Page 27 of The Bombshell and the Bodyguard
It also terrified me.
It took me a second to answer. “Starved.”
We ate a quick meal then Jessica went to her room to change before the two of us walked down to the beach.
“Are those your trunks?” she asked, eying my shorts when we got there.
“Nah. I’m not going in. I’ve got to make a call to Gray.”
“Okay, your loss.”
She stripped her coverup over her head, dropped it to the sand, and ran toward the water in her bikini, splashing into the calm bay with the happy abandon of a little girl. However, the way shelookedin said bikini was proof positive she was a full-grown woman.
Stop noticing. Don’t think about it.
“Wow, the water feels amazing.” Jessica shot a glance back over the curve of one tanned shoulder, causing me to yank my gaze back upward to meet her eyes. “Sure you won’t come in?”
I cleared my throat, trying to force a response past the lump in it. “No, you... go ahead. I’ll just keep an eye on you from the shore.”
As if I could take my eyesoffof her. That would have been impossible even if I wasn’t acting as her bodyguard.
She dived under the water then came up again, standing in the shallow waves that lapped the beach. Slicking back her hair with both hands, she gave me a brilliant smile as the saltwater ran down her body.
“I’ve just decided I’m okay if wedostay for a year. This is paradise.”
Or hell, depending on your perspective.
As for me, I fiercely hoped it wouldn’t be that long. Jessica was too tempting to be believed, and I had a feeling resisting her would be the toughest battle of my life.
Turning away, I walked out onto the dock and pulled my sat phone from its case. Gray answered immediately.
“Wilder. Hey man. You guys make it there okay? Whereverthereis.”
“Yeah we’re good. No problems. Now we’re just going to hunker down. Unless you have some good news for me?”
Please tell me they caught the guy, and we can go home before I royally fuck things up.
“I’m afraid there’s nothing to report,” he said. “The state police said this guy was a paradox. He left the camera and rope behind, but no physical evidence.”
“No DNA?”
“Nada. Which is weird. No fingerprints either. If he was that careful about covering up and leaving no trace, how could he accidentally have left those other things behind?”
“Unless it wasn’t an accident.”
“What do you mean—he wanted them to be found? What would be the purpose of that?” Gray asked.
“To scare her. Maybe he gets a thrill out of terrorizing her.”
My jaw clenched, catching the inside of my cheek and drawing blood. I squinted at the warm, coppery taste of it, fighting for control.
“Maybe he wanted her to know how close he’d gotten so she’d live in fear of the next time,” I said. “Of what he might do to her when he does get to her. Hewantsher thinking about him.”
The idea of it got my blood boiling. Then I turned to see Jessica floating on her back, face up to the sun, and my blood boiled for another reason.
Was shetryingto drive me crazy?
The sunlight gleamed off her bare skin, creating enticing shadows in the curves and making her glow like she’d been dipped in gold dust.
