But Jack was faster. He moved with stunning quickness, melting into the shadows beside the house, disappearing entirely into the climbing jasmine. How had he done that?
The man scanned the area behind him, seeing nothing. Thank goodness. “What are you seeing, sweetheart? Ghosts?”
Hah! That was funny.
The guy whirled back around. “You can’t trip me up that easily.”
I was still staring behind him, trying to figure out where Jack had gone. That’s when I saw it.
He hadn’t moved with lightning speed and hidden himself in the jasmine leaves.
No. He had pushed his entire body nearly out of this world in an attempt to avoid detection. He was the faintest outline in the shadows of the house and climbing vines.
Impressive.
Clever Jack.
“So about that kiss . . .” The guy took another step closer, a hand reaching out to grab me.
I evaded andfinallystepped back, swinging my can of mace around.
Thepaparazzomoved quickly, wrapping a meaty hand around my wrist, puckering his lips. I wrestled with him, kicking his shins.
The man chuckled, pulling me closer to him. “C’mon, darlin’.”
As abruptly as he disappeared, Jack reappeared.
Like . . . absolutely and utterly appeared, body flowing into this world.
Jack Knight-Snow was suddenly . . . here. Real. Solid.Breathing.Stealing all the air for at least a mile in any direction.
My jaw sagged. My brain shut down.
For his part, Jack’s gaze was fixated on thepaparazzo’s hold on my wrist.
“Unhand her, you fiend!” Jack thundered.
Thepaparazzoyelped in surprise, nearly jumping out of his skin as he whipped back around.
Jack wrenched the man’s arm off of mine with his left hand, while simultaneously driving his right fist into the man’s jaw. Thepaparazzosprawled onto the ground, camera smacking him in the face.
“If you’re here when I turn back around, I will continue my demonstration of fisticuffs and pummel you senseless.” Jack stomped past the man, not even looking at him as he delivered his threat.
No, Jack’s attention was one hundred and ten percent on me. Which was good, as Jack was all I saw.
The tendons in his neck flexing as he stalked forward . . .
The slide of shoulder muscles underneath his billowy shirt . . .
The flex of thigh muscles in his tight breeches as he walked was like . . .
My heart did an odd gymnastics thing, flipping into my throat and then tumbling out the bottom of my ribs. There had been so much talk of kissing the last few minutes that it was all I could focus on.
My hands instinctively reached for him. I swallowed, licking my lips. Jack’s eyes flared, his gaze lowering to my mouth. That’s all it took.
Two more steps and Jack was all around me. One solid hand cupping my jaw. The other in the small of my back, lifting me up to him. My entire body pressed against the solid strength of him. He was heated and warm and so veryhere.
“Oh!” Every last wisp of air in my lungs scrambled for shore.
