Hull grabbed Susanna off the sand in one swift motion, scooping her into his arms

    and carrying her over to a sun lounger off to the side.

    His face was thunderous, and Susanna started to panic, squirming in his grip.

    "What are you doing? Put me down! Right now!"

    Her mind shed back tost night-him, the bathroom, the way he was. Oh

    God... Surely he wouldn''t try anything crazy out here, would he? The ind

    looked peaceful enough, but she was sure there were people around, watching

    from the shadows.

    Her heart began to race.

    Hull dropped her onto the lounger and leaned over, trapping herpletely

    beneath him. Susanna blurted out in a rush, "Okay, okay! I take it back. I was

    joking, alright?"

    See? All she did was tease him a little about his size and he got all huffy. But

    when he made fun of her figure in front of other people, she wasn''t supposed to

    get mad?

    Hull caught her chin in his hand and kissed her fiercely.

    Susanna''s eyes went wide in shock. Ohe on! Why did this always happen to

    her? Not here, not now, and she couldn''t even fight back.

    Thankfully, Hull wasn''t as shameless as she''d feared. After a long, lingering

    moment, he finally pulled away from her lips.

    "Getting brave, aren''t you?" he murmured, eyebrow raised.

    He remembered how she used to be-nervous and skittish, like a kitten. Just one

    look from him and she''d practically jump out of her skin.

    But now? After twenty-odd days hanging out with Yvonne, Susanna had definitely

    toughened up.

    She whimpered, "Would you please get off me?"

    This was way too intimate, way too public. She was terrified Hull might actually

    lose control right here, in broad daylight, and she wasn''t sure she could handle it.

    After everything that had happened since yesterday... she felt like she was falling

    apart.

    Hull''s nose brushed against hers, their breaths mingling. "Yvonne''s been a bad

    influence on you."

    Susanna protested, "Don''t say that about Yvonne! She didn''t teach me any of

    this."

    Honestly, Yvonne spent most of her time ranting about that jerk Dan. Susanna

    had to admit, Dan really was the worst-ying with people''s feelings, faking his

    own death? Who even does that? And somehow, they were rted by blood. Life

    really wasn''t fair.

    She hated being associated with that kind of guy.

    Hull narrowed his eyes. "Defending her, huh?"

    "I''m not! I''m just stating the facts."

    The time with Yvonne had opened

    Susanna''s eyes. She finally

    understood why there was never any

    catfight drama between Ste and

    Yvonne, like you''d see in a cheesy

    soap opera. The Quinn family just

    wasn''t like that. They were

    open-minded, easygoing, and

    big-hearted. Ste, raised in that

    environment, would never stoop to

    Urs''s maniptive games.

    No wonder Ste never bothered to

    argue with Urs-she just couldn''t

    be bothered. Most of the time, she''d

    just roll her eyes and, if Urs

    pushed too far, settle things the

    quick way.

    "Anyway, I think Yvonne''s great," Susanna grumbled.

    Hull grinned, stood up, and pulled her into his arms as if she weighed nothing at

    all.

    "Put me down. I can walk by myself!" she protested, wriggling.

    He ignored her, carrying her straight toward the kitchen.

    Inside, the dining table was already set, but Barnaby and Ss were nowhere to

    be seen.

    Susanna''s eyesnded on the

    spread: stacks of pancakes, crispy

    bacon, golden scrambled eggs and

    a tter of fresh fruit. Instinctively,

    she nced down at her chest.

    t. So t.

    Hull dished her up a bowl of creamy chowder and set it in front of her. Susanna

    looked up at him, eyes wide and a little hurt.

    "What?" Hull asked, puzzled.

    Susanna pouted, "You''re judging me, aren''t you?"

    Hull looked genuinely taken aback.

    She sniffled, feeling sorry for herself. Back in Portis City, she''d always done things

    her own way. No one had ever made her feel self-conscious-until now.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!