When Shadows Fall (24 page)

He struggled to get up, the disc in his hand but murderous intent in his eyes.

"Good catch," she said, laughing at his sopping clothes and disgruntled expression.

"You did that on purpose, Olivia."

"We didn't have any boundaries." She backed up as he stalked toward her.

"The ocean was an implied boundary."

"You never said that." Another laugh slipped past her lips as he paused for a moment to wring out the edge of his t-shirt.

"You're enjoying this a little too much," he said.

She was enjoying herself. The tension of the last three days had completely disappeared with the crashing of the waves, the salty sea breeze dampening her cheeks, and the occasional squawk of a seagull. The beach had worked its magic.

Or maybe it was Colton, the man who was stomping deliberately in her direction. And judging by the expression on his face, he was about to exact payback.

She took off running down the beach, knowing she was probably only postponing the inevitable. Colton ran every day. He was in excellent physical shape, and while she occasionally made it to the gym and got on the elliptical for an hour, most of her days were spent sitting at a desk and working on her computer.

Flinging a quick look over her shoulder, she saw he was closing in on her. Probably the only thing slowing him down was the fact that his jeans and shirt were soaked and heavy with water.

She tried to speed up, but she couldn't get enough traction in the slippery sand. A second later, Colton grabbed her around the waist, and before she could react he had flung her up and over his shoulder like she was no heavier than a rag doll. Then he headed straight for the sea.

"Don't," she squealed, trying to squirm out of his hold, but the man had a grip on her. He was used to carrying people out of burning buildings, so this was probably nothing for him.

He ran right into the water. She could see it swirling around his ankles, and she put every last ounce of energy and guile she had into staying out of the ocean.

"I'll do whatever you want," she pleaded. "Just don't drop me."

"Whatever I want?"

"Well, within reason," she quickly amended.

"I was going to give in until you said that."

"Colton, you can't throw me in."

"You didn't hesitate to get me wet," he retorted.

Up until the second the icy cold water hit her feet, she thought he would save her, but the next thing she knew she was sitting in three feet of freezing water, her eyes blurred from the spray, her heart almost stopping from the cold, and a pile of seaweed wrapping itself around her hand.

As the current began its pull toward the ocean, Colton grabbed her hand and yanked her to her feet. They half ran, half stumbled to dry land. Once her toes curled in the warmer dry sand, she stopped to catch her breath.

Then she looked at Colton, who had a huge smile on his face. "I can't believe you did that."

"I owed you, and you said you didn't want any favors because you're a woman," he reminded her.

"Yeah, but…" She couldn't really finish that sentence because she had no real defense. She had been cocky enough to say that earlier, and she had been the one to send him into the sea first.

He laughed. "Can't think of anything to say? This must be a first."

She thought for a moment and then realized the plastic disc was no longer in his hands. "Actually, I have two words for you—
I win
."

"What are you talking about? I caught it before I landed in the water."

"But where is it now? You must have dropped it."

"I didn't drop it. I put it down over there," he said pointing down the beach.

"All I know is that it's on the ground and you didn't throw it to me, so I win. And winner buys dinner, remember?"

He stared back at her, his brows drawing into a frown. "Well…"

"Nothing to say?" she prodded a moment later.

"I think you're winning on a technicality."

"A win is a win." She wrapped her arms around her waist as another chill ran through her. "I need to dry off."

"Let's go back to the car. We can argue with the heat on."

As they started to walk, Colton put an arm around her shoulders, and she couldn't resist snuggling up to his side as they made their way down the beach. She told herself she was only being practical and trying to share some of his body heat, but that was a lie. She liked his arm around her. Liked being next to him. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.

She even kind of liked the fact that he'd tossed her into the sea, although she'd never admit that to him. But the action showed that he respected her. He'd treated her like an equal and showed that he could take a prank as well as give it back in return. She'd never liked people who took themselves too seriously, who couldn't be the butt of a joke without getting pissed off or embarrassed.

But Colton didn't care that his clothes were soaked in saltwater and that there was sand now clinging to his jeans in thick clumps. And the truth was, she didn't really care, either, because maybe, just maybe, she'd been taking her own life a little too seriously, and she'd needed a vivid reminder that not every day had to be a battle.

Or at least not every part of every day…

When they got to the car, Olivia was also extremely happy that they had taken Colton's car and not her rental.

"Do you have a towel or sweatshirt or anything I can sit on?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. A little sand and water isn't going to kill this baby. She's been all over the state in all kinds of weather."

Judging by the weathered interior of his Jeep, he wasn't kidding. "Why do men always refer to their cars as
she
?"

"No idea," he said with a smile as he started the car and blasted the heat. "Maybe because, like women, they can be beautiful, fast and also extremely dangerous."

She smiled at that. "Really? You run into burning buildings, and you think women are dangerous?"

He nodded. "Absolutely."

"Well, I think you're crazy. I've never broken anyone's heart."

"Maybe you just don't know that you did." He pulled out of the parking lot and drove back down the Great Highway.

She thought about his words for a moment and then shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I've really only had two serious boyfriends. One was freshman year of college, and I think I picked him because I was still looking to escape all the grief of my last year in high school. He eventually moved on to someone who was probably in a happier state of mind."

"And the second one?"

"He was after college—a law student. We dated for almost a year. I was a little surprised when it ended. But he didn't like law school and he wasn't crazy about New York, so he dropped out of school and decided to travel around for a year. He asked me if I wanted to go with him, but I had just gotten the job with Philip Dunston, and I wanted to be moving towards something, not living like a nomad in whatever place he wanted to go to. So we broke up."

"Did you ever hear from him again?"

"He sent me a few postcards, but that ended after about six months. I later heard from a mutual friend that he moved to Australia." She paused. "So I definitely did not break his heart."

