Page 25 of August

“Sorry. I’m crashing from the adrenaline. Not thinking straight.” He dragged his hand over his face.

She lifted her soaked tank top over her head and her breasts, barely strapped in pink lace, jiggled with the movement. His mouth watered and his palms tingled with the need to touch her smooth, creamy skin.

He moved to shield her body from anyone who might drive down the road. “Warn me next time.” He didn’t like the sullen tone to his voice, but Christ.

She glanced at him through lowered lashes but refrained from pushing his buttons further. Instead, she pulled the hoodie over her head and then reached underneath the material and yanked off her bra.

His cock hardened. Every muscle in his body clenched, and it took great effort not to slide his hands beneath the sweater of his asshole friend and take her perfect nipples into his mouth.

He quickly changed, and opened the hatch, tossed their damp clothes next to the duffel, and closed the door again. He kept his gaze off Gigi. Being with her was risky. Looking at her was risky. Touching her? That’d be downright stupid.

Right now, he needed a shower and some food. And goddammit, he needed Gigi more than both of those combined.

***

Gigi sat in the back seat somewhat grateful for the distance from Rami and August. Neither of them spoke to her. August had offered her the front seat, saying she’d probably warm up faster there, but she just wanted to curl into herself and process the trauma of the last day.

She wrapped her arms around her waist. Rami’s oversized sweater was dry and warm. She should have been slaphappy to be surrounded by the clean-smelling material. Only she wasn’t because it wasn’t August’s.

He had a different aroma. One that got her pheromones going and had the instant effect of lowering her cortisol levels.

As it stood, she was still in fight-or-flight mode. Her poor heart felt ready to burst from her chest and her lungs were still aching from holding her breath for so long. Her fingers would probably never thaw, and the chill that coated her bones like wet fleece wouldn’t dissipate without a two-hour-long scalding-hot shower. Or...

No. Don’t go there.

Or was trouble.

Or was temptation.

Or was sitting in the front seat with a storm cloud over his head sending her scowls every thirty seconds, as if he expected her to bolt.

What had changed? Why the hell was he so moody? Maybe because of the damaged vehicle, or because he blamed her for the whole fiasco. Which he should. It was her fault.

Stupid postcard.

“We’ll get you a new ride,” Rami told August.

“And a phone. Mine’s toast.”

“Gigi can stay at my place with me and Ivy. Taschen can pick you up and take you to the office so you can get what you need.”

Little seeds of worry imbedded themselves in Gigi’s gut. Once August was rid of her, there’d be no reason for him to return. He’d probably assume she’d be safe enough with Rami. But would Rami even want her around?

She should have left while she could. Definitely shouldn’t have promised she wouldn’t run again. But the last thing she wanted to do was endanger her sister. Sure, Rami could take care of himself. But Ivy was her identical twin. If someone came looking to put a bullet in Gigi’s head, they wouldn’t think twice about firing at Ivy.

“Is that okay?” August turned to glance at her. His dark-blond eyebrows rose slightly, and his eyes raked over her face as if looking for signs of emotional breakage. The breakage was there, though well beneath the surface and far from his scrutinizing gaze.

“Mm-hmm,” she said with a nod, even though she hated the idea of being away from him.

Rami turned into a long driveway and parked. A beautiful brick bungalow was nestled behind tall trees, its black shutters highlighting the grayish-blue tones of the exterior. “I’ll be an hour or two tops. Shower and eat, and I’ll be back.”

Then what? The question singed her tongue but she gulped it down. “That’s fine.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and August got out to open her door.

She slid out of the vehicle and stood in front of him, dwarfed by his size. Rami’s T-shirt fit snug around August’s biceps, and the pants hugged his stacked thighs. His hand went to the side of her neck. “You still okay? Any pain?”

“Just a headache.” Her belly swarmed under his intense gaze. She curled her bare toes into the pavement and fought the urge to lean into him. When he’d kissed her in the river, the action had seemed automatic, lacking feeling. But this... this was different. His hand was warm and soothing on her skin, his eyes loaded with concern and longing.

He flicked his gaze to her lips and a muscle twitched at his temple. “Stay inside. Don’t call anyone, okay? I’ll be back soon and then we’ll go to a safe house.”

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