Wet(12)

“No, lad, I wasn’t anywhere near the place. Why? What’s up?” Curiosity lit his cloudy eyes.

What’s up was that someone had banged on the door and broken up an intimate encounter between Katy and himself, and Trent suspected it had been done on purpose, which begged the question was someone trying to get them together, or pull them apart? He considered it a moment longer and then thought about the distance of the lane. Honestly, he had to be crazy to think Harold would—or could—do such a thing. Christ, maybe he’d gotten paranoid over the years.

Just then Katy came rushing down the lane, looking mussed, sexy and breathless.

Harold greeted Katy then turned back to Trent. “So what’s up, lad?” he pushed.

Trent didn’t dare say anything about anything. Harold along with Byron and Errol, the other two that made up the gruesome threesome—lawless ruffians when younger—were worse than any of the gossiping women at Whispering Salon. Those three would have rumors about Katy and him spread in no time at all.

“Nothing. We heard a noise, is all. Probably the dock coming loose.”

“Yeah, prolly,” Harold said.

With that Harold turned, resumed his whistling and strolled down the street toward home.

“You don’t think…” Katy began.

Trent shook his head. “I don’t know.” Silence hung heavy as he glanced up and down the road, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

Looking a little unsure, Katy blinked and pointed her thumb behind her. “Did you want to…”

Trent raked shaky hands through his hair. “I should probably go.”

“Oh.”

“What?”

“It’s just that…I…uh…”

Sexually frustrated and emotionally battered, Trent drove his hands deep into his pockets before he did something stupid, like pull her against him and finish what they started.

“You what?” he asked, unsettled.

“I just thought…”

Flustered, he bit out, “What did you think, Katy? That we could resume our relationship for the summer? Then what? Then we’re right back where we were ten years ago, and I’m pretty sure I can’t go through you leaving again.”

“Trent, it’s not like that. If you just let me…” Suddenly her voice fell off, as if she didn’t know what to say, how to explain.

Completely rattled, he asked, “Do you know why I was going to fuck you tonight, Katy?”

She stared up at him with those big blue eyes of hers and whispered, “Because you wanted me?”

“Yes, of course because I wanted you.” Fuck, yeah. “But also to get you out of my system.” When he saw the confusion in her expression, he went on to explain, “Yeah, that’s right, Katy. I was going to fuck you tonight, hoping that once and for all it would help me get over you.” Jesus, he was being a prick again. “So I guess a lot has changed over the years and there really is a lot you don’t know about me anymore.”

Her eyes widened with his revelation, then she simply said, “I’ve never gotten over you either, Trent.”

Sweet Mother of God!

Of all the things she could have said, of all the things she could have called him— asshole topping the list—she chose to say that. The one thing that nearly drove him to his knees and had him begging her to stay.

To marry him.

But how could he possibly do that to either of them? He didn’t want her to stay only to have her resent him. And he didn’t want her to stay because he’d pleaded. He wanted her to stay because she wanted to. Because he was important to her. This life was important to her.

Trent pushed past the pain and dug deep, searching for an ounce of control before he followed a path that could very well shatter him. He took a step back. “I should go.”

A cool breeze blew her hair off her shoulder as she hugged herself. She shot a nervous glance over her shoulder and Trent felt her anxiety as if it were her own.

Weary despair crossed her face. “I’ve got some work to do anyway.”

Oh fuck, she looked so sweet, so innocent, and so damn vulnerable the gentleman in him didn’t want to leave her alone when he knew how much that noise had frightened her.

“Look, I’m heading on over to the Seaside pub for a game of pool. Why don’t you come along? You’ve been working hard since you arrived, and I think a night out and a few beers with old friends might be just what you need.”





Chapter Six


Laughter and music poured out of the window and spilled onto the quiet street as Katy and Trent made their way to the pub. The tang of salt mingled with the aroma of raw seafood and hung heavy in the still air. Trading and selling at the outdoor fisherman’s market had ceased hours ago and the vendors had returned to their homes to replenish and rest their voices until first light, when the boats returned with their fresh catches.