Page 111 of At First Catch

At least I’m not suffering alone.

She sets the coffee tray onto my desk before brushing damp hair back from her face.

“I brought breakfast.”

“I noticed.”

The attraction hums visibly between our bodies now as our gazes lock

“You okay?” she asks after a moment.

The question catches me off guard.

“Yeah.”

“You sure?”

I exhale and glance toward the rain-streaked marina windows.

“No.”

“What’s wrong?” she asks gently.

I look back at her, standing there in soft gray morning light, holding coffee, like she already belongs in my office.

“Nothing bad,” I admit. “Just…”

My eyes catch on the second coffee. She hadn’t asked if I’d eaten. She’d assumed I’d forget.

Hadley steps closer, and her perfume wraps through the air between us anyway.

“Nolan.”

I’m almost overcome by the tenderness of her voice.

I scrub one hand down my jaw before finally admitting, “I’m getting used to you being here.”

Rain taps softly against the windows behind her while tension thickens low between our bodies. Hadley’s breath catches almost imperceptibly.

“Is that a problem?”

A laugh escapes me despite myself.

“I’m starting to think it’d be a bigger problem if you weren’t.”

My legs felt like lead weights as I push myself up from the chair, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead.

Her eyes flick briefly toward my mouth, and my entire body reacts.

“You know what the problem is?” I ask.

Her pulse jumps visibly in her throat.

“What?”

“You keep showing up looking like you belong here…with me.”

The words leave my mouth rougher than intended. Before either of us can recover, thunder rolls outside the marina.