Page 55 of Unwritten Rules (The Sunburnt Hearts #1)
I clear my throat and continue towards her, never taking my eyes off her face.
As promised, she changed out of her work uniform into a pair of black jeans, a white graphic T-shirt tucked into the waistband and my leather jacket.
Heat spreads across my chest, knowing she’s walking around wearing my clothes and everyone is none the wiser.
“How was training?” Tatum asks, shoving the tote bag on her shoulder higher.
I fight the urge to pull her into my arms and kiss her.
No one is in the car park, so I might get away with it, but I need to keep my head and be careful.
To anyone else, this interaction can be viewed as me dropping Tatum home because her car is still getting fixed.
Turns out, there is a lot fucking wrong with it, but my mechanic is adamant that she can pick it up tomorrow morning before the game.
I flash her a smile as I walk around to the driver’s side. My eyes stay locked on her as I pull open the back door and toss the gym bag onto the seat. “Hard. I don’t think my body has been in this much pain before.”
Tatum tosses out a laugh as she slides into the passenger seat. I follow suit.
“You’ve been out for six weeks, so it’ll take some time to get used to the rigorous training again.” She clicks her seat belt into place and watches me as I do the same. “But you’re okay?”
The engine roars to life and I put the car into reverse, needing to get Tatum as far away from this place as possible so we can be alone.
My grip tightens around the steering wheel as I lean into the leather seat.
Tatum’s floral perfume consumes the small space between us, and I fucking love it.
If I could die with her scent being the last thing I ever smelled, I would be a happy man.
My hand instinctively glides over my right thigh as I respond, “I’m okay. My thigh felt a bit tight today, but I’ll have Todd wrap it well before the game.” I toss my gaze to her and grin. “Why? Are you worried about me, strawberry?”
“I’m always worried about you,” she says without hesitation. Her hand glides over the centre console to rest on my left thigh. My heart explodes in my fucking chest at the simple touch. “Be careful out there tomorrow, okay?”
My hand drops from the steering wheel to cover hers, the touch warm and electric. “I’m always careful, Tate.”
Sliding my fingers through hers, Tatum tells me about her day.
Our winger, Jaxon, has been struggling with his hamstring the past week, so Tatum had an extensive session with him to see what the issue was.
After talking with Ian, they’ve decided to keep him from playing tomorrow, which means our wing isn’t going to be as strong as it normally is with one of the reserves stepping up to the plate.
Jaxon is amazing at what he does, so it’ll be some big shoes to fill.
By the time we reach Edwards Beach, the sun is starting to set on the horizon. Hues of pink, orange and yellow swirl among the thin clouds, creating a marbled look that has me dazed for a moment.
“What a stunning view,” Tatum murmurs beside me, equally mesmerised.
I turn my head to the left, eyes locking on the curve of her jaw and the way her hair falls around her shoulders in soft waves. Her mouth is tilted in a half smile, jade eyes sparking as they admire the view.
My heart hammers in my chest. “Yeah, it is.”
After a long moment, Tatum slips her hand from mine and reaches for her phone. “So, what playlist should I put on today? Are you feeling a more grungy vibe or something gentle?”
“I was thinking we could sit on the beach and watch the sunset,” I say, reaching into my pocket. Tatum eyes the headphones in the palm of my hands, the cord no longer white but grey with age. “And, of course, listen to music.”
Tatum grins and leans across the console, nose brushing against mine. “Sinnett Baxter, are you suggesting we do something other than sit in your car?”
I playfully roll my eyes and reach for the handle on the door. “Only if you’re up for it, strawberry.”
“As long as I’m with you, I don’t care what we do.”
My heart lodges itself in my throat. I step out of the car and try to clear it with a cough, hoping Tatum won’t notice.
Thankfully, the late afternoon air whipping around us muffles the sound.
A few cars are parked in the lot overlooking the beach with only a handful of surfers bobbing in the waves, hoping to catch a decent one.
With it being early June, the weather is far too cold to walk dogs or meet up with friends.
Which makes it the perfect scenario for us.
Tatum’s shoulder brushes against my arm as we walk to the water, shoes in hand and toes sinking into the sand.
The wind whips at my face and exposed legs, making me grateful for the hoodie I threw on after getting out of the shower.
My hand itches at my side, wanting to take Tatum’s hand in mine, needing her warmth.
Instead, my thumb twists the silver ring on my forefinger.
I survey the length of the beach, and upon spotting an elderly woman walking her small dog along the water and surfers heading into the waves, I think fuck it .
