Page 56 of Prey

“Are you naked?” To my horror and delight, I could tell he was naked because the water was so clear, but I didn’t have my glasses on, so I had to pretend, too.

“As God intended.”

“Are we having another staff meeting?” I joked to calm my nerves because he was so close now that I could feel something graze my thigh, and I was pretty sure it wasn’t a snake.

“No,” he replied bluntly. “I’m pretending you’re not here.”

“Except you’re talking to me.”

“I’m being polite,” he argued. “And you saw at home in the water. A natural.”

“I am. I love the water,” I told him as he hovered, then draped one of those long, glistening arms over a rock.

“Marine biologist?”

I smiled. “Yes. You remembered.”

“So, ah, listen,” he said as his voice changed, and I knew he was about to throw a curveball. “What would Rourke say if I kissed you?”

“Um,” I cleared my throat to find the words. “He would say nothing. Actually, he would probably kill you.”

His eyebrows cocked up in mock horror, although his guy wasn’t concerned about Rourke at all.

I knew deep down Rourke was more than capable of hurting someone. His possessiveness was a massive red flag, and I felt it deeply in my bones. But weirdly, Riley No Friends warmed to his attention.

“Kill me? He seems sane,” Ronan chuckled. “But he’s not here, so what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

“He’s at Gotland too,” I tried to steer the conversation away from the ‘kiss’ subject because butterflies were dancing in my stomach.

He made a face, dropping his arm from the rock and shrinking the gap between us again. “I don’t care. Rather not talk aboutRourkeat all.”

“Well, you did ask,” I pointed out.

Ronan was right over me now, droplet-covered nose two inches apart, blue eyes piercing through my skull, running all over my face and lips…

“This is unprofessional,” was the last thing I said before he leaned in and pressed those lips against mine.

27

Did he know I would be here, or was it a strange coincidence? Did he follow me in? How often did he come here? Was it Ronan watching and following me the last time I was here? These distracting thoughts circled in my brain as his mouth claimed mine, and a shiver slid down my spine as his tongue danced with mine and tasted like…spearmint.

Oh no, he was my boss. Was this a good idea? What if the big boss found out? I didn’t want to lose my job. How are we going to work together from this point onwards?

His arms rose from the water like beautiful sea beasts, and his hand grasped the rock wall, caging me in. Yet his mouth, tongue,and lips captured me under their spell. He kisses differently to Rourke.

It was unfair to compare the two men while I was kissing one of them. But Rourke’s every movement, action, and touch was laced with suppressed rage, a wound-up coil that was dangerously close to snapping. Only a thin layer of control prevented him from unleashing that animalistic side. It seemed life had served him a debilitating blow, and he forever carried that resentment; perhaps he didn’t notice the energy that peeled off him. Possibly, he battled with it every day.

Meanwhile, Ronan was leveled out, calm, reliable, and lovely. Ronan was lying on the beach on a Sunday morning on a summer’s day, the warm breeze brushing against the naked skin, sand under our feet, gentle, frothing waves washing inshore.

Ronan was a simmering Summer.

Rourke was a crushing Winter.

But Ronan’s summer day still had a dangerous side, and it was less pronounced, crept up on you when you least expected it. Lazy sea waves could turn deadly if you’re not careful, and stunning beauty fools, even the most intelligent and vigilant folk.

“Are you going to get in trouble?” I spoke into his soft, warm mouth.

“No. By who?” his teeth bit down on my bottom lip and sucked, and my clit panged, drawing out a moan. A mischievous smile stretched across that perfect face, and his hand moved from behind my head and disappeared under the water.

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