The Daring Storm Chaser - Page 5

An overwhelming sense of panic rises in my chest as he pulls himself out of the water. I spin on my heel and run away. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I don’t belong here with the scantily clad stick figures and Victoria’s Secret models.

Why did I come here? This was impulsive… and I’m not impulsive!

I’m organized, a planner, living by clocks, calendars, and to-do lists.

I didn’t even plan what I was going to say or do when I found Oz; I’d just set my mind on finding him to do… something. I’d lectured Colby about acting the fool around Oz, but it turns out, I’m not any better.

“Marjorie!” Oz calls, chasing me around the house. “Wait up!”

Tears of embarrassment sting the backs of my eyelids, and I will my legs to move faster. Oz is more physically fit than me, but I have a head start. If I can just reach my car—

A sprinkler pops up from the ground, tripping me. As I roll in the grass, clutching my sore ankle, it douses me with water. Way to kick a girl while she’s down, universe.

“Jori! Are you okay?” Is that concern in Oz’s voice? He catches up to me easily, kneeling beside me. “Anything broken?”

“Just my pride,” I grumble. My eyes greedily drink in the sight of him. His muscular chest glistens with beads of water. His dark hair is plastered to his face, and he shoves it back with a hand.

When he and my brother stopped being friends, I thought my childhood crush would end, too. No such luck.

And now, he’s transitioned from a cute boy to a drop-dead gorgeous man. I’m doomed.

He chuckles softly and gestures to the empty lawn. “At least everyone else is by the pool, so no one witnessed your fall.”

I grimace. “No one but you.”

“Let me see,” he urges, reaching out his hands to gently prod my ankle. His touch causes my skin to erupt in goosebumps. A chill ripples down my spine, and I long to lean back and pull him on top of me.

“Can you write the alphabet with your big toe?” he asks.

“Can I what?” I stare at him blankly.

He smiles sheepishly. “I read that in a book or something, but it makes sense, doesn’t it? If you can write out the alphabet, then you still have full range of motion in your ankle, and it’s probably not broken.”

I do as he asks, spelling out each letter with my big toe. “It’s fine.”

Oz nods, relief on his face. “It’s going to be a hell of a bruise, though.”

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I need to get away from Oz before I throw myself at him. “I guess I should go home and put some ice on it.”

“Let’s go in the house to find some ice.”

I push my wet hair away from my face and scowl at the nearby sprinkler head. “No way. I can’t go in there looking like a drowned rat.”

“You look gorgeous, as always.” Oz smiles, and the corners of his eyes crinkle.

Liar. I stare into his gorgeous irises, the color of milk chocolate, unable to look away. He breaks eye contact first, his gaze dropping to my shirt. His jaw falls open, and I follow his gaze to see what he’s looking at.

Looking down, I see that the water has made my white t-shirt completely see-through. I quickly fold my arms across my chest. “Eyes up, mister.”

Oz leans back and clears his throat. “So, um, you never said what you were doing here?”

“I was looking for you, actually,” I admit.

The cocky smile returns to his face in an instant. “Is that so? What can I do for you?”

“Call off this stupid bet with Colby before you get him killed.”

“Colby knows what he’s doing, Marjorie. And if you recall, this whole thing was his idea. Not mine.”