Page 96 of The Red-Hot Stakes

He whistled, looking it over. “You smashed that good. It’s probably broken. Why didn’t you say something earlier?” Annoyance flashed in his gaze as he went all protective on me again.

“I don’t know, adrenaline?” I snarked. “Plus, I was too busy breaking down over everything that happened, then making up with you. I was a little distracted.” I pressed my bare chest against him, in case he’d forgotten our earlier activities.

“Stop that.” He set me back in my own space, gently but reluctantly. “Kidnapped or not, Avery will kill us if we’re late to the rehearsal.”

I sighed, knowing he was right. We quickly got dressed, then I walked to the cave entrance, babying my sore foot.

Liam scrutinized my every movement. “There’s no way you’re climbing down the mountain like that.”

“I think ‘mountain’ is a bit of an exaggeration.” But the thought of the steep hill had me gritting my teeth.

He crouched in front of me. “Hop on.”

“What?”

“Your chariot, madam.”

When he gestured to his back, I folded my arms. “I’m not getting a piggyback ride down this hill.”

He straightened, looking just as stubborn as I felt. “It’s either that, or I can fling you over my shoulders like a sack of potatoes.” He wasn’t kidding.

As much as I enjoyed watching his ass, I didn’t want to ride all that way upside down. I sighed. “Fine.”

He crouched again, and I climbed up, feeling like a little kid as I looped my arms around his neck. His arms settled under the backs of my thighs, spreading me against his warm back. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all. His muscles bunched beneath me and I had free range of that magnificent chest.

“All set?”

I rested my chin on his shoulder, letting my lips brush his ear. “Mm hmm.”

“Behave back there, Red.”

I trailed my fingers through his chest hair, tightening my thighs against him. “Or what?”

His answer was a growl, and I laughed as we started down the trail. My teasing stopped when I realized just how treacherous the path was after so much rain. The steep slope was slick with mud.

At one of the steepest points, I insisted on getting down. Then we scooted on our butts over the ledge until the decline lessened once more. We were both muddy messes by the time we reached civilization again, a couple of hours before we were due to appear at the rehearsal.

Once we convinced security who we were and what had happened, they called the local authorities to take down our story. It turned out that Brad was wanted here as well for entering the country illegally, so they’d been hunting him anyway. So much for his connections.

We ran into our friends on the way back to our rooms, me still perched on Liam’s back.

“Hey, guys,” he shouted.

Derek’s head snapped up, followed by the others. We waved as Liam hurried up to them, their expressions ranging from relief to curiosity.

Except for Avery who stepped up with hands on her hips and demanded, “Where have you been? Mud wrestling? It’s almost time for the rehearsal.”

Liam bristled beneath me, but I clamped a hand over his mouth. “We’ll explain it all afterward. You okay with us being mud monsters, or do we have time to shower quick?”

She checked her phone. “If you hurry. You’ll have to meet us at the pavilion.”

Liam glanced at me over his shoulder, unable to talk with my hand still on his mouth, but I just grinned and said, “Giddy up, horsey.”

He glared, but his mouth twitched under my fingers as he took off for our room. I felt everyone staring after us in surprise. Once we were out of earshot, I removed my hand, waiting to be chewed out.

“Giddy up?”

“It seemed appropriate.”

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