“Perfect.”
“I’ll grab your case,” I tell her when the room goes quiet, using the opportunity to leave and collect my thoughts. I take it from the desk and bring it downstairs to Jen. She hugs me and snatches the keys from David’s hand.
He looks at me with a quirky expression. “She’s….”
“Insane,” I finish for him, making him laugh
“I was going to say terrifying, but that works too.” He slides his backpack to his shoulder before giving me a quick hug. “See you later, Calliope. Bye, Riggs.” He jogs out as Riggs returns his farewell.
I walk to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. Twisting the cap off, I close the door and yelp when I find Riggs standing on the other side of it. “Holy hell, man, you have got to stop doing shit like that.”
He grins, but there is an edge to it as he moves closer. “I like getting you all flustered.”
“Yeah, well, it doesn’t take much,” I admit, leaning against the counter. I take a swig of my water as Riggs moves closer. My heartbeat kicks up.
“So what did the sheriff have to say?”
I feel my face flush and keep my eyes on the wall. “Nothing much.”
“And he needed to say this,nothing much, in private?”
I put the bottle on the counter and look at him. “He kissed me, okay?” I throw my hands up in exasperation.
“He did?” He moves closer, like a scorpion ready to strike. I step away, but now my back is against the counter once more, and he’s in front of me, pushing his advantage. “Where did he kiss you?”
“In the den. Why?”
He grins, but this isn’t the laid-back Riggs or even the quiet sentry version. This man is something else entirely, and the look in his eye makes me feel very much like prey.
“Where on your body did he kiss you? Did he kiss you here?” His lips press to my temple before his breath skates along my skin. “Or perhaps here?” His lips travel down to my cheek as I shiver under his touch. His finger slides under my chin, tipping my head back before his lips skim along my jaw. “Maybe he kissed you here.” His voice is whisper-soft, whereas my heart thunders so loudly it echoes in my ears.
Cupping my face, his thumb presses against my bottom lip. His head comes up and his eye flashes like he’s about to receive his prize. “He kissed you here, didn’t he? Shall I taste you and find out?”
His tongue flicks out for a moment before he drags it over my lip, making me whimper. My mouth slips open in a gasp, giving him the access he’s after. He sips at my lips like the finest champagne before sliding his tongue inside my mouth, seeking the source. What starts soft and sensual quickly turns heated as he shows me how all-consuming a kiss can be. I forget about everything but him and me in this moment. He has me warm and pliable in his hands, like clay ready to mold and shape, when the shrill ring of the phone snaps me out of my lust-filled haze.
He pulls back, his lips damp, his eye dark with a need that makes me both hungry and afraid. “Saved by the bell.” He winks as he moves to grab the phone. I don’t feel like I’ve been saved from anything, if the fire burning through my veins is anything to go by.
Needing a minute to myself, I head up to my room and lock myself in the bathroom before splashing cold water on my face. I glance up at my reflection, wiping the specks of dried blood from my face, and wonder what the hell I’ve gotten myself into. I had a plan, dammit, and neither Riggs nor Shepard was part of it. Something tells me I’m going to find it virtually impossible to get rid of them. And if I’m being honest with myself, part of me doesn’t want to. It’s exciting and nerve-racking, and it makes mefeel alive. But dragging them in further will complicate things, not just for me but for them, too.
“Fuckity, fuck, fuck,” I curse, wondering how I got myself into this shit. When my reflection has no pearls of wisdom to impart, I dry my face and head back downstairs. Well, that’s my intention. But when I near my father’s office, I pause and head inside. I move to the window, look down over the property, and take a deep, soothing breath, feeling the connection to both the house and the land. Since I’ve been back, it’s grown stronger every day. It now feels like a warm buzz under my skin. I walk to the wall that stands between this room and the next. I hold my hands over it and picture the room without it.
“Will it hurt you to remove this wall? I don’t want to do it if that’s the case.”
A breeze moves through my hair, but the window is closed. It’s the house offering me comfort. Before I ask if it’s certain, the house starts to shake in its foundations. I hurry to the doorway and stand under the frame, trying to remember if we’ve ever had an earthquake before, when I hear Riggs calling my name.
“Up here,” I call out. I don’t hear if he replies because a rumbling sound, followed by a loud crash, drowns out everything else. Before I can figure out what’s happening. Riggs has me in his arms. He drags me to the nearest bathroom and practically throws me in the tub, then covers my body with his.
I reach up, slip my hand into the collar of his T-shirt, and slide the other hand around his shoulders, anchoring him to me as the noise slowly fades and the house stops shaking. His nose skims mine before he kisses me gently. I think he’s reassuring himself that I’m okay. I don’t fight him. I return the kiss and keep it soft too, feeling the bond between us grow like it’s a vine, binding us together. I don’t realize my eyes have slipped closed until he pulls back and they snap open in protest.
“Later. I need to check out the house. I want you to wait here until I know it’s safe.”
I snort. “Fat chance.”
He sighs and climbs up before reaching down and lifting me out like I weigh nothing. “Somehow, I knew you were going to say that. At least stay behind me.”
“I mean, if it makes you feel better. But I’m pretty sure that was an earthquake, not an invasion,” I tease.
“Humor me.”
