Page 36 of The Hunt

His lips pressed to hers. She let him kiss her long enough to scorch her brains, then he pulled away. “I am not going to seduce you in your brother’s bed, with your other brothers all around us on every side, and my own baby sister just down the hall. But I don’t want to let you go just yet.”

“It was a rough night.” And there had been pain in his blue eyes. That had been what had stuck with her. This was one of the most compassionate men she had ever known. That made her feel even more gooey for him inside.

And…she wouldn’t mind letting him seduce her tonight. Let him touch her and hold her—and she do the same to him in return. Even if her brothers knew about it in the morning.

Which was absolutely insane. That whole not caring what her family thought if they knew thing. That wasn’t like her at all. She was ninety-nine percent certain her brothers still thought she was a virgin—and she liked it that way.

There were some things older brothers just did not need to know.

But she didn’t mind if they knew about Chad.

She told herself that it had just been the night they’d had making her need that connection. But as he slept, curled around her, almost chastely dressed in her brother’s pajamas, she knew it was different than that.

What was happening between them just felt different now.

If it wasn’t, there was no way she’d be snuggled up in his arms like this, not with her family all around her.

She just wouldn’t do that. Not with her family all around them—and her just fine with that. Not unless what was between them really mattered.

That terrified her to her size-six feet all the way. She thought about all the ways that terrified her deep into the night, the man’s strong arms holding her tight.

She had no clue what to do now.

When she woke the next morning—after somehow finding her way back to her own bed via his strong arms when he’d woken her around four and carried her back to where he said she temporarily belonged—it was with the certainty that her world was never going to be the same again.

Chad had just changed everything.

30

She was lookingat him differently now. It had only been a few days since the Hanans’ accident and Chad spending the night with her. But when he went looking for her now, she didn’t hide.

Not that he’d had much time to find her lately.

The ED had been hopping in those two days. Everyone was kept busy. But he’d checked the posted schedule.

Genny was about to clock out for the night at any minute. Chad had timed things so that he would be there to catch her before she could escape. All he wanted in the world was dinner alone with the woman he adored. He was going to make that happen tonight.

He just had to catch her first.

Chad was enjoying the chase.

He was a hunter at heart—his woman was his prey now.

Caine Alvaro caught him first, though. The man wanted to run a study on a new antibiotic by him, before Caine approved it for use in the pediatrics department. And it was a viable excuse for Chad to stay nearby.

Genny had two more patients to finish up with before she clocked out. He’d seen her from the other end of the hall.

His woman was near. He was going to catch her.

The sounds of a man’s yells cut into the conversation he was having with Caine. Both men paused. Chad turned, seeing familiar pink scrubs. He lost his train of thought immediately.

Plans for what he was going to do to her cut in to what he was saying, and he trailed off. He’d gotten to hold her two nights ago. That was too long ago for his liking.

Caine said his name. Chad turned back—his boss had an amused look on his face. “So that’s the way it is. She reminds me of my wife sometimes. I understand how distracting a woman like that can be.”

“I apologize. She’s finally starting to acknowledge that I’m not a total jackass. I’ve been a bit preoccupied tonight. I’m going to catch her before she leaves.”

“Going to do something about her?”

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