Quinley pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter that bubbled out of her chest, but she knew he’d heard her by the gentle slam of his door.
Yeah, the next few days were going to be fun. Maybe she should feel guilty about teasing him so much when he’d been kind to her?
She glanced at Lorelei as she bantered with Luke.
Nahhh. Learn from the master.
ChapterFourteen
Days passed with Quinley having apparently made it her mission to drive him insane.
Ever since she’d kissed him, Elias hadn’t been able to think of much else. His efforts to work had left him frustrated, and his sleep and the dreams that had plagued him left him grumpier than usual.
He should have sent her away, he thought as his feet pounded the asphalt in a steady gait. Her presence kept him from accomplishing his goals for the week, and despite the fact her life had imploded, she seemed to be recovering well. A little too well, he mused, thinking about the way she leaned into his personal space every chance she got.
Then he thought of the kiss she’d instigated, the feelings that had rolled over him as a result, and pushed himself into a punishing sprint.
He’d had his fair share of relationships with women, women who knew the score and knew they would never be more to him than a companion for a night or a short period of time.
But that kiss—herkiss—had made him think of more. His mind had shattered, fractured, images flashing through his brain and teasing him with potential before he could shut them down. Shut them out.
He’d lost control. Kissed her back when he should have shoved her away. Held onto those images and onto her for much longer than he should have because he hadn’t been able to pull away or deny himself the feel of her. The taste of her.
And even though he believed she’d kissed him as a distraction or for reasons he didn’t understand, she’d forced him to acknowledge the awareness of her he’d felt from the moment she’d physically tossed herself into the limo and he’d gotten his first look at her.
Quinley was beautiful, but she was…more. So much more. She intrigued him in ways no other woman ever had—thought they never would—which is why he had to get her back to Carolina Cove and out of his life as soon as possible. Before she could dig her four-inch heels in and upend his life the way she had Rhys Lachlan’s.
Plus, Quinley was Ana’s best friend, practically her sister, and thus off limits toanyform of relationship other than as a friend.
A friendwithoutbenefits, due to the fact Quinley was right in that their futures were tied by familial connections already.
Elias ran until his pulse threatened to burst out of his skin, and he slowed to a cooldown walk as he made it back to the driveway leading up to the cabin. Halfway up, he passed the black SUV. It sat empty, and he knew the men typically inside were out making the rounds along the property to check for any signs of encroachment by people who shouldn’t be there.
He’d encountered Axel and the other guards a time or two while he was out of the cabin for a run or a hike, and while the guys gave off a fewMen in Blackvibes, all seemed decent enough that Elias reminded himself that they performed a job like any other.
Elias made it back to the cabin and entered, head down and thoughts as convoluted as before he’d left. He neared the island on his way for a drink when he realized Quinley stood in one corner of the small kitchen, forearm deep in a bag of chips, wearing booty shorts, a sports bra and—sweat.
She wore that best, he decided, her body glistening like she’d just finished a hard workout herself.
“Like what you see?”
The throaty murmur set his blood to boiling before he had a chance to brace himself against the storm of her presence. But when he met her gaze, he knew she’d caught him in the act of a full-scale body scan, taking in every single detail of her lush, feminine form.
He frowned as his hands fisted at the memory of kissing her and how he’d never wanted to stop—and pointed to the chips. “That junk is going to kill you.”
“Mmm,stillmoody after your run?”
“Stop.”
“Stop what?”
His nostrils flared as he took a breath, bombarded by mental images brought on by her tone, images he had no desire to picture where she was concerned because of the havoc she’d wreak on him. “Stop baiting me.”
“Is that what I’m doing?”
“Isn’t it?”
Her perfect, full lips quirked up. “Maybe I am. What are you going to do about it?”
