Crunch.
Lightning zapped through him. A tripwire that fired off something unnamed but powerful, uncontrollable. He moved without thinking. Took two steps before he boltedoverthe island, clearing the surface as if it were a pummel horse.
Her eyes widened as she watched him, and then she let out a shriek and laughed loudly as she stumbled back in surprise and ran, bag in hand waving like a challenging enemy flag, shrieking like a banshee. All the while, he gave into the primal urge to chase.
She circled the couch, threaded between the space between the coffee table and around one of the oversized chairs at the side while he stalked her every step.
Huffing giggles interspersed the shrieks as she clutched the bag and avoided him, the mouse in their cat-and-mouse game. “Hand it over, Quinley.”
She lifted her chin to a haughty angle and smirked.
“Make me,” she said, squealing again when he lunged for her.
She raced the opposite way, and he allowed her to squeak by, liking the way she laughed and flushed andgiggledand thought she was actually going to win this game. He liked this version of her much better than the broken one he’d held.
He saw her gaze dart to her room, revealing her next move, and he bided his time until she feinted one way before quickly twisting the opposite way like an agile dancer and then sped off again.
He hopped the coffee table this time and wrapped his arms around her slim waist as she screamed out a loudnoooo. He tackled her toward the couch, careful to twist until she was atop him in order to keep his full weight off of her as they landed lengthwise across the cushions.
Time stopped the moment he felt her against him. His gaze locked with hers, every molecule in his body aware of her on levels and in ways he hadn’t known existed. Her panting, gasping breaths in the sports bra banding her chest, her slim body laying atop his like a prize he hadn’t known how desperately he wanted to win.
His right hand had locked over the wrist of her bag-holding hand in the tackling, and he now held it above his head in victory even though he was the one flat on his back. His other hand splayed on the bare skin of her lower back, holding her in place to keep her from sliding off the couch. Off of him.
She leaned over him, her eyes sparkling with fire and something he refused to put a name to as her lashes lowered and her gaze shifted toward his lips. Then she pressed her mouth to hisagain,awarding him the chips and herself in a single, heart-pounding kiss that left both of them surging closer.
A loud crash erupted as the cabin’s front door slammed into the wall, the explosion of sound ripping through the structure like a dynamite blast.
Quinley yanked her lips from his, her eyes flaring wide as Axel and his companion guard barreled inside and then stumbled to awkward stops when they took in the sight of them.
“We heard screaming,” Axel said with a dark glare at them both.
Apparently Elias had either forgotten to lock the door when he’d returned from his run, or the bodyguard had kicked in the door in their bid to get to Quinley. To protect her from the danger making her scream and shriek.
Like she finally realized she still lay atop him, Quinley awkwardly attempted to get up. Elias released her, chips and all, because the process meant Quinley basically straddling him for a brief second before planting a foot on the floor beside the couch and swinging her other leg and body off.
The bag crinkled loudly as she moved and straightened, and he watched as she shifted away to give him room to stand.
“We were just— He’s thefood police,” she said to the guards. “I-I wanted chips.”
Axel remained silent, his gaze carefully blank yet knowing, confirming that the men had seen Quinley kissing him in the split second before she’d pulled away. With his hands on her wrist and waist, it was obvious who’d done the kissing.
“Axel,” she drawled softly, shaking her head slowly from side to side. “I don’t suppose you won’t…mention this to Rhys?”
Axel didn’t blink, and Elias noted the way the other guard shifted his gaze to the back of Axel’s head to avoid looking at either of them.
Quinley sighed, and Elias watched as her shoulders slumped and tightened at the same time.
“Of course you will. Even though it’ll hurt him, and we’re not— It’snotlike that.”
Elias ground his teeth, her words confirming what he already knew. He was a distraction for her, a game. Athingto keep herself occupied so she didn’t have to think about the chaos she’d left behind.
Under normal circumstances, that would’ve been fine. He could handle her putting him in the same mental boxes she’d accused him of using. But knowing he’d see her again back in Carolina Cove? That she’d be involved in Ana’s and Cole’s lives and therefore his?
Axel’s gaze shifted to Elias and held before sliding back to her. “We’ll be outside,” the man said.
The door closed behind the guards with a soft snick of sound, indicating the lock and door were still usable. Which meant Elias had forgotten to slide the lock into place upon his return. The fact was neglectful and stupid, considering the threats that had been made. He should’ve done better in his small role of protecting her, but because of his distraction and thoughts of her, he hadn’t.
His cell phone began to ring, and a glance at the face resulted in yet another soft swear.
