Page 30 of Being Bold
“Selene?”
She blinked up at him. He wasn’t sure if it was the moonlight or the cold, but her lips were a disturbingly light color. “I’m so-o-o cold,” she chattered.
He placed a hand on her back, ready to guide her to the passenger side of Yumi’s car. “Let’s get you inside where it’s warmer.”
She stumbled on legs gone stiff from the freezing temperature. By the time they reached the SUV, he was half-carrying her. When he opened the door, a blast of heat swept over their faces.
Selene closed her eyes. “God, that feels heavenly.”
“It’ll feel even better when you’re inside.” He started to lift her into the vehicle, and her eyes flew open.
“Oh, I could’ve . . .” But he’d already set her on the seat.
“Alone” by Heart played through the speakers, taunting him. He started to lean away, but her pretty sea fog eyes pulled him closer until they were mere inches apart. Her gaze fell to his mouth in invitation. All the reasons he shouldn’t kiss her again blared a warning in his head, and he blinked, jerking away.
Stepping back, he gripped the car door tight enough to turn his knuckles white as he told her, “Stay warm. Yumi and I’ll handle the outfit.”
He shut the door before she could respond or he could do something he’d regret. Slammed it was more like it.
Grumbling under his breath, he walked back to his pickup. Yumi had cleared half of it already. The thermostat would help do the rest. After cranking the engine, he grabbed his scraper and went to work on the remaining snow, sloughing off a foot of it with an angry swipe.
How the hell was he supposed to resist Selene when she practically begged him to kiss her? She had to be confused. Her life had been turned upside down in the space of a day.
He hadn’t saved her. Not really. She’d saved herself.
Maybe when Herc showed up, he’d turn over guard duty to him. Maybe it’d be better that way. He could trust Herc to leave her alone. Romeo, on the other hand, . . . that idiot hit on anything with boobs.
If he let Herc be her bodyguard, it’d prevent him from taking advantage of her. Because that’s what it would be. Just like the kiss he’d stolen.
Thinking about what he’d done, he wanted to roar but settled for throwing snow a few yards with another swing of the scraper. Yumi didn’t say anything, but he felt her gaze, sizing him up. He expected her to lash out at him. She probably thought he was an asshole for kissing her friend, considering the situation.
For fuck’s sake, the woman had almost died yesterday.
The reminder burned through his gut, and his head turned to the SUV, searching for Selene.
What is it about her?
He wondered why she had him so churned up. No other woman had caused him this much grief. Her head turned, catching him staring, and he swallowed, his insides twisting. He felt lost. Like he floated on a rickety raft amid the rocking waves of the salty sea, one wrong move would send him toppling into its depths. And he was so damned thirsty—thirsty for another taste of her.
Aw, fuck.
Those ocean eyes might be the death of him.
Chapter 9
Bo
When Selene gave Bo her address, he plugged it into his truck’s GPS. They’d follow Yumi to Selene’s apartment, but he wanted it as backup just in case. He still didn’t fully trust the agent and wouldn’t put it past her to try to lose him.
Mulling that over, he asked Selene, “Do you trust her?”
When she didn’t answer right away, he glanced over and noted the furrow in her brow.
Maybe she’s not sure about Yumi either.
Waiting, he tapped his fingers on the wheel to the beat of the classic rock song on the radio. With the volume turned down, the lyrics were barely discernible over the crunch of snow under the tires. The county never treated this road. They probably wouldn’t find any cleared ones until they got closer to Big Sky. It was a good thing his pickup was built for this type of weather.
“Yes,” Selene finally answered. “She wasn’t lying about our friendship. I think she wants to help fix this.”
