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“Delicious. Want a taste?” Her eyes darkened and her pupils dilated.
“I do.” He reached for her wineglass, and she pulled it away and leaned forward.
“It might taste better on my tongue.” She brushed her lips to his and let him explore the fruity flavor.
“You’re right. It does,” he murmured against her lips, tasting the fruit and fermentation.
He carefully brushed a strand of her long blond hair behind her ear and pulled back. After all, he was a gentleman. He never took what wasn’t offered. If she said no, then it would be no.
But they never said no. Not to him. He never had to beg or force himself.
She set the glass on the deck and slid nearer to him. “You don’t have to be shy, Art.”
“Catherine, I am far from shy. But I’m on your timetable. Whatever you want or don’t want.”
She ran her hand through his wavy hair and kissed his neck below his earlobe. “I want,” she whispered. “You smell so good.” She wrapped her body around his like a snake, her arms around his neck as she faced him.
“What do you want?” he asked. “You must be clear. No mixed signals.”
Leaning into his ear, she told him exactly what she wanted, and she was not shy about it.
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure.”
“Because you’ll belong to me if you do,” he breathed as he ran his lips along her jawline. “Do you want to belong to me?”
She leaned back, giving him access to her neck. “Yes.”
That was all he needed to hear.
Permission granted.
Catherine wheels. He would remake her with the rare intricate white flowers that bloomed in clusters. Rough textured stems and petals that gave the appearance of wheels. Oh, he owned the perfect shade of green for the centers. She would be a gorgeous addition to his garden.
Chapter Two
Blue Harbor, North Carolina
Saturday, September 1
9:10 a.m.
Last night, once the team arrived, they’d wasted no time. The Dare County sheriff’s office had been accommodating. Sheriff Hanover was more than happy to pass the buck as well as the agents in the resident agency, also located in Manteo. They’d all helped, and would aid them if needed, but from here on out, the SCU team had jurisdiction and Asa called the shots. Period.
After, they’d gone back to the beach house that Selah had booked for them in Blue Harbor. Ty made sure to text Cami and let her know that Selah had way better booking skills than her. He’d never forget the B and B in Night Hollow. The thought of that place and that case in Kentucky still freaked him out.
But Asa preferred to stay close to the crimes when they traveled, which wasn’t quite as orthodox as other divisions, but this unit wasn’t exactly an orthodox unit to begin with. Blue Harbor appeared to be the link between the victims, not the lighthouses, which were spaced throughout the islands of the Outer Banks.
Amy-Rose Rydell lived on Roanoke but worked at a boutique here on the main strip, and Lily Hayes resided at the edge of Blue Harbor and worked at a gift shop three doors down from the boutique where Amy-Rose had been employed. If Blue Harbor was the epicenter of this killer’s hunting ground, they wanted to remain close to their predator.
“I could get used to this view,” Owen said as he walked out on the second-story deck with a cup of coffee.
The sky was blue and clear like the world was full of sunshine and good days, but the meteorologists were watching the storm in the tropical waters and discussing possible trajectories. It was like a shark, prowling the ocean and scouting out where it wanted to pounce. Unnoticed by its prey that frolicked without a care in the world. Then it made its attack, and once it did, nothing could stop it. Blue Harbor—the Outer Banks. Coastal towns would be powerless against it. Ty wasn’t sure which scared him more—the unstoppable hurricane or the possibility that someone might be killing people as part of a revenge scheme against him.
“It is a beautiful view. For now. Won’t lie, though. It’s bringing up some memories I’d rather forget.” Dad had brought him and his two brothers out here for fishing trips, which had been a ton of fun, but there were times Dad wasn’t fun at all.
“We could always go back to Miami. That was a trip.”
