Read Online Unveiled (Vargas Cartel #2) by Lisa Cardiff - Free Book Online
Authors: Lisa Cardiff
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“Another way to do what?”
Need and tenderness were etched into the hard angles of his face. Ryker brushed a thumb over my lips, and my lungs constricted. “To do my job and still keep you safe.”
“I don’t like this, Ryker. What aren’t you telling me?”
A smile tugged at his lips and his eyes glowed. He was so close I could see the fiery yellow flecks around his pupils. “Lots of things. Too many things.” He opened the car door. “Let’s go. You have a schedule to keep.”
I scowled, and he rubbed the back of his hand across his lips, smothering his laugh. It didn’t work. “Do I amuse you?”
“Always.”
Chapter Nine
Ryker
I held Hattie’s hand as we wove through the throngs of people rushing to class on the University campus. She talked about her passion for politics and her plans to take make-up classes this summer. I nodded and smiled where appropriate, but I couldn’t form the words to respond.
Guilt coated my stomach. I couldn’t believe I had asked her to reconcile with Evan. Sleep eluded me last night as I explored my options. In the end, I had decided to sacrifice Hattie, at least temporarily, until I figured out another solution.
I didn’t deserve her. She deserved someone better. Someone without baggage. Someone not tainted by lies. Unfortunately for her, I was selfish, and I had no intention of letting her go. Ever. I couldn’t imagine not wanting her.
“We’re going in there.” She pointed at a cream-colored structure. “This is the library. I need to grab a few books I have on reserve. Then, we can go.”
“I’ll wait here.”
She startled as I ran the pad of my fingertips down the side of her face to her collarbone. The air crackled with static electricity. Shifting on her feet, she bit down on her lower lip. She was nervous. I made her nervous.
She lowered her gaze. “Okay. It should only take me a few minutes.”
A smile spread across my face, and I yanked her against me, keeping our hands entwined. She curled her free hand around my shoulder, and it was all the permission I needed. I didn’t know how many more chances Hattie would give me, but I refused to let one slip away.
I covered her mouth with a searing kiss, conquering her sweet taste one stroke and slide at a time. Her body swayed into mine as her fingers tangled in my hair. My heart pounded in unison with hers. Urgency roared through my blood as our last night together flickered through my mind. The memory of that night had haunted me for weeks—the feel of her silken skin against my fingertips, the taste of her lips, her fresh, crisp scent, and everything uniquely Hattie. I wanted to feel her body beneath mine again as I took everything she had to offer and more.
Then, all too quickly she pulled her head back. Hattie gaped at me with a mixture of wonder and fear; her pleasure-stung lips parted as her fingertips stroked my jaw line.
“Hattie,” I muttered. “I’ve tried to let you go over and over in Mexico and again today. But this is it. I’m done trying.”
Her eyes glistened. “Ryker, I want this to work, but I don’t know if I’m ready. I need to sort through all these messy emotions I have for you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“This morning I had convinced myself I felt attached to you because of our twisted history and everything would fade. But when I see you…” She shook her head and exhaled a delicate puff of air. “When we’re alone, everything changes. There’s just something about you, about us, that makes me want to take a chance. That may make me an idiot, but maybe I don’t care anymore.”
“I have an idea,” I rasped.
She smiled as her hand toyed with the top button of my shirt, and I groaned inwardly. “Yeah?”
“Come out to dinner with me tomorrow.”
“How’s that going to solve anything?”
“It will give us time together in a normal setting, without worrying about life or death or
Need and tenderness were etched into the hard angles of his face. Ryker brushed a thumb over my lips, and my lungs constricted. “To do my job and still keep you safe.”
“I don’t like this, Ryker. What aren’t you telling me?”
A smile tugged at his lips and his eyes glowed. He was so close I could see the fiery yellow flecks around his pupils. “Lots of things. Too many things.” He opened the car door. “Let’s go. You have a schedule to keep.”
I scowled, and he rubbed the back of his hand across his lips, smothering his laugh. It didn’t work. “Do I amuse you?”
“Always.”
Chapter Nine
Ryker
I held Hattie’s hand as we wove through the throngs of people rushing to class on the University campus. She talked about her passion for politics and her plans to take make-up classes this summer. I nodded and smiled where appropriate, but I couldn’t form the words to respond.
Guilt coated my stomach. I couldn’t believe I had asked her to reconcile with Evan. Sleep eluded me last night as I explored my options. In the end, I had decided to sacrifice Hattie, at least temporarily, until I figured out another solution.
I didn’t deserve her. She deserved someone better. Someone without baggage. Someone not tainted by lies. Unfortunately for her, I was selfish, and I had no intention of letting her go. Ever. I couldn’t imagine not wanting her.
“We’re going in there.” She pointed at a cream-colored structure. “This is the library. I need to grab a few books I have on reserve. Then, we can go.”
“I’ll wait here.”
She startled as I ran the pad of my fingertips down the side of her face to her collarbone. The air crackled with static electricity. Shifting on her feet, she bit down on her lower lip. She was nervous. I made her nervous.
She lowered her gaze. “Okay. It should only take me a few minutes.”
A smile spread across my face, and I yanked her against me, keeping our hands entwined. She curled her free hand around my shoulder, and it was all the permission I needed. I didn’t know how many more chances Hattie would give me, but I refused to let one slip away.
I covered her mouth with a searing kiss, conquering her sweet taste one stroke and slide at a time. Her body swayed into mine as her fingers tangled in my hair. My heart pounded in unison with hers. Urgency roared through my blood as our last night together flickered through my mind. The memory of that night had haunted me for weeks—the feel of her silken skin against my fingertips, the taste of her lips, her fresh, crisp scent, and everything uniquely Hattie. I wanted to feel her body beneath mine again as I took everything she had to offer and more.
Then, all too quickly she pulled her head back. Hattie gaped at me with a mixture of wonder and fear; her pleasure-stung lips parted as her fingertips stroked my jaw line.
“Hattie,” I muttered. “I’ve tried to let you go over and over in Mexico and again today. But this is it. I’m done trying.”
Her eyes glistened. “Ryker, I want this to work, but I don’t know if I’m ready. I need to sort through all these messy emotions I have for you.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“This morning I had convinced myself I felt attached to you because of our twisted history and everything would fade. But when I see you…” She shook her head and exhaled a delicate puff of air. “When we’re alone, everything changes. There’s just something about you, about us, that makes me want to take a chance. That may make me an idiot, but maybe I don’t care anymore.”
“I have an idea,” I rasped.
She smiled as her hand toyed with the top button of my shirt, and I groaned inwardly. “Yeah?”
“Come out to dinner with me tomorrow.”
“How’s that going to solve anything?”
“It will give us time together in a normal setting, without worrying about life or death or
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