My fingers slide through Tatum’s, and her eyes snap to the side of my face.
Not wanting her to stress about my very public action, I look ahead and relish in the warmth her skin spreads up my arm and across my body.
We settle onto the sand and I shove my feet through the tiny grains, hoping to find some warmth for my toes.
Without saying a word, Tatum slides her hand from my grasp and reaches for the headphones in my palm.
I watch as she slips one of the earphones into her ear and offers the other to me, all while flicking through her playlists.
Tatum clicks play on a song, leans against my side with her cheek resting on her shoulder, and slides her fingers through mine again. The opening notes of “Stop And Stare” by OneRepublic blasts into my ear, and I exhale a sigh of relief.
This is what I needed after a long week of being exhausted.
I was in desperate need of some sort of release; not the sexual kind like I would chase in the past with Zoe and random women I would meet out at bars.
Being here with Tatum, feeling her calming presence and getting lost in music… Yeah, it’s exactly what I needed.
I like that we can go from talking about the most random things about ourselves or topics we find interesting, to sitting in silence.
It’s the kind of silence that never feels uncomfortable, but can last an eternity and yet, even then, I’ll still crave more because it’s with the right person.
Tatum has this unique ability to reach into my soul and see me for who I truly am.
Not the halfback rugby player, but a guy who is still figuring out life and what he wants.
Instead of forcing me down the path my parents desperately want me to take, she has opened my eyes to the endless paths that have always been there but were shrouded in darkness.
The paths that I was too blinded by what my father wanted for me to see.
This newfound sense of freedom within myself has been eye-opening. If it wasn’t for the woman sitting beside me, hand wrapped in mine while the other taps against my bicep to the rhythm of the song playing in our ears, I would still be the lost guy she met at the Barrenridge Pub.
The song ends, making way for another upbeat one I haven’t heard before. I listen intently to the lyrics, nodding my head to the simple beat.
“You like this one?” Tatum asks, tilting her head up to look at me.
I nod. “What’s it called?”
“‘Kiss Me’ by Olly Murs.”
Another one to add to the list .
I grin. “Another song called ‘Kiss Me’. If I didn’t know any better, I would say you’re trying to send me a message, strawberry.”
Heat floods her cheeks, mixing with the light pink hue caused by the cool air lashing at us. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Unable to wipe the shit-eating grin off my face, I jump to my feet, not carrying that the earphone rips from my ear with the movement.
Tatum squeals when I bend at the waist and hoist her onto my shoulder, spinning her with ease.
Her giggles catch the air flowing past us, drifting away while her hands find my back, trying to hold on for dear life as I race down to the water.
“Sin!” she squeals, followed by a giggle. “Put me down!”
“I happen to like you at this angle,” I respond, chuckling. My arm tightens around the back of her legs while my other hand comes down on her ass. “Yeah, I’m never putting you down.”
“Sinnett!”
Laughing like a hyena, I stop short of the water and lower Tatum to her feet.
Our eyes lock, sparks catching. My chest heaves as I get lost in her beauty, wishing we could stay in this moment forever.
Her hands slide around my neck, bringing our bodies closer.
The grip I have on her waist is the only thing keeping me afloat right now, my self-control slipping away rapidly.
“I made you something.” My voice is barely above a whisper, the words getting caught on the wind.
Her eyes round at the edges. “You did?”
I nod. “A playlist of all the songs that remind me of you. Of us.”
Tatum blinks at me, her lips parted. “When did you do this?”
“I’ve been building it since the night I dropped you home when your car wouldn’t start.” I swallow around the lump forming in my throat and drop my head so our noses brush lightly. “You made me a playlist, so it’s only fair I return the favour.”
“Sin,” she breathes. “That’s so kind of you.”
“Listen to it tonight, okay? When you get home.”
Tatum nods, strands of hair whipping around her face. “I will.”
Despite the adrenaline and nerves mixing throughout my body, I grin and press my lips against hers. With the sun setting low in the sky and the beach deserted, all of my self-control flies out of the window.
Tatum responds in kind, pushing onto her toes and deepening the kiss.
If we weren’t in public, I would stay like this until the sun is replaced by the moon and the air grows too cold for us to stay out here. Instead, I break the kiss and lift her in the air, spinning until I grow dizzy. Her hair flies through the air, followed by her sweet laughter.
It’s at this moment I realise that what we’re doing is far deeper than casually hooking up. The thought of having to give her up when the time comes physically pains me, my chest squeezing uncomfortably.
At the end of the day, can I have both my career and the one girl forced to stay out of reach?