Page 24 of Heat & Hard Candies

I sat on the edge of my seat, trying not to let my gaze meet Kyle’s before the challenge started.

Jordan announced the beginning of the game, and the guys all took off into the forest. Some had their wings out, and some didn’t.

My fingers were hooked on the edge of the bench, my heart beating rapidly as I waited for a sign of the first guy. It never took long for someone to come back. No more than five or ten minutes.

“Breathe, Launa,” Jordan murmured, relaxing on the bench beside me. “He’ll be the first back.”

“He’s never won this challenge before,” I whispered back.

“He’s never had a reason to.”

The man wasn’t wrong. But Kyle typically did his best to win all of the challenges, regardless of whether or not the girl he was competing for was into him.

“He wins the first challenge every season, and this is the easier version of it,” Jordan said. “Have a little faith.”

I nodded, breathing out slowly.

It was going to be fine.

Kyle was going to win, and I was going to get to spend a day with him at the spa instead of another awkward trip with someone else. I didn’t want to consider not getting any more time with him before I chose him as my mate, so I had to believe that.

A pair of scaly wings broke through the tree line, and I was on my feet in a heartbeat. I barely managed to slap my hand over my mouth in time to silence myself before I could cheer aloud.

Kyle grinned broadly as he landed in front of me and Jordan, and it took everything I had not to throw myself into his arms.

I missed him.

I missed him badly.

My eyes started stinging when he winked at me, taking his seat on the bench.

Another guy came running out of the forest, and I forced myself to sit down before he saw me standing and wondered why.

My breathing evened out, my relief so thick I could taste it.

We’d get one last day together before the final challenge and the big decision.

I’d only need to survive one more uncomfortable reward afterward.

I could do it.

The rest of the guys returned quickly.

I sat through a few minutes with each of them as they showed me the treats they’d brought. Now that the show supplied me with blankets and tarps and everything, everyone just brought junk food. It was kind of fun.

Or it would’ve been, if I wasn’t itching to leave with Kyle.

The guys all showed me their asset folders, which contained pictures of their homes and families, too. I didn’t bother feigning interest; I didn’t want any of them to think I had any kind of feelings for them. They were probably calling me names behind my back, but I didn’t care.

I was there to mate with Kyle, not to make friends.

And I’d almost succeeded.

When the time was finally up, I followed Kyle and Jordan to the boat.

Kyle and I left space between us up until the guys were too far in the distance to see us, and then he pulled me onto his lap. Asputtered laugh escaped me as we went over a wave, rocking the entire boat and smashing me against his chest pretty hard.

“We’d be safer in our own seats,” I said, fighting a grin.

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