"It doesn't sound like he broke yours, either."

"No, he didn't. I was a little sad when he left, but not sad enough that I wanted to follow him." She glanced at Colton. "He once told me I was too serious for him. That I needed to loosen up and have some fun once in a while."

Colton gazed back at her. "He didn't know you at all."

She liked his answer. "I know I can be too serious. It wasn't a completely unfair criticism."

"But you can also let loose. Look at you now. And you're not even mad that I threw you into the ocean."

"I wouldn't go that far."

He simply smiled.

"What about you—since we're sharing," she said. "Any broken hearts in your wake?"

"I don’t think so. I try not to lead women on."

"What about serious girlfriends?"

"I have the opposite problem of you, Olivia. No one thinks I'm serious about anything."

She thought about that, heard the undertone in his voice, and knew without a doubt that he had far more depth than he let on. She repeated his words. "Then they don't know you at all."

Their gazes met, sparked, clung together. And then he reluctantly turned his attention back to the road.

He didn't say anything more the rest of the way back to the hotel, which was fine, because she hated to admit that she was a bit shaken by what had just passed between them. She could handle the fun and games Colton, the charming man with the irresistible smile. She could play off his wit and sense of humor, but the more serious side of the man made her pulse race, and her heart couldn't seem to settle into a steady beat. That
man could really get under her skin, she thought. That man could be someone worth breaking her heart over.

But maybe their relationship didn't have to be about love. It could just be about fun, about sensual, pleasurable, toe-curling fun. Her nerves tingled at the thought.

Colton pulled into a parking spot in front of her hotel. "I guess I should go home, take a shower, and change clothes."

"I guess so," she said, thinking it might be more enjoyable if they took their showers together. Heat ran through her at the thought.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said quickly. "I should shower and change, too. I'm sure I'm going to draw some curious looks getting into the elevator."

"Maybe I should come with you, then you won't be the only one drawing attention."

"That would be chivalrous," she said lightly, knowing that she was playing with danger.

"Only if you want the company." His gaze once again held hers.

She hesitated for a long second, then nodded. "Yes, I think you should come up to my room with me. I have a nice shower with great water pressure."

A light flashed in his blue eyes. "Seriously?"

"Didn't I just tell you that I'm almost always serious?" Without waiting for an answer, she got out of his car and waited for him on the sidewalk. For a split second, she wondered if he wasn't going to take her up on her offer. That was the problem with putting herself out there—there was always a risk.

Chapter Twenty

Colton didn't know what made him hesitate. But it wasn't until he saw Olivia hit the sidewalk and slowly turn to see if he was following that he jumped out of the car. He knew she didn't hook up with random guys. In fact, that's why he hadn't moved right away. He'd still been thinking she'd retract her offer to come inside, because if he went into her hotel room, he would not be leaving anytime soon.

But her sweet, uncertain smile told him she was okay with that. So he met her on the sidewalk and put his arm around her waist as they entered the hotel together.

The front desk gave them a speculative look, but he was on the phone, and quickly his attention was brought back to his call. They didn't see anyone else on their way up to Olivia's room.

Olivia unlocked her door and walked inside, tossing her handbag down on the table. Then she gave him a nervous look. "Should I turn on the shower?"

He found her hesitancy very appealing. She was an intriguing mix of soft and hard, innocence and sophistication, seriousness and fun, all of which made for a really likeable woman. Not to mention beautiful. Even now with her dark ponytail dripping water on the rug and all the makeup erased from her face, she was spectacularly pretty.

"You're staring, Colton."

"I know. I haven't been able to take my eyes off of you since I first met you—in case you hadn't noticed."

She licked her lips. "I've been fighting a similar battle. You have a smile that's pretty irresistible. And your eyes—"

"Are not as amazing as your eyes." He smiled. "So I guess we're two beautiful people, huh?"

She laughed as he broke the tension. "Yes, and we're both really modest." She paused. "You're good at making me relax, Colton."

"You, on the other hand, have me all wound up," he said, feeling edgy and eager but not wanting to rush her too fast into anything.

Her green eyes darkened at his words. "This—us—it could be a mistake."

"It could be," he agreed. "We don't have to do anything, Olivia. I can leave right now. No harm. No foul."

"No fun?"

He tipped his head. "I think we would be missing out on something amazing."

"I do, too." She gazed back at him for a long moment. "I don't want you to leave, Colton. I want you to stay."

His chest tightened at the look of desire in her eyes. "I'm glad you feel that way, because I didn't really have any intention of going anywhere." He quickly bridged the space between them, putting his hands on her waist and leaning in to steal a quick kiss. Her lips were salty and cool; he was determined to change that. "Let's get you out of these wet clothes."

"You first." She grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and helped him pull it over his head. Then she stepped back, her eyes a little awed.

"My God. You're gorgeous, Colton. I mean, I thought you would be, because you're a firefighter, and you're fit, and you run…" She blew out a breath as she fanned her face with her hand. "I feel a little intimidated, I won't lie. I do not have abs like that."

He liked the look of hunger in her eyes. It made him feel good about all those hours he'd spent working out.

"I'm glad," he said. "Because I like curves—soft, sexy curves." He unbuttoned her blouse and pulled it off of her shoulders. As she slipped her arms out of the sleeves, his gaze fell to the deep red bra hugging a generous pair of breasts and his mouth went dry.

Her skin was a pale gold with a dusting of freckles on her shoulders and along her collarbone. A few errant freckles slid behind her bra straps, beckoning him to come closer.

He flicked open the front closure on her bra, pulling the sides apart and shook his head in appreciation of her beautiful breasts. "Now who's intimidated?" He covered her breasts with his hands, loving the soft globes and the hard peaks, and then he lowered his mouth to first one breast and then the other.