The Breakers Chapter 7 Teaser

"Well, I'll admit to thinking you wanted me to take a long walk off a short pier, but I definitely don't think you're a flake," I tell her. I want to add I think she's amazing and beautiful and the best mom I've ever seen and whole slew of other things but then she'd think I am a flake, and I sure as hell don't want that.

"God, I'm so sorry." She snorts and then there's that blush that drives me absolutely insane. "Besides, how could I live with myself if I took away Peyton's best friend?"

I can't help but chuckle at that. She's quiet for a time and has turned back toward the water. The moon reflects off the water and casts the most ethereal glow on her face. My fingers twitch from wanting to run them down her cheek, along her neck, through her hair.

"I was going to make her stay away from you," she admits.

Every ounce of breath I have leaves my body in an instant and I literally feel like I'm going to be sick. It's not as if her confession is really a huge shock considering I had thought the same thing, but to hear it straight from her hurts so much worse than I ever imagined.

"You scare me."

Her words immediately bring forth every feeling of self-loathing and anguish I have. I want to scream, or cry, or run … most likely in that order.

She must feel the fact that every muscle in my body is twitching as I'm about two seconds from bolting because she puts her hand on my arm. Warmth unlike anything I've ever felt before shoots up my arm and spreads through my body like ink that's been dropped into a bowl of water. Slow and steady, it spreads everywhere.

"Please don't hurt her," she whispers so softly I barely hear her. Her voice shakes and I want to wrap my arm around her and pull her close to me, but I don't move. I can't. Bella's hand is still on my arm and I swear it feels like if she moves it, I'll fucking lose it.