Read Romance on the Edge 01 - Hooked for Free Online
Authors: Tiffinie Helmer
recognize it as her own.
“That’s an understatement.” He leaned back against the counter, breathing deep. “Maybe it was a fluke.” He seemed to be talking to himself more than to her, as if trying to convince himself that what had just happened hadn’t really meant anything. She was all for agreeing with his argument. She didn’t want that kiss to mean anything either.
“Want to try it again?” she found herself asking. “You know—” she shrugged “—rule out the fluke factor?”
His eyes burned into hers, and he pushed himself away from the counter. She swallowed. He was big and imposing as he stepped toward her. Their bodies came into contact as his hands framed her face, diving deep into her hair and forcing her head back. He lowered his mouth until their breaths mixed, mated.
He paused, just before taking her mouth. “If I kiss you again, we won’t be leaving this cabin until after I get you naked.”
Damn, her toes were curling. She wished she could deny it. Just having him this close, she was ready and willing to forget the people down on the beach and strip. The problem with acting on impulse was that when she returned to sanity, she always regretted her actions. She didn’t know this man well enough to share herself with him. He didn’t know her either, and once men really got to know her, they usually begged off.
She tended to intimidate.
“Well—” she swallowed “—best not, then.” Her voice was breathless.
“It would be best,” he said, his voice just as breathless. He still hadn’t moved. Still held her as though he couldn’t break away. She hoped he wasn’t counting on her being the sensible one. She’d started this.
Slowly he let go of her and moved back. His step crunched, and he glanced down. “We might have a problem.”
A bigger problem than their raging hormones? She glanced down at the floor and couldn’t help but laugh. “This will be the last time Gramps sends me for dessert.”
“If he does send you again, I hope I’ll be along to help.” He looked at her with enough yearning to cause her to envision pushing him down on the table hand-made from driftwood planks. It seemed sturdy enough to hold their weight.
She took a deep breath. “We’d better get out of here.”
“Yep.” He glanced at the table as though knowing what she’d been contemplating.
They made their way back to the beach, after salvaging the best of the broken graham crackers and chocolate bars—the marshmallows showed no signs of damage—and sweeping up the rest of the mess. Too bad she couldn’t have swept Garrett’s kiss from her lips as easily. The crowd was still going strong when they reached the sand. Peter was doing a cooler-drum solo while the rest be-bopped along.
That was, all but Aidan.
“All right, finally, here are the goodies,” Wes announced. He had a wicked sweet tooth and was first to reach for the s’mores, opening the bag they’d stuffed everything into. He frowned. “What happened to the graham crackers?”
“Clumsy fingers,” Sonya mumbled while trying not to look at Garrett, though she felt the heat of his stare.
“Hope you get them working for picking fish tomorrow,” Wes said.
“By the way, Garrett,” Aidan asked, “You working for the cannery or as crewman for someone?”
“Neither.” Garrett paused. “I work for the State.”
“State?” Sonya turned from unwrapping a chocolate bar. “Biologist? Fish and Game?”
He slowly shook his head, his eyes holding hers. “AWT.”
“You’re a fish cop ?” She’d kissed a freaking fish cop?
He hardened his jaw. A jaw she’d wanted to nibble on a few minutes ago. “We prefer trooper.”
“Trooper?” Gramps swiveled around, as though looking for the law, having just caught the tail end of the conversation. “Where?”
“Right in front of you, Gramps. Turns out Garrett’s a trooper.” She really needed to have that talk with him over screening his “potentials.” Look at
“That’s an understatement.” He leaned back against the counter, breathing deep. “Maybe it was a fluke.” He seemed to be talking to himself more than to her, as if trying to convince himself that what had just happened hadn’t really meant anything. She was all for agreeing with his argument. She didn’t want that kiss to mean anything either.
“Want to try it again?” she found herself asking. “You know—” she shrugged “—rule out the fluke factor?”
His eyes burned into hers, and he pushed himself away from the counter. She swallowed. He was big and imposing as he stepped toward her. Their bodies came into contact as his hands framed her face, diving deep into her hair and forcing her head back. He lowered his mouth until their breaths mixed, mated.
He paused, just before taking her mouth. “If I kiss you again, we won’t be leaving this cabin until after I get you naked.”
Damn, her toes were curling. She wished she could deny it. Just having him this close, she was ready and willing to forget the people down on the beach and strip. The problem with acting on impulse was that when she returned to sanity, she always regretted her actions. She didn’t know this man well enough to share herself with him. He didn’t know her either, and once men really got to know her, they usually begged off.
She tended to intimidate.
“Well—” she swallowed “—best not, then.” Her voice was breathless.
“It would be best,” he said, his voice just as breathless. He still hadn’t moved. Still held her as though he couldn’t break away. She hoped he wasn’t counting on her being the sensible one. She’d started this.
Slowly he let go of her and moved back. His step crunched, and he glanced down. “We might have a problem.”
A bigger problem than their raging hormones? She glanced down at the floor and couldn’t help but laugh. “This will be the last time Gramps sends me for dessert.”
“If he does send you again, I hope I’ll be along to help.” He looked at her with enough yearning to cause her to envision pushing him down on the table hand-made from driftwood planks. It seemed sturdy enough to hold their weight.
She took a deep breath. “We’d better get out of here.”
“Yep.” He glanced at the table as though knowing what she’d been contemplating.
They made their way back to the beach, after salvaging the best of the broken graham crackers and chocolate bars—the marshmallows showed no signs of damage—and sweeping up the rest of the mess. Too bad she couldn’t have swept Garrett’s kiss from her lips as easily. The crowd was still going strong when they reached the sand. Peter was doing a cooler-drum solo while the rest be-bopped along.
That was, all but Aidan.
“All right, finally, here are the goodies,” Wes announced. He had a wicked sweet tooth and was first to reach for the s’mores, opening the bag they’d stuffed everything into. He frowned. “What happened to the graham crackers?”
“Clumsy fingers,” Sonya mumbled while trying not to look at Garrett, though she felt the heat of his stare.
“Hope you get them working for picking fish tomorrow,” Wes said.
“By the way, Garrett,” Aidan asked, “You working for the cannery or as crewman for someone?”
“Neither.” Garrett paused. “I work for the State.”
“State?” Sonya turned from unwrapping a chocolate bar. “Biologist? Fish and Game?”
He slowly shook his head, his eyes holding hers. “AWT.”
“You’re a fish cop ?” She’d kissed a freaking fish cop?
He hardened his jaw. A jaw she’d wanted to nibble on a few minutes ago. “We prefer trooper.”
“Trooper?” Gramps swiveled around, as though looking for the law, having just caught the tail end of the conversation. “Where?”
“Right in front of you, Gramps. Turns out Garrett’s a trooper.” She really needed to have that talk with him over screening his “potentials.” Look at