Page 62 of The Hollywood Switch-up

Not falling into him. Choosing him. Her hand came up to the back of his neck and held on, and he made a sound against her mouth that she felt in her spine. His hand slid into her hair. Somewhere past the cabana's edge, the storm was getting louder, but neither of them moved.

When they broke apart, she was still holding his shirt.

He pressed his forehead to hers, breathing unsteady. Neither of them spoke. The wind had picked up—she could feel it now, the temperature dropping, the sky doing something different overhead.

“Storm’s coming.” His voice was rough.

“I know.”

Neither of them moved.

Thunder cracked directly overhead, so violent the pool deck shuddered beneath them. The rain came sideways in the same second—instant and blinding—and neither of them stepped back under the cabana roof.

“There you two are!” Lily appeared at the edge of the pool deck, already drenched. “Storm’s escalating. Everyone’s confined to villas. I need you. Now.”

Erika stumbled up from the lounge chair. The sketchbook lay forgotten on the lounge behind her. She looked back at Stefan—his expression doing something she couldn't quite make out, his face blurring like a wet charcoal line—and then Lily had her arm and was pulling her toward the villa.

She didn’t look back again. She didn’t need to.

ERIKA

The storm had turned mean. What had been rain and bluster an hour ago was now wind that knocked people sideways, palm fronds ripping loose and sailing across the lot like thrown knives.

Production had called the evacuation at four—last ferry to Nassau, all nonessential personnel, forty-five minutes. Half the crew had already packed out. Erika could see them streaming toward the dock with bags over their shoulders, heads ducked against the weather.

She should be with them. Instead she was scanning the chaos for Stefan, because the thunder had interrupted them mid-sentence and she’d spent every hour since replaying the look on his face when he’d said I know there are a hundred reasons we shouldn’t.

Her phone buzzed.

Lils:

Ferry in 40. If you’re not at that dock in 30, I’m telling Martin you have food poisoning and dragging you there myself.

Eri:

I need to find Stefan first.

Lils:

Production trailers. He’s helping secure equipment. Get him and get to the dock!

Eri:

I forgot my sketchbook at his villa. I have to go back.

Lils:

Are you insane? The storm is peak. Forget the book! Erika?

Eri:

I can’t. I’m going.

Lils:

Erika. I swear to God. Get to the dock. Do NOT make me come looking for you in this weather.

Erika stared at the screen. Lily was right. It was just paper. Just drawings. Except it wasn’t.