Page 121 of Left on Read

“I used to like swimming. And I enjoy going for walks,” he mused. “Maybe I’ll look into getting a swim pass at the rec center.”

“I like walking when I have someone to talk to. I can be your walk buddy if that’s something you want to get into. Can’t help you with swimming, though. I learned enough to not die if I ever fall into a pool, but that’s about it. I stay away from water for a reason.”

“So boating is out?”

“Oh god.” I snort-laughed. “Can you imagine me on a boat? I’d spend the whole time staring at the water and daydreaming. I’d get knocked overboard the first time they had to swing the sails or whatever those things are to change direction. When we were kids, Zane used to have to yell ‘down’ instead of ‘duck’ to me because my dumb ass would always look around and be like, ‘A duck? Where?’”

“I did that too.” Hayden laughed. “My siblings still tease me about it. My brother even called me Ducky for a whole year because my youngest sister yeeted a beach ball at my face when I was five, and I stood there and let it hit me because I was so busy looking for a duck.”

“Thank fuck it was a beach ball and not something harder.”

“My parents—and my optometrist—also thought so.” He turned onto my street and up the drive to my building.

“So, did you have fun tonight?” I asked when he’d put the car in park.

“I had a blast.” He shot me a saucy little grin. “Best night ever.”

“Yes, it was.” I leaned over and gave him a kiss. “I need a new video to get me through the next week.”

Hayden had really come out of his shell when it came to making videos for me. I had a whole collection in a locked folder on my phone.

“I think that can be arranged. Especially if you keep looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you want to throw me down and fuck me right here in front of your building.”

I groaned, my dick perking up at the mental picture. “You’re evil. Now I’m going to be picturing that all night.”

“Not evil, just calculating. I want a new video too.”

“Done.” I pecked a kiss against his lips. “I should go.”

He motioned to the mess on my sweater. “Might want to hide that on the way up.”

I chuckled. “I’ll take it off and no one will be the wiser.”

“Night, babe.” He smiled shyly.

“Night. See you in my dreams.”

“And on my phone.” He waggled his eyebrows.

I shoved the car door open and hopped out before I could find another reason to keep the conversation going.

Today had been an awesome day, even with the emotional hiccup earlier. And by the gleam in Hayden’s eye, I was in for one hell of a video.

20

RIVER

“The fuck?”

I looked up, pausing my measuring. Gray was staring at his phone, a disgusted look twisting his features.

“What?” Noah and I asked together.

“I’m done.” Gray yanked off his hard hat and chucked it against the wall hard enough that the crack of the impact echoed in the room, as did the clatter of it skittering across the unfinished floors after it landed. “So fucking done.”