Rogue Tide, Clean Heart novel Chapter 5

Yanet didn't even have time to react before the overwhelming heat of his body pressed against hers.

Barrett wasn't the type to close his eyes when he kissed. He kept his dark eyes open, carefully observing the woman in his arms.

Her long lashes fluttered frantically like the wings of a butterfly, and her fingers maintained a white-knuckled grip on her phone.

On the other end of the line, Harlan waited for a response that didn't come.

His tone softened, carrying a hint of genuine hurt. "It's my birthday. All our friends are going to be there. You know you've never missed it. You're too important to me."

There it was again. 'You're too important to me.' 'I can't do this without you.' 'You're the most important person in my life.'

He threw those words around effortlessly, probably without a second thought.

Yanet zoned out for a split second, but Barrett instantly caught it. His hand slid slowly down her arm until his large palm firmly enveloped her hand holding the phone.

His hand was massive and incredibly warm. Yanet felt as if he could completely engulf her hand in his.

The faint callouses on his palm brushed against her soft skin. Her eyes shot wide open, colliding straight into the man's dark gaze.

Barrett arched an eyebrow at her as he finally pulled back, leaving her breathing in shallow, soft gasps.

He didn't say a word, simply waiting to see what she would do.

Harlan remained silent on the other end, too.

This was exactly how her dynamic with Harlan had always worked. No matter how angry they got at each other, their unspoken rule was that they would never miss each other's major life events.

Whether it was Yanet's live performances or Harlan's birthdays, they were always in the photos together. When she was upset, she would give him the silent treatment for weeks, but in the end, Harlan was always the one to apologize first.

Yanet would usually take the olive branch, and they would sweep everything under the rug as if nothing had ever happened.

Suddenly, a woman's voice filtered through the phone speaker.

"Harlan, where did you put my dress? Stop teasing me."

Her voice dripped with intimacy. It was early in the morning; it wasn't hard to guess what they had been doing the night before.

"I have to go. You better be there," Harlan said abruptly. The call dropped, and Yanet's phone screen lit up, displaying her lock screen photo of Molly.

But as long as the dog stayed calm and kept a safe distance, she could manage.

"H-hi."

The dog, who had been sitting calmly, suddenly stood up. Yanet felt every hair on her body stand on end. Instinctively, she grabbed Barrett's forearm with a vice grip.

"Easy, Princess. Mommy's scared," the man drawled, his tone dripping with amusement.

Before Yanet could even blush at the phrasing, Princess trotted over, gently nudging Yanet's calf with her wet nose and taking a polite sniff to memorize her scent.

Satisfied, the dog turned around and trotted happily away.

Yanet let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

"Why didn't you tell me you were afraid of dogs?" Barrett asked casually.

Yanet looked at him honestly. "You never asked."