room for doubt. “It was Ben.”
“Hold on.” I pushed through the pain and sat up. “You don’t know that for sure.”
She scoffed. “I’m sorry. Do you have a list of people that want you dead?”
“I do have some crazy fans.” I frowned. Were any of them crazy enough to pull a stunt like this? Probably not. “You can’t stay in your house alone, Jordyn. It’s not safe.”
“I’m going to stay with Kennedy.”
“No offense to Kennedy, but I’m not sure that is any safer.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I know. But Snyder is going to be staying there, too. He’s out of rehab now and Kennedy offered him a place to stay.”
Again, I felt like I was missing something, but I was too tired to care. “Maybe it would be better if I stay with you.”
“You’re kidding right?” She laughed humorlessly. “You’re not getting out of the hospital for at least a couple of days.”
“If it means keeping you safe, I’ll leave right now.” Even as I said it, I knew that was a terrible idea. Not only would it be unsafe for me, I couldn’t exactly defend anyone in this condition.
Jordyn leaned down and kissed me very gently. Apparently, I also had a busted lip. “I appreciate your chivalry, but it’s clouded by stupidity. You need to heal, and I need to know that you are safe, so please stay in the hospital until the doctor says otherwise.”
“Alright.” I lean
ed back against the pillows, my failed attempt at strength getting the better of me. “How did you find out about the accident anyway?”
“Kennedy called me. Her father is in the hospital and she was here when they brought you in.” Jordyn’s eyes filled up with tears. “I was so scared.”
“Come here.” I tugged her arm and she sank onto the bed next to me, still keeping a distance between us. “Closer.”
Her head shook. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Being close to you could never hurt me, Jordyn.” I kept a grimace from my face as I scooted over to make room for her.
Reluctantly, she lay next to me on the bed. Tentatively, she put an arm around me. When I didn’t yelp in pain, she snuggled closer, resting her head on my chest. My eyes closed, and suddenly the pain wasn’t quite so bad.
Jordyn was gone when I woke up, the pain meds having done their job. At first, I thought I was alone, but when I groaned, a shadow moved in the corner.
“Wakey, wakey.”
I laughed, then clutched my ribs. “You are cruel.”
“Sorry.” Snyder actually did sound a little contrite. “You don’t usually find me funny.”
“That’s because you usually aren’t funny.”
“You just don’t get me.” Snyder stood nervously by the bed, keeping his hands tucked in his pockets.
I realized that his presence in my hospital room meant that he wasn’t with Jordyn. “Where’s Jordyn?”
“Don’t panic.” Snyder gave me a knowing smile. “The girls are with Brian. He was taking Jordyn home to pick up a few things and then he’s taking them back to Kennedy’s place. I made him promise to stay with them until I get there.”
My heart rate slowed just a little. “She could’ve been in the car with me, Snyder. She could’ve been killed.”
“But she wasn’t.” Snyder sighed loudly. “You can’t spend time worrying about something that never happened. That’s a waste of time and energy.”
“I can’t help it. I have to worry about her.” I wasn’t sure how much Snyder knew, whether Jordyn had told him about Ben. “I love her.”
Finding Serenity (Serenity Beach) Page 10