Page 14 of Her Wild Coast Refuge

“Now?”

My heart hiccups. “Um, it’s the middle of the night. Don’t you need sleep?”

“Sleep is overrated,” he says with that same ease, like he’s never missed a beat in his life. “How about tomorrow morning?”

“All right. Do you have gear?”

“Beyond hiking boots and long underwear? Negative.”

“Let’s meet at Sunrise Outfitters. They’ve got everything.”

At the next intersection, the bus rolls to a stop at the red light.

“Gotta run!” I say, pushing my bike across the street while waving down the bus driver. “See you tomorrow! Ten o’clock!” I call out over my shoulder.

Quinn gives me a wave.

I make it to the bus and quickly load my bike. The bus is stuffy but it’s practically empty. With a sigh of relief, I settle into a seat and glance out the window. Quinn is standing where I left him, his hands stuffed in his pockets and his gaze fixed on me.

Two weeks guiding for two handsome strangers.

I’ve completely lost my mind.

ChapterFive

QUINN

I wake rememberingmy kiss with Lexie. Her soft lips and that playful little tongue of hers. A buzz tingles down my spine, but I toss back the covers and rub the sleep from my eyes.

We agreed to no more kissing, which is absolutely essential, yet keeping that promise is going to ruin me.

From the nightstand, my phone rings. It’s Dawson.

“Let’s go, Sleeping Beauty.”

I yawn. “Your insomnia isn’t my emergency.”

He laughs. “I’m gonna get some grub.”

I agree to follow, and tug on my jeans and a t-shirt. I finger-comb my hair and brush my teeth, then pull on a wool sweater and sneakers.

Down in the small dining room, Dawson sits at a table cradling a cup of coffee.

“Sleep okay?” he asks when I drop into the chair across from him. A waitress with short gray hair brings me a cup of coffee and I want to hug her.

“The light messed me up for a while,” I say after our waitress takes our order.

Dawson sips his coffee. “The light, huh? Not a passionate kiss with a stranger?”

“She’s not a stranger anymore,” I say with a grin.

Dawson’s phone buzzes, and he scans the screen. With a grimace, he flips the phone facedown on the table.

“What’s up?”

“Brielle already called for an update, and now she’s texting.”

“Can you block her number, just until we get this thing wrapped up?”

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