Page 21 of Betrayal

Bracing his feet in the sand, he was aware when her body trembled before settling more certainly against him.He teased her mouth open, deepening the kiss because he craved the closeness as much as the taste of her.She moaned—an enticing, involuntary sound—then lifted both hands to cup his face.She held him while her kisses became more demanding and the press of her body against his more insistent.He traced the fine bones around her neck, then slid urgent hands down her flanks to grip her butt.Got to keep your balancesaid a voice in his head, while another asked why he cared.

A wave broke over his ankles, chilly water slapping at his knees.

“Oh.”She sprang back, looking as befuddled as he felt.

For a few moments, he’d forgotten where he was, what day it was, forgotten his own name.And hadn’t given a damn.He hadn’t let down his guard down like that since ...forever.Had never felt so completely safe in a woman’s arms.

Maybe I’ve been on the metaphorical wagon too long?

“You kiss like Sam-I-Am.”

“Can’t be any worse than Duck.”

“Like a man who’s resilient, who tries again after a knockback.”She laughed, a joyous, musical half-giggle, half-guffaw.“Sam-I-am got sixty-nine rejections before he got a taker for his green eggs and ham.”

“You can tell all that from a kiss?”He was a man dying of thirst, and she was cool, clean water.

“Strong yet flexible and durable.Durable’s important.”She untucked her skirt.It tumbled down to cover her bare thighs.“You gave me more than a kiss tonight.”

Dangerous, alluring, risky—too risky with Nick on the warpath?Hunter never gambled with the safety of people he loved, like his uncle, or Cas and his family.He’d already circled the wagons to protect his own.

“Thank you.”She smiled.

“What for?”

“For sharing an ice cream, for a walk along the beach.The restaurant was a treat, but this is for every day.”

Taking a risk wasn’t a gamble—uncertainty was a natural part of life.Right, Sam-I-am, and you’re hoping to get lucky with a woman who compares you to a children’s cartoon character and makes you fantasise about ice cream and beach walks every day.“Want a lift home?”he asked.

“I’ve got transport.”She held up her phone, tapped the ride share app, and organised a pickup.

“Do you always arrange transport?”He was curious, and she was being as cautious as him.

“Always.”She turned to walk up the beach, her fingers tangling with his.Her warmth seeped through him, so that he couldn’t find it in himself to be offended by her brush-off.She valued herself, which meant he had to value her too.“I don’t always use it.”She gave him a hip bump.

“The childcare centre I designed belongs to Casildo’s sister.Her name’s Maha.I’ll give her your number.Suggest you have a look.”He was insane to entangle his life with her any further.Any decision had a domino effect, including unintended consequences, which might blow up in his face.

And I’m thinking with my gonads, not my brain.

“Maha.”She rolled the name around her tongue.“I’ll have to look up the meaning.My sister’s pregnant and is collecting names.”

He laughed.“According to one source, it means beautiful eyes, like those of a wild cow.Maha waited until we were in bed one night and threw a bucket of ice water over us for sharing that.”

“Sounds like you’ve known her a long time.”

“Since childhood.”

“See, durable.”

A car drew level.After confirming it was her ride, she took her sandals and bag out of the backpack.Placing a hand on his shoulder, she lifted onto her toes to kiss him.Soft, memorable, addictive.

“I’ll collect the backpack later.Thanks for dinner and the walk.”

Was spending time with Anna a risk or a gamble?Not a gamble—he barely knew her.Neither of them was looking for anything deep and meaningful; they were just following the buzz.Except she thought he was durable, an unorthodox compliment he wasn’t sure what to do with.He watched the vehicle disappear around the corner.

“Sheesh, you’re agonising over a kiss.”A calculated risk, not a gamble.Nick didn’t know Anna, and based on Hunter’s history in recent years, Anna wouldn’t be around long enough for Nick to shift his interest from Hunter’s business to his personal life.

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