Read Online The Nymph's Curse: The Collection by Danica Winters - Free Book Online Page B

burial of the body, but it sounds like he wants to just keep going. He said he found a private group of citizens who want to bury the remains.”
    He looked relieved, but Ariadne’s heart sank. What was Kat going to say?
    “This’s going to save me thousands, but cost me my reputation, and probably destroy the site.” He dropped his hand as he stood up. Where Beau’s moist breath had warmed her ear, suddenly turned cold.
    Ariadne stared at the man, as she tried to keep the fears that fluttered in her chest from leaking out onto her face. Stavros wouldn’t compromise everything to make money, would he?
    Stavros’ voice broke through the fog in her mind. “ … after much deliberation we, Beau Morris and I, have decided to open this dig up for the public to participate … ”
    Her heart fell to the ground. There would be no stopping it now.
    Kat turned around. “I thought you said you had this handled,” she hissed.
    “I … he … promised me … ” Ariadne stammered.
    Kat glared at her. “You’ll never change. I knew I couldn’t depend on you.”
    An explosive roar tore through the tent.
    At the sound of the gunshot, Ariadne threw her body to the ground. People screamed, chairs banged against each other, and the microphone popped and emitted an ear-piercing squeal. Beau reached out and took her hand. Grabbing her other arm, he pulled her toward him and took her in his embrace.
    “Are you okay?” he yelled above the jumble of noise.
    People frantically scurried around them. She looked into his brown eyes. There was strength in them she had never noticed before. For a moment, she could say nothing. She could only look at the man whose arms were wrapped around her.
    “Where’s Kaden?” Ariadne looked behind him, but she couldn’t see the young man anywhere.
    Beau’s heavy breath poured onto her face. “He’s with Trina.”
    Relief filled her. Beau and Kaden were okay.
    A woman screamed. “The governor! He’s been shot!”
    Stavros stood up on a chair at the front of the tent. He held his neck as blood ran through his fingers and down the front of his suit jacket. “Don’t worry. I’m fine. Just a little flesh wound.”
    “Get down!” Beau yelled at Stavros.
    Stavros clamored down from the chair. At least he had the sense to listen for once in his life.
    Beau looked at her. “Are you going to be okay?”
    She nodded.
    Without warning, he leaned in and took her mouth with his. She closed her eyes and let the warmth of his lips spread into her soul. His strong hand rubbed the space between her shoulders; the simple motion comforted her like nothing she had ever felt.
    As quickly as he had taken her, he pulled back. “I … I’m sorry … ,” he stuttered. “I just … You’re — ”
    She pressed her finger to his lip and silenced him. “Don’t worry, Beau. I understand this — you needed to know you’re alive.”
    “No — ” he began, but again she stopped him.
    “Don’t apologize.” She pressed her hands against his chest. His eyes were wide and his mouth agape as she moved out of his arms.
    A part of her wanted to stay there and be surrounded by his wanting touch, but it wasn’t right. Her loyalty was with her sisterhood, and she couldn’t be seen with their enemy.
    A thought struck her, he was their enemy, but could he be a lover? If they never went public. If they kept their affair in the shadows, maybe …
    No …
When his lips had pressed against hers, the feelings that ran between them were not that of simple lust. And more than lust was an emotional risk she wasn’t willing to take. She could have sex with anyone, but not a man with whom there was a possibility of something more than a physical connection.
    She tried to push the thoughts of more from her mind. There were too many reasons they couldn’t be together.
    Beau stood up and looked around. The people that were still left in the tent were sprawled on the ground at his feet. He looked god-like the way he scanned the