Hendrix (Raleigh Raptors 3)

My father nodded, understanding finally flashing in his tear-soaked eyes. "I'm so sorry, baby," he said. "I didn't mean to mess up your life. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just had so much tunnel vision, I didn't understand. I didn't know."

"It's okay," I said, though I wasn't totally okay. But he was my dad, and I wasn't about to hate him forever. Especially not for his misguided attempts at protecting me. "I get it, kind of. But what has happened between us," I said, shaking my head. "It's going to take me a hot minute to get back to where we were, Dad."

He nodded, complete understanding in his eyes fighting the sadness. "I understand that. I'll earn your trust back. I promise. "

I blew out a breath and nodded toward him as I opened the door. I glanced at him one last time over my shoulder, letting him see the love and hate and anger and disappointment in my eyes before I shut the door behind me. I fished out my cell phone as I walked to my car.

I dialed Weston's number, my hands shaking as I held the phone to my ear.

"Weston," he said by way of answer, his traditional way of picking up a call much to his assistant’s chagrin.

I sucked in a deep breath, not taking a blink to second-guess myself. "I need a favor."

19

Hendrix

This wasn’t my boathouse—not the one I missed, anyway—but it was my boat, and I guessed leasing the little structure on the banks of the Ashley River made it mine, but it wasn’t the same.

I’d been in Charleston for three weeks. Three games. Three wins. Long enough to see a kid in downtown Charleston wearing a Malone jersey for the Cougars. Long enough to order a set for Mom and my sister’s family. Long enough to unpack the boxes, but not the emotional baggage I’d brought with me.

I wasn’t sure I ever would.

Maybe loving Savannah was something I’d never get over. Maybe it had changed me in the same ways that loving Liberty had opened up Nixon, or loving Teagan had steadied Roman…except I didn’t get the same ending.

I peeled my sweat-soaked shirt off and tossed it into my bag, then hefted my boat up onto the rack so she could dry out properly. Today’s workout would have wiped me out a few months ago, but now it barely took the edge off. I guess some emotions weren’t meant to be sweat out.

Once she was snug and secure on the rack, I headed for my bag—and a dry shirt, and stopped dead in my tracks.

Savannah stood in the doorway.

My heart fucking stopped.

She chewed on her bottom lip, and I had to fight against the instinct to kiss it free so she didn’t bruise the tender flesh. I blinked once just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, but she was still there, wearing a pair of tiny, olive green shorts and a blank tank top. Her hair was braided, revealing the long line of her neck, and her sunglasses sat perched on top of her head.

“Hi, Hendrix,” she said softly, her gaze sweeping over me as hungrily as mine had her. I took perverse satisfaction in the way her tongue swept over that tortured lower lip when she reached my abs.

Savannah was here…but…why? How?

“How did you know where to find me?” I plucked a towel from my bag and wiped the sweat off the back of my neck, finding anything I could do with my hands to keep them off her.

“Weston,” she admitted softly.

I cursed under my breath. I’d told my best friend where the boathouse was for cases of emergency, not so he could shoot an arrow through my Achilles heel. “Okay, why are you here?”

“I…” She blinked rapidly and ripped her eyes off my torso. “What I said back in Raleigh…” She sighed. “This is all coming out wrong. Look, I need you to know that I’m the one that can’t quit this.” She walked forward, coming close enough to touch. “I mean you and me. I can’t walk away.”

My entire body tightened as she lifted a hand to my chest and rested it above my heart. Her touch electrified me, made my heart jump like someone had applied the paddles.

Because she killed you in the first place.

I somehow managed a smirk. “You came a long way for a booty call, Butterfly.”

“That’s not…” Her jaw dropped slightly, but there was no mistaking the flare of her eyes, the catch of her breath, or the sway of her body toward mine. She was turned on.

“I mean, I guess it’s flattering that you went to all the effort, right?” Shit, my body was reacting, too. It didn’t give a shit that she’d broken me into a thousand little pieces, it wanted her. Hell, every part of me wanted her, but I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could really have her, not in the way I wanted.