Page 13 of Lahaina Noon

Chapter 9

Bridget took in adeep breath of the close night air that indicated summer was soon approaching. She was painfully aware of the man next to her, desire seeping from every pore of her body.

Vaughn slid his phone into his pocket after calling Liam to pick them up. He took the container holding their dessert and set it on top of the pedestal next to them. He slowly brought his hands to her face and caressed her cheeks.

“I’ve a mind to kiss you, Bridget, to see if you taste as good as I think you will,” he breathed quietly.

She leaned in, thinking,yes, yes, please, finally,and her thoughts became an incoherent jumble when she experienced the warmth from his lips close to hers. Just then, she heard a scuff on the sidewalk behind her before she was pressed painfully against the pedestal with Vaughn standing in front of her.

He was shouting in what seemed to be half growls, half threats. “You can’t have her!” she heard.

Who is he talking to? What the hell is going on here?Her mind couldn’t catch up to what was happening. She froze as she heard a lowhissing sound, and her body began tingling like an electric current was running through her.

“No!” Vaughn shouted, and suddenly, he was gone like the wind had blown him away.

Bridget looked around wildly, not understanding how he had moved that fast and where he had gone. She heard growling and what sounded like fighting coming from around the corner. She started towards the noises; worried Vaughn was being attacked, when powerful headlights washed over her. She raised a trembling hand to cover her eyes.

Liam pulled to the curb and jumped from the driver’s seat. “Where?” he demanded, grabbing her shoulders.

She shakily pointed towards the area where she’d been heading.

Ignoring her pleas, he pulled her to the car and shoved her into the back seat, slamming the door as he shouted “Stay!” at her.

He ran towards the darkened area, then skidded to a stop as Vaughn came strolling around the corner, jacket slung over his arm and adjusting his cuffs as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

Bridget let out a deep, relieved breath. She pressed a palm to her chest to calm her pounding heart.

He glanced at Liam, frowning, then over to the car. He saw Bridget was safe and visibly relaxed. He clapped Liam on the shoulder, saying something Bridget couldn’t hear, then grabbed the forgotten dessert from the pedestal before getting in the backseat next to her.

“Sorry about that,” he said pleasantly. “These vagrants picked the wrong pocket to try to pick.”

Liam got back in the car and pulled away from the curb.

“No!” shouted Bridget. “Stop!” she tapped Liam on the shoulder rapidly.

He ignored her and picked up speed, quickly making his way back to the interstate. “I’m sorry too,” he mumbled.

Bridget turned towards Vaughn, fire in her own eyes now. “What. The. HELL. Was that?” she said angrily, through gritted teeth. “Don’t tell me that was just some random pickpocket. You were there one minute and gone the next. It sounded like an all-out brawl. Who was that really? How did you move that fast? What did it want?” she rapid-fired at him. She sat there, chest heaving, fixing him with her sternest mom gaze. The one that never failed to make Gabriel come clean when she knew he was hiding something from her.

“Okay,” he said, putting his hands up like he was defending himself. “I understand. You deserve some answers.”

Score one for mom face. “Okay so spill. Now,” she demanded, poking him in the shoulder and arching her eyebrow for an extra, secret extracting effect.

Vaughn grinned and grabbed her hand. Bringing her palm to his lips, he gently kissed it. “Oh yes, you are a spitfire. I will tell you everything, but not here. Liam,” he turned to their driver, “My place, we need some privacy for this discussion.”

Liam nodded and changed lanes to exit the highway.

“Your place?” Bridget inquired sharply. “You think I want to go somewhere ‘private’ with you when you can’t give me a straight answer? I think I’d rather just go home instead.” She pulled her hand from his. This was just getting too weird.Why do the hot ones have to be crazy?She thought wistfully.

Vaughn leaned towards her. “The electrical shocks, the shadows, the forces in the street, I thought you wanted answers?” He stared into her eyes and held them locked onto his gaze.

“Beam me up, Scotty,” she whispered, then winced.Nerd alert!

He grinned and gently brushed his lips across her cheek.

She could swear her face was on fire where he had touched it; she imagined being consumed by that heat and shivered despite the warm night.

“You heard the lady, Scotty,” he said to Liam. “Beam us to my place,” Vaughn instructed.

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