Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77551 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 388(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
That’s Jake. Always worried about the rest of us. Part of why I admire him so much. Why I love him.
Alex and I sit on the hard ground, our gazes locked on the house. River is still in the window. He flashes his light every five minutes to tell us all is still good with Larson.
I wipe the sweat off my brow.
Then, Jake’s voice. “Guys, we’ve got something.”
Present Day...
I rise then, sucking in a breath. I need a break from this, and losing myself in Misty might be just what the doctor ordered. “I need a shower. Care to join me?” I hold out my hand to her.
Misty takes my hand and I pull her up next to me.
She wraps her arms around my neck, and I can’t help myself. She’s not Jake. But she’s beautiful and misunderstood and broken in her own ways. And I want this.
I want her.
I crush my lips to hers.
She clings to me, her fingers tangling in my hair, her lips parting beneath mine. There’s a hunger between us, a desperation that gnaws at my insides. She roams her hands over my body, tracing patterns on my skin and leaving trails of fire in their wake. Breathing her in, I pull back to look at her, caressing her cheek gently.
“I want this too,” she whispers, her voice as soft as the breeze.
I say nothing. Simply take her hand, and together we walk toward the stamped concrete path that leads back to the mansion.
The large house is dark and silent when we arrive. It’s well after midnight. I grab a couple bottles of water from the fridge, hand one to Misty, and take a long drink of my own. Then I take her hand once more and head out of the kitchen toward the stairway. Once we’re on the second floor, where my suite is located, I raise my eyebrows.
She nods, and I unlock and open the door to my suite.
I give her a moment before guiding her toward the bedroom and then into the spacious en suite bathroom, complete with its grand, claw-footed tub and glass-enclosed shower. She pauses at the entrance, looking back at me with an unspoken question in her eyes.
I squeeze her hand and gesture for her to go ahead while I follow. I turn on the water, and the shower roars to life, steam immediately filling the room and fogging up the mirrors. We shed our wet clothes and leave them in a heap on the bathroom floor.
I gesture for her to enter the shower, and I follow.
The hot water cascades over us, washing away the grime of the day, the tension of uncertainty. Misty lets out a sigh, eyes closed as she drinks in the warmth. Her wet hair clings to her neck and shoulders, and I reach out to brush a few strands from her face. I let my fingers linger there, memorizing the curve of her cheek.
Misty opens her eyes and looks at me, her gaze steady. There’s something there—a profound sadness? A fleeting fear?—that tugs at my heartstrings. Yet she doesn’t turn away or shrink back.
Our gazes lock, and for that moment, I’m with Jake.
But Jake morphs back to Misty, and my heart doesn’t break.
Misty had a rough start on the island. Hell, from all evidence, she had a rough start in life. She’s not Jake. But perhaps I could love her for who she is.
Our lips meet again under the pounding showerhead, a clash of teeth and tongues that proves her need is as great as mine. As the water continues to pelt us, our bodies meld together, the heat between us rivaling that of the steaming shower. I lose myself in the rhythm of our lips, our breaths, our heartbeats as we explore each other.
The passion is raw, palpable, spiraling around us like a whirlwind, sweeping us up and tossing us into a storm of desire and yearning. She glides her hands over my chest, tracing my nipples and my abs before venturing lower, driving me to the brink of madness.
I break the kiss to catch my breath, resting my forehead against hers as she strokes my hard length. Our eyes meet in the steamy haze, and I nod as she drops to her knees.
This is right.
So right.
We are two broken people finding solace and comfort in one another.
And that’s enough for now.
EPISODE 140
COLD SWEAT
Sebastian
I toss and turn in my sleep. Thoughts plague me.
Memories...
And when sleep finally comes...
Nightmares.
Twenty Years Ago...
Jake picks up Alex’s shovel. “You deserve a rest after that. Seb and I will take over. You two keep watch.”
That’s Jake. Always worried about everyone.
Damn. A bear! I can’t even believe that animal showed up.
Clearly not a part of Brett’s contingency plan, though Alex acted admirably. I’d have run away screaming like a girl.
I grab Brett’s shovel and start digging. The ground has softened up. Brett and Alex took care of the hard crust on top. I push my shovel into the earth, and it gives way easily, revealing the dark, rich soil beneath. As I dig deeper, my heart races with anticipation, knowing that each shovelful brings us closer to uncovering Larson’s loot.