Page 57 of Over & Out

Oh my God. My heart clenches, my whole body electric.

I step away, willing the feelings for Hopper to diminish. Because they have to. “It’s just been a while since I’ve been on a bike,” I try to explain. “It makes me feel alive. You know?”

Hopper studies me a moment and finally sighs. “I know.” He drops onto the grass and runs his hands over his face. “Did you have to act that out on a clifftop, though? You scared the shit out of me.”

“Sorry,” I whisper.

After a moment, Hopper reaches a hand up. “I need you down here.”

I take his hand, trying to ignore the skittering burst of sparks that shoots through my arm. The wayI need youfeels.

He tugs me down.

I think we’re settled, but once I’m sitting next to him, he shifts forward so his legs dangle over the edge of the cliff.

Now it’s my turn to be scared. “Hopper!”

“Cute, bangles. Pretending you’re worried about what happens to me.”

“I am!” I sit, but stay away from the edge. “If anything happens to you, I’ll be out of a job.”

He chuckles.

I should stay back here, a safe distance away from him. But I don’t. My body joins him all on its own. I watch like it’s not me sliding my legs over the edge next to him.

“That’s far enough!” Hopper reaches a hand out, gently pressing it against my stomach.

I quickly grab his hand. An instinct to keep that part hidden.

It’s only when Hopper looks down that I realize I haven’t let go of his hand. My heart leaps into my throat. “Sorry.” I pull my hand away.

But Hopper takes it back, lacing his fingers through mine. His hand is huge. Warm. Surprisingly calloused for someone who plays pretend for a living.

“I need to make sure you’re safe,” he explains.

Oh how I wish he didn’t just mean from the edge of this cliff.

I close my eyes.

“You sure you’re okay, Chris?”

Heat floods my cheeks. “Just a little embarrassed,” I admit.

“It was the Duke stuff before, wasn’t it?”

I open my eyes to glare at him. “A lot of women like the Duke.”

“But he’s special to you.”

“It’s not like I was obsessed withyou, Hopper.” I think that’s true. Mostly. Maybe a little not.

He lets out a laugh. “Oh I know. You’ve made that clear. But I read the books. I got the fan mail. It’s not me—it’s him. The Duke has helped a lot of people out. There’s something about him that feels comforting, I think. He’s silly and sexy and…effusive. He loves with his whole heart.”

My chest feels like it’s stuck in a garbage compactor. “Yup,” I eke out. “That’s exactly it.”

“Plus he’s not satisfied until his lady’s had her pleasure. A dozen timesover.”

I choke with laughter. That part’s true. In the books, anyway. I look over at Hopper. His grin just about undoes me. Why do I feel like Hopper would be the same way?

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