Page 61 of Tame Me

The heated intimacy in his eyes bamboozles me. As much as I want to, I can’t look away from him.

‘Why are you skipping out early?’ Having gathered all my gear, he gets up from the floor and sits beside me. ‘Have you got a date?’

I feel myself flushing. ‘Another job to get to.’

‘You often double shift?’

Determined not to let him get to me more, I lift my chin. ‘Triple.’

He doesn’t take his gaze off me. ‘You need the money.’

‘Most of us mere mortals do.’

He nods as if he understands. But he can’t possibly. What does he know of struggling daily for survival? Of responsibility? I’ve been responsible, not just for myself, but for my little sister, Ava, since I was eleven and she was seven. After Dad skipped out and Mum went down a spiral of bad choice after bad choice, I needed to ensure Ava got through school—I had to because she’s gifted. Seriously super smart, but having to shift schools so many times when we were kids impacted her despite her insane IQ and the intense extra study she did. So I worked and when Mum wanted to make one move too many I said no. I took on Ava myself age seventeen and I was super happy to. I wanted her to have the stability she needed—that we’d never had. I still support her now, six years later. And once she’s finished her studies, I’ll focus on my own future.

‘I should have told you I wasn’t the entertainment,’ he says after a long silence. ‘But I was taken by surprise and the temptation to tease you was irresistible.’

‘It was my fault for jumping to conclusions,’ I say stiffly.

‘It seems like you’d prefer I was a booty dancer to a billionaire.’ His smile briefly quirks. ‘Don’t you like me now you know I’m basically made of money?’ He actually shoots me kicked-puppy eyes. ‘It doesn’t usually work that way.’

‘Doesn’t it?’ I murmur shortly, so easily provoked into outrage all over again. ‘What? Don’t tell me you’re some poor little rich boy now seeking my sympathy?’

The curve of his mouth deepens. ‘Right now I’ll take anything I can.’

I shake my head. ‘You’ve got enough from me already.’

‘Oh, I disagree,’ he counters softly.

I glare at him but at the same time I’m almost helplessly drawn to him. He’s more good-looking than most. Honestly, he’s moreeverythingthan most.

‘I’m glad you’ve finished work early. Now I’m allowed to talk to you,’ he adds.

‘Allowed?’ I echo. ‘As if you pay attention to the rules anyone else abides by?’

‘You really think you have me nailed, don’t you?’

The most appalling flush swamps me. I’m so hot I can’t even swallow. It’s a replay of that moment in the storeroom when I stood too close to him and he held me against him and time stilled.

An ominous clunking sound breaks the searing spell between us and the cabin sways awkwardly. Startled, I glance out of the window. Usually the view is spectacular when the moon and stars cast a glow over the lake but tonight the celestial elements are obscured by clouds. That clunk is replaced by a sharp metallic screech.

I’ve no idea how long we’ve been in the cabin or how far we’ve descended but I know we have to be some distance from the bottom still. Meaning we’re suspended above a rocky mountainside and if the cable breaks we’ll smash down and likely won’t live. Just then the sky lights up—yet illuminates nothing. The lightning just bounces back from the thick cloud. The storm has hit sooner than predicted.

‘I—’

The cabin light flickers before cutting out completely.

‘Um...’ Dain pulls his phone from his pocket.

As he studies the screen I hear his smothered curse.

‘We’ve lost reception,’ he says.

‘It doesn’t seem like there’s power in town,’ I mutter, pointlessly peering out of the window.

I hear the wind whistling around us. How did I not hear it pick up so much during the descent? I’ve been too distracted byhim. But this is a major problem. We’re suspended in a tin can, high above a jagged mountain in a major weather event. My pulse skitters.

‘You feeling okay?’ His query is soft.

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