"Interesting technique."
Aurora nearly fell off the gate. She whipped around. Dark hair flying. Murder in her eyes. Perfect. "Do you just appear whenever I'm doing something?"
"Yes."
Her jaw dropped. Then snapped shut. "That's horrifying."
"Thank you,” I said.
She pointed accusingly. "Youarestalking me."
"I own the estate,” I reminded her. “And you know, you could’ve asked someone to open the doors."
She jumped off the gate. Badly. I caught her automatically. For one glorious second Aurora Ventura ended up directly against my chest. Warm. Soft. Startled. My hands settled around her waist. Small waist. Very small. Her eyes widened. Mine probably did too. Then she shoved herself backward.
"I absolutely had that."
"You were about to die,” I hissed.
"I was falling two feet."
"Tragic death." She rolled her eyes so hard I worried they might remain stuck. I liked her. That was becoming a serious issue. "Come on."
I grabbed her wrist. Aurora dug her heels into the dirt. Like an angry cat. An extremely attractive angry cat. "We're going to the range. I cut it short last time."
"I hate guns,” she grumbled. "I don't need experience to hate things."
"You sound like a little girl,” I said with a grin.
"I am deeply offended."
Good. That got her moving. The shooting range sat on the far side of the estate carved directly into the cliff. Concrete. Steel. Ocean. Very relaxing. Aurora looked significantly less relaxed.
The moment she spotted the weapons, she crossed her arms. "Not today."
I picked up a pistol. "You're running out of arguments."
"I'm not touching that,” she insisted.
I unloaded the magazine. Cleared the chamber. Then handed it over. Aurora eyed the weapon suspiciously. Like it might personally insult her. "It's empty."
"I know.”
“So what's the problem?"
She narrowed her eyes. "You."
Fair. I stepped closer. She stopped breathing normally. I held the pistol out again. This time she took it. Reluctantly. Like accepting a dead rat from a cat. Progress.
"Good." Her fingers curled awkwardly around the grip. I moved behind her. Aurora froze. Every muscle locked. The ocean crashed somewhere below us. Wind pulled strands of dark hair across her shoulder. I could smell vanilla, apples. Salt. Her. Not helping. At all. "Relax."
"I'm relaxed."
I adjusted her grip. Carefully. Slowly. Giving her every opportunity to pull away. She didn't. Which felt important. Too important. "Both hands."
She obeyed. I moved one finger. Adjusted her stance. Touched her hip briefly. Instant mistake. My entire body became aware she existed. Very aware. Painfully aware. I stepped back. Coward. Aurora looked over her shoulder. Confused. Then suspicious. Then smug.
I wanted to throw myself into the ocean. Instead I pointed at the target. "Focus."
