Page 29 of Austen

He looked like some modern-day pirate, minus the cutlass but wearing flip-flops, shorts, and a black T-shirt, striding toward them with such fury in his eyes that it froze her to the spot.

Declan had found his feet, however.“Steinbeck.”

Stein ignored him and his outstretched hand and marched over to her.“Do you not listen toanythingI say?”

That shook her to life.“Seriously?”She stood up.

His mouth closed, tightened.Then he pulled her into a hug so tight it nearly cut off her breathing.And he was trembling a little, maybe from rage, but possibly from relief.

Oh.

“Are you okay?”His voice lowered, roughened by emotion.

“Yeah.”

Then he stepped back, met her eyes, the words from days before in his gaze.“Do not trust Declan.Don’t even talk to him again.”

She wanted to argue with him, but not here in front of Declan.Mostly because she couldn’t bear for Declan to hear Stein’s accusation.

He didn’t deserve to be so disrespected.

“How’d you find me?”Except, just then, Hawkeye came up the stairs.He appeared tired as he gave her a tight smile.

“He made us find Declan’s boat.”

“I needed to see for myself that she was okay,” Stein said, his stare hard on Declan.

Oh, for Pete’s sake.“Stein, Declan saved my life.If he hadn’t found me, I would have been eaten by sharks or drowned.”In other words, back off, bro.

Stein nodded and held out his hand to Declan.“Thank you.”

Declan shook it.“Of course.”He still wore a frown, however.

And Stein’s jaw was so tight he might crack some molars.

Yes, she’d need to get Stein alone, talk him off the Declan-is-a-criminal ledge.

“I’ll get Austen back to the Keys,” Stein said and turned to her.“Let’s go.”

She looked at Hawkeye, back at Stein, and...

She shook her head.Just impulse, but...no.

And it wasn’t about trying to dig around Declan’s past, but...

That near kiss.The desire that had formed inside her still pulsed.

She hadn’t dreamed up that spark between them.The way her body tingled as he stood so close to her, his aura radiating out to her.

“I’m staying.”

* * *

Declan didn’t know what had gone down between Austen and Stein in the sky lounge when her superhero brother appeared out of the night, but he attributed it to some twin connection.Or maybe competing strong personalities.Because as the two stared at each other, they couldn’t be more alike.

Determined, courageous, and stubborn.

Declan hadn’t quite known what to do when Austen dragged Stein away for some private conversation.She’d bade Declan good night, and there went his opportunity to continue what he’d started, or at least hadwantedto start, as they sat by the fire table under the stars.

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