Beneath the Wreckage (Wrecked #5)

by Catherine Cowles

“Friends aren’t always forever. Sometimes, they’re just for a season. Others might fall away, only to come back when you least expect it. I have a feeling you and Jenn will find your way.”

She was beautiful in a way that stole my breath and froze my brain. Especially when she seemed flustered or riled. And that only made me want to push her buttons.

That was the thing about being the one left behind. You couldn’t help but look for your loved one in the face of every new person you met, scanning everyone you passed on the street, hoping against hope that she’d somehow simply appear again—even if your gut told you she’d never left the island you’d lost her on.

The soft smile on her face punched me right in the gut. A sick feeling spread through me. Jealousy, I realized. I hadn’t felt envy before over where a woman pointed her smile. Ever. The sensation threw me for a loop. And it wasn’t a pleasant ride.

But it was more than attraction. It was lust mixed with a healthy dose of understanding. And it packed a potent punch.

“You loved someone who did something horrible. That doesn’t make you bad. It doesn’t make you blind. It makes you loyal. It makes you someone who wants to see the best in people.”

“I like sloths.” Hunter chuckled, deep and rich. “I can tell.” He bent and pressed his lips to the top of my head. “So fucking adorable.”

The world around us could burn, and I wouldn’t give a damn. Just as long as Piper was in my arms.

I let go. For the first time in years, I let go of everything and drowned in feeling. I didn’t try to push it away. To manage or control it. I let it overtake me. And as I fell, I knew I’d never be the same.

Hunter rolled towards me, his arms coming around me and pulling me close. I buried my head against his chest. “I haven’t brushed my teeth.” “Don’t care.” He gave my hair a gentle tug, tipping my face up to his. “Want those lips.”

“Life is full of unknowns. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take risks. Make that jump. Because as many things that can go wrong, a million more can go right.”

“Did you make me a picnic?” Redness crept up the back of his neck. “I might’ve.” “You’re a romantic at heart.” “For the right woman, maybe I am.”