No! Oh, no!
This was exactly what her mother had warned her about.
Not that Wolf was a philanderer or a liar or a cheat like so many of her mother’s husbands and boyfriends had been. And he wasn’t even the pickup artist and player she’d pegged him as after that night in Schooner Wharf Bar. But hewasa man like Chrissy’s father. A man with adventure and wanderlust in his blood.
He’s a Navy SEAL turned treasure hunter, for Pete’s sake! How can he ever truly be satisfied with the life I’m offering?
Flopping onto her back, Chrissy stared up at the ceiling and felt a desolate dread creep into her heart. If she kept on being Wolf’s friend with benefits, she’d fall more and more in love with him. Until eventually, she’d want to tell him.
But if she told him, he’d stay. Always. Even when he no longer wanted to. That was Wolf. Loyal and true.
I have to nip this thing in the bud now, before it gets any more out of control. Before I fall any further. While I can still save our friendship and—
“What’s that ceilin’ ever done to you?” His low, sleep-heavy voice slipped inside her ears.
She wanted so much to jump into his arms and beg him never to leave her. To always love her. But what would that accomplish? He’d agree, of course. Like her father had in the early days when everyone thought love was enough.
But it isn’t,she thought frantically.Sometimes it justisn’t.
“You want some breakfast?” She hoped her panic wasn’t revealed in her voice. “I think I have some eggs and cheese. I could make omelets.”
“I’m hungry for somethin’.” He reached for her. “But it ain’t food.”
She faked a laugh and jumped out of bed, quickly slipping into her robe. She was crazy, but she would swear it still retained the warmth from Wolf’s skin. Itdefinitelyheld his sexy desert flowers and dry cedar scent.
His all-seeing eyes raked over her face. “What’s wrong?” He sat up in bed.
“Nothing.” She tried to sound airy and light. Instead, her voice cracked.
“You’re a terrible liar.”
“Nothing’s wrong per se,” she clarified. “We have a full day ahead of us. We have to go to the police station to give our statements. I want to stop by the hospital to see Winston and his folks. Besides…” She tentatively met his gaze. “Haven’t we scratched our itch enough? Don’t you think it’s time to go back to being friends?”
Understanding dawned in those sparkling black eyes. His tone was one of ill-disguised frustration when he said lowly, slowly, “What are you doin’, Christina?”
She felt her cheeks burn scarlet. “What?” She blinked innocently. “Nothing, I—”
“Don’t bullshit me,” he cut in pointedly. “Is this you breakin’ up with me?”
The hard look in his eyes made her bristle. “We were never together, Wolf. So we can’t break up.”
He lifted his gaze heavenward, and sweet heavens! Why did he have to have such an appealing Adam’s apple? Then he dropped his chin and indicated the rumbled sheets. “If we weren’t together, what do you call this?”
“I call it, uh—” Her mouth was cotton ball dry. She swallowed and tried again. “I call it thebenefitsside of friends with benefits.”
“Great.” He dipped his chin. “So after one night you’re ready to go back to nixin’ that part of our relationship?”
His savage gaze knocked out what little wind she still had in her sails. But the sound of her phone alerting her to a text gave her a chance to escape. “I better go check that.”
She didn’t wait for him to respond before turning tail and running out of the room like the coward she was. Once in the kitchen, she thumbed on her phone and lifted a hand to her mouth when she saw the message from Maryanne Turner. She swung around, only to discover Wolf had followed her.
He was absolutely glorious in his nudity. So male and virile and completely confident as he stood there with his arms crossed and a deep scowl on his beautiful face.
“They’re taking Winston into surgery.” Her voice was hoarse from the battle to keep her emotions in check. “I need to go to the hospital. I want to be there for Curtis and Maryanne.”
His nostrils flared. His eyes tried to burn holes through her. But he didn’t say a word.
“I’ll run and get dressed,” she said inanely, scurrying by him.
