Page 33 of Exposed

Carlos’s fingers brushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. “If you feel up to it, come back down to watch the show. It’s supposed to be one of the best this week.”

“I’ll text you in a bit and let you know.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Will you be late tonight?” Her fingers laced with his and his thumb moved over her knuckles.

“I have a game of poker planned,” he chuckled. “Though I feel like a crook taking the sonofabitch’s money. If you need me to come up early, I can.”

She slid her chair back and let go of his hand. “Enjoy your game honey, I’ll check in with you in a bit.” She smiled, got to her feet, and wriggled her fingers at him.

Her eyes locked on Hector’s large form as he came toward her, his gaze on Carlos. Her pulse slowed to a dull roar in her ears. Hector zeroed in on her face and his lip curled. She pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth and nodded at him. He didn’t acknowledge her, but his eyes stayed trained on her like the hot, red dot of a sniper.

She detoured around a table and he passed her, his stride determined on Carlos. Her hands slammed hard against the metal of the door and she breezed into the hall. She leaned forward, gathered the excess material at her thighs, and ran for the elevators… and for Nate.

CHAPTER 11

Steam billowed outof the glassed in shower as he stepped out and snagged a towel off the rack. He wiped the water off his face and let out a low breath as he dried off. Damn, it had taken a fifteen-minute scorching hot shower to get his blood moving again. He tied the towel around his hips and rested his hands against the vanity counter. Anxiety curled in his stomach like a ball of yarn. His legs shook beneath his weight, his muscles weak from treading water against the strength of the waves.

Tony was dead. Dammit, he shouldn’t be bothered by it, but it would complicate the hell out of things. His legs had burned and his eyes had stung with saltwater when the ship had finally turned. At first, he’d thought he was hallucinating. But it had come back for him. The loud whirring of a motorboat had split the gentle roar of the tide and he’d been dragged onto a bright orange raft. Dylan had been waiting for him on deck, an amused smile on his stupid face. Thank god for the prick.

They’d taken him to the first aid office and checked him over, but he’d insisted he just needed a shower and rest.

After this case, he would never step foot on a fucking boat again.

Bang, bang, bang.

He straightened from the counter and his muscles rippled. It couldn’t be Dylan, he’d just seen him. Maybe it was Ashley. He opened the bathroom door and a wall of cool air blasted him. His nipples puckered against the cold. Well, hell. He’d have to have another hot shower now. He pressed his fingers against the smooth wooden door and lowered his eye to the peephole.

Maddie stood in the hallway, her face white and her eyes glued to the door in front of her. She pounded again, this time more frantically.

Shit. He yanked the door open and pulled her into his room.

“Dammit, someone could have seen—”

Her body slammed against his, her arms curling around his waist and her face pressed against his throat.

“Oh my god. You’re okay.” Her voice broke and a warm tear trickled onto his neck. He shut the door firmly behind her, locked it, and then slid his arms around her.

He dipped his face into her hair and closed his eyes. Every emotion he’d pushed down the last nine months washed over him with the force of the ocean he’d just fought. His heart expanded in his chest. Life was short. He’d wasted too much damn time avoiding Maddie. There had been a hundred women before, and a hundred women after that night, but not one compared.

Ethan could go fuck himself.

His hands coasted down the silky skin over her spine, committing the gentle curve to memory. Hell, it would take him forever to explore every inch of her—and there was nothing else he’d rather do.

Maddie lifted her head and her palm rested on his cheek. The slim lines of her eyebrows came down low over her eyes. “Don’t ever do that again. I thought you were dead.” Her blue eyes turned fiery. From a distance, her eyes had always struck him as similar to Ethan’s—too similar. But now, up close, they were so different. Deeper. Bluer. And so damn beautiful. His hands flexed on her cold skin.

“Seeing you suspended over the railing was the scariest moment of my life. And I’ve seen a lot of shit.” He brushed a thick piece of hair behind her ear and stroked his fingers over the smooth line of her shoulder.

“Maddie, I’ve been so stupid—”

“Shh.” She moved both hands behind his neck and brought her mouth to his. Heat spread through him with the force of a flash fire. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her hips in line with his. Her tongue pushed through his teeth, taking him. His tongue slid over hers in a slow, gentle rhythm. The soft thump of her heart against his ribs matched his pulse.

His fingers tightened on her skin and his dick strained against the restraint of the towel, connecting with her belly. Every reason he’d ever resisted fell away from him like a heavy, black cloak dropping to the floor. The soft, flowery scent of her perfume invaded his senses, blinding him and rendering him deaf to anything but her. Damn, he’d been stupid. Stupid and lost.

He opened his palm on the back of her neck and deepened the kiss. Her spine bent over his forearm at the small of her back, and her mouth opened, allowing him to take over. Her mouth was hot and wet. The sweet taste of champagne touched his tongue.

Her fingernails dug into his hair, sending goosebumps over his skin. Her lashes fluttered against her creamy cheeks and she straightened in his arms.

He frowned and pressed his forehead to hers. His breath came out in rough, ragged puffs. Good god, kissing Maddie had made him more breathless than swimming in the deepest, roughest part of the ocean.

“Everything okay?”

---