Page 19 of For Every Letter

I jump out of bed. “Good thing he’s not a mind reader.”

“Then, how did he know I’m here? Wait. Does he know?”

I offer him a hand to help him up but he does some hot boy move and springs to his feet without any help from me.

“Of course, he knows. This is Smuggler’s Hideaway. All the smugglers and mermaids know you’re here by now.”

“Sadie!” My dad pounds on the door.

And Ben rushes into action. He throws my clothes at me before donning his jeans without any underwear. He glances at the bed. “We’ll keep the door to the bedroom closed.”

I point to my head. “Pretty sure I have sex hair.”

He runs a hand over his own hair. He has a military cut, so he has nothing to worry about.

I slip into my shorts and tank top before throwing my hair into a bun on top of my head. Ben shakes his head at me. “What? I’m dressed.”

He wraps an arm around my waist and hauls me near. “You’re too sexy for your own good.”

“And you need to put a shirt on before I ignore my dad and jump you.”

“Sadie!”

Ben groans. “I don’t think your dad is willing to be ignored.”

“We’ll pretend we’re not here.”

“I know you’re in there!” Dad yells and Ben groans.

“We can sneak out the window. It leads to the parking lot. We’ll be in my car and at the beach before he realizes it.”

Ben shakes his head. “I don’t duck out from my responsibilities.”

I blow a raspberry. “Boring.”

“And yet you love me.”

I beam up at him. “Yep. I do. Which is why I’m not crawling out the window.”

He puts on a t-shirt before tagging my hand and leading me out of the bedroom. He makes sure to shut the door behind us.

“Maybe she’s not here,” I hear Mom say right before Ben opens the door.

My eyes widen when I realize my entire family is standing outside the door. I should have realized. Ben’s hand squeezes mine. I smile up at him. “Showtime.”

He kisses my forehead before releasing my hand and wrapping an arm around my waist. “I’m with you.”

“Dad, Mom, annoying siblings, this is Ben.”

I count to three before chaos erupts.

“Why haven’t I met him?”

“He’s handsome.”

“Why do you have sex hair?”

“I should have become a pen pal to a soldier.”