Her lips twisted into an embarrassed smile. “Does that mean I’m the first?”
“And the last, I hope.” My tone softened, earnest, though my chest still felt tight, like I’d been holding a breath too long. I forced myself to unclench my jaw, to push past the sour knot of jealousy tangled low in my gut.I’d already lost Mom. Already lost too many things I couldn’t get back. I wasn’t about to let pride steal this from me, too.
“But my point is—if you’re going to keep dating me, you’re undoubtedly going to meet an insignificant ex or two. It’s a very small town. And that won’t be fun.”
The admission rasped from me, raw, because I could already picture it. Faces from my past surfacing when I least wanted them to. “But we have our pasts. Can’t erase any of it. All we can do is leave it there, in the past, and not let it ruin our present. Or our future.”
Jasmine’s shoulders eased, like I’d just taken a weight off them. She studied me for a moment, green eyes glinting in the sunlight spilling across the bow, then gave a slow nod. “That’s… amazingly understanding.”
“I have my moments,” I grinned.
“I appreciate this moment more than you can imagine,” she said, the tremor in her voice betraying her relief. “Thank you, Kai.” Her hand found mine on the steering wheel, warm and sure.
“Thank you for being honest. And amazing,” I said, giving her hand a squeeze. Relief seeped through me at last, cooling the fire in my chest.
As soon as we reached the dock, I had the fish hoisted onto the cutting table and cleaned in minutes. Marcus was washing down the boat he’d run. I walked over and pressed a twenty into his hand to wash the boat down for me.
Coulter was there, helping Trevor store bait buckets outside the shop, but no sign of my twin, thank God.
“Let’s get out of here,” I told Jasmine, grabbing the two hefty bags of tuna fillets. I stopped to give my brothers a bag of fish on our way to the Jeep.
“You only caught one?” Trevor needled, eyebrow cocked.
“Yeah,” I said, tucking the remaining bag of fish under my arms, eyes tracking Jasmine as she walked a few steps ahead, sunlight catching the streaks in her hair. “Sometimes one is all you need.”
CHAPTER 25
JASMINE
By the time we reached my bungalow, the knot in my chest had unraveled so much I felt lighter than I had in weeks. The air-conditioning hit my skin, cool and crisp, and I couldn’t stop the grin tugging at my mouth.
“You,” I announced, dropping my canvas bag by the door, “are officially the sweetest boyfriend ever.”
Kai raised a brow, setting the bag of fish in the sink. “Sweetest boyfriend? That’s high praise. You sure you don’t just mean ‘guy who can forgive me for accidentally sleeping with his twin brother’?”
A twinge of guilt twisted sharp. The joke was his way of brushing it off, but to me it would never feel casual, not entirely. Remembering his wise words, I realized I’d have to practice leaving the past in the past. Still, the air between us felt fragile, like glass we were both determined not to crack. I laughed it off, walking straight to him and looping my arms around his damp shirt. “That definitely put you over the mark.”
“Hey,” he said, hands sliding instinctively to my waist. “This doesn’t mean you get a hall pass.” His mouth quirked, half teasing, half serious.
“I don’t want a hall pass,” I shot back instantly. My heart gave a little kick at how true the words felt. “I only want you.”
His eyes softened, the playfulness folding into something heavier, steadier. He brushed his thumb across my cheekbone, and I swear I melted like butter in the heat of his gaze.
“Good,” he murmured, pulling me closer. “Because you’ve got me. All of me.”
I felt his excitement growing between us. “You are also the stinkiest boyfriend ever,” I said, wrinkling my nose. “You reek of fish and sweat. We’re showering before anything else.”
His fingers pressing into my hips, he wiggled a brow. “We?” His grin was pure trouble.
“Yes, we,” I said firmly, though heat already pooled low in my belly. “Because I’m not letting you put those hands on me until they’ve touched soap.”
Kai leaned down, his mouth brushing my ear, his voice a low rumble. “Fair enough. As long as I get to wash you too.”
A shiver shot through me, and before I knew what was happening, he scooped me up like I weighed nothing. My squeal echoed in the hallway as I batted at his chest. “Kai! Put me down—I can walk. And you stink!”
“Not a chance,” he said, nudging open the bathroom door with his foot. “Sweetest boyfriend ever, remember? Full service.”
When he finally set me on my feet, his hazel eyes were already dark with intent. The rush of water filled the room as he turned on the shower.
