Bonded (The Raegan Mason Trilogy) by Cheryl Courtney Page A

them in my hand as I walked down the beach.  The satin sand between my toes was cool this time of night.  It had to be after midnight by now.  The ocean waves were crashing and beckoning me to join them.  I smiled at the invitation and walked to the water’s edge.  The cool water covered my feet and ankles. The sand beneath them washed away with the waves as my feet sank deeper with each crash.  I loved this feeling.  It felt like a warm blanket surrounding me.  I inhaled the salty air and closed my eyes letting the stress of this evening go out with the current.  After a few deep breaths, I released my feet from the sand’s grip and continued toward the rock.  I was listening for the music, but still hadn’t heard it even as I approached the Rock.  I dropped my shoes at the back of the Rock and sat down in the core of my refuge.  My sturdy sanctuary always had time to hold me close.  Its arms were unwavering for my exhausted body.  It never demanded conversation or asked for life altering decisions.  It just was. The rock was cool and smooth and drained the pain from my sunburn.  I sat there for a while just listening to the waves, straining to hear that familiar sound of music, but it never came.  Frustrated, I stood up from the rock and began unbuttoning my shorts and pulled off my top.  I was going in.  I left my other clothes in place and started walking into the water.  The waves crashed against my body and sent ripples of adrenaline through me.  The water gave me energy.  I wasn’t tired anymore and I wanted to swim.  I dove into the next wave forgetting about my sunburn.  But the waves caressed my skin and the sting I expected never came. 
    I swam out until I couldn’t touch.  I let the waves hold my body as I stretched out to float.  The sky was clear and full of twinkling stars.  I floated in the gentle waves picking out constellations I knew and connecting the stars to form new ones I imagined.  I tried to write my name in the stars.  R-A-E-G-A-N, I traced with my finger in the air.  M-A-S, I waved my hand in the air to erase the beginning of my last name. S-T-O-N-E, I giggled like a thirteen year old.  I erased it all again with my hand.  I felt silly.  I wondered where he ran off to tonight.  I wondered if he even thought about me in any way.  I closed my eyes recalling his lips so close to me and the fireworks that erupted in my body as he whispered. I couldn’t stand to see you so uncomfortable in his arms.   My stomach flipped.  Did he know how comfortable I was in HIS arms?   I sighed.  Probably not.  It wasn’t a good idea to fall for someone like him.  Mysterious, heartbreakingly gorgeous, probably involved with someone exotic, definitely not interested in me.  I wished I didn’t feel so idiotic around him.  My body reacts in embarrassing ways it never has to anyone else.  Maybe it’s a side effect from all of the drugs I’ve had to take?  That’s got to be it.
    I turned over to start swimming back to the shore when I noticed someone standing on the shore near the Rock.  I froze and stared waiting for the stranger to leave, hoping they wouldn’t notice my clothes and shoes near the base of the rock.  No such luck.  The large shape on the shore reached down to pick up my shirt, and then looked out on the water searching for the owner. 
    “Anyone out there?” a familiar trembling rushed through me. 
    Not him.  I panicked.
    “Do you need help?” He shouted in my direction.
    “Um, no thanks.  I’m good.” I shouted back.
    He returned my shirt to the ground and placed his hands on his hips.  “Why don’t you come to shore?”
    “Uh, maybe in a while.” I responded even though my instinct was to swim straight to him.
    “You probably shouldn’t be out so far.  The rip tide gets stronger at night.”  Concern laced his comments, but I could tell he was enjoying the situation.  “You sure you don’t need me to come in after you?  I