Page 54 of Take a Hike
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” Even though he said the words with conviction, he still didn’t look right. This person gazing at her with amusement and fondness was not the cranky guy she’d first met. “You just like to walk the cliff’s edge, don’t you?”
She studied him, looking for clues in his expression, not sure why she cared if he meant that as a compliment or a complaint. “Yes?” Hating how she was turning her statements intoquestions, she shored up her wavering confidence and flashed him a smile. “The view’s best from there.”
His eyes softened even more, his expression so far from the scowling Kieran she was used to that she couldn’t pull her gaze away from his. He appeared almost tender, and that was blowing her mind a little—even as she found herself leaning toward him. “Yeah, it is,” he said in a tone she’d never heard from him before. She wasn’t able to analyze his strangely gentle mien, however, since he cupped the back of her neck and drew her even closer, closing the last few inches to bring their lips together.
Unlike the explosive, ferocious kisses they’d shared earlier, this was…soft. He touched his mouth to hers carefully, as if she was something fragile and precious. Oddly enough, despite his gentleness and the lack of tongue action, her mind went as blank as it had when they were trying to burrow into each other’s bodies. Her hands found his face, cupping either side of his jaw, her fingertips stroking his stubbly scruff.
She had no idea how much time had passed when he withdrew just enough that their lips separated, but she could still feel the warm air of his breath brushing her skin. Her gaze locked on his. As much as she adored his grumpy scowls and angry, narrowed eyes, this soft Kieran was even more mesmerizing. This was the squishy middle part of him that no one else got to see, but he’d stripped away his sharp spines just for her.
Charlie felt honored and also a little worried. She wasn’t tactful or perceptive or careful—how was she supposed to avoid damaging Kieran? When his defenses were in place, his hard shell of grumpiness firmly encasing him, he was protected fromher. Now, though, with his soft underbelly exposed to her, she could hurt him so easily—and she’d rather punch herself in the face than hurt Kieran Byrne.
“Get some sleep,” he said huskily, his growly, bossy tone overlying the tenderness. She felt his face move as he spoke, and she realized she still cradled his jaw. With a sigh, she allowed her hands to drop, giving him one last caress as she pulled away. Her fingers only made it as far as his chest, however, balling his shirt in handfuls as if she was locking in, ready to resist being pulled away from him.
“Fine,” she huffed, making him laugh in a grumbly way that rumbled along her spine and made her tighten her grip on him. “You’re not helping things. That laugh of yours is dangerous.”
His smile was wide and open, sending another zing of concern through her that she was going to damage this gentle side of Kieran. Her fingers loosened their grip, but then she tightened them again, yanking him toward her for one more press of her lips against his—just for a blissful second. She knew if she didn’t pull away now, she’d be latched on to him for the rest of the night, so she forced herself to release him.
“You’re ridiculously addictive,” she said, opening her door, hoping the chilly mountain air would return some common sense to her brain. Instead, it just made her want to cuddle up to his warm body again. “It’s annoying.”
His soft laugh sent a fizz of attraction through her.
“Not helping.” With a huff, she jumped out of the pickup.
He was grinning at her, not at all bothered by her accusation. “Good night, Charlie.”
“Night, Kiki.”
Even the nickname couldn’t make him lose his smile completely, although he drew his eyebrows together in a mock scowl. The combination of soft and grumpy made him even more irresistible, and she groaned as she slammed the truck door.
She was in so much trouble.
***
“These people are so dull.” Lou heaved a dramatic sigh and leaned back in her chair.
Charlie couldn’t argue with that. “Welcome to Stakeouts and Surveillance 101. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time it’s eye-crossingly boring.”
Fifi made a sound of agreement from her spot on the bed, where she and Bennett were cuddled together. They’d offered up their honeymoon suite for a communications center, since the coffee shop wasn’t an option, and half of the murder club was busy. Only Lou, Rory, and—for some random reason—Ian had joined Fifi, Charlie, and Bennett to spy electronically on the militia compound. “Welcome to the exciting world of bounty hunting.”
“I’d say I’ll stick to barista-ing, but that’s gotten a littletooexciting lately. Plus, you know, I’m out of a job.” Lou kicked her socked feet up and placed them on Rory’s lap. Rory looked down at the feet and then at Lou’s face, her expression baffled.
“You’re supposed to massage them,” Lou said helpfully. Rory gave one of the feet now living in her lap a tentative poke with one finger, making Charlie laugh.
Ian, Rory’s objectively gorgeous husband, tossed a balled-up scrap of paper at Lou’s head. “Quit harassing my wife. If she massages anyone’s feet, they should be mine.”
“Ow,” Lou said when the tiny ball bounced off her head.
Ian rolled his eyes and took a sip of his coffee. “There’s no way that hurt.”
“Why are you here, anyway?” Lou asked, glancing at her cell phone. “Didn’t you say you have to get to work? You’d better go put out some fires.” She snorted. “Literalfires.”
“I’m going.” Ian leaned over to press a kiss to Rory’s temple, making her smile even as she kept her eyes focused on the laptop screen showing the militia compound’s two video feeds. “Just wanted to make sure Rory was comfortable before I left.”
It was Rory’s turn to snort. “He wanted coffee.”
Ian grinned around his cup, not denying it in the least.
