Shifted

“Savannah Salander. I’ll be your guide on your hike tomorrow. Welcome to Atlantica Bay.” She stuck out her hand and he shook enthusiastically.

He didn’t release her hand. He fixed his eyes on her, feasting from her head to her toes as if he couldn’t decide what he would do with her first. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out—Savannah knew he was imagining dirty things about her. She tried to pull her hand away politely, but he wouldn’t let her go. His grip was firm.

“My name’s Diego. It’s very nice to meet you, Savvie. May I call you Savvie?” He looked over his shoulder and called his brothers. “Eli. Zach. Come meet our guide.”

One of the other triplets looked at her and dropped what he was doing, a naughty grin plastered across his face. His eyes were glued to her as he stalked over. Like Diego, he also had a pair of luminous hazel eyes. But he wasn’t a hunter. Beneath his lush lashes, his eyes told her he was a seducer. Savannah knew his type all too well—she had dated a few like him in the past.

“Well, well.” He dusted the dirt off his hands before seizing Savannah’s from Diego and shaking it. “This is our guide?” he asked his brother, without tearing his stare from her.

Diego winked. “The sweet Savannah Salander. Savvie, this is my brother Zachary.”

“Perfect,” Zach declared. “I can already tell we’re going to have an interesting weekend. Are you married?”

“Excuse me?”

“Engaged?”

“I don’t see if that is any of your—”

“Boyfriend?”

“Zach!” Diego chastised his brother. “Be nice.” He turned to her. “Girlfriend?”

Savannah yanked her hand from Zach’s grip. “Yes. And she’s three months pregnant with our baby.”

The grin on Zach’s face vanished in an instant. Savannah wanted to laugh, but she was able to keep her face straight. Diego didn’t believe her—he looked straight into her eyes as if he could tell she was fibbing. Damn. She’d thought she had an award-winning poker face.

The other triplet came by. He was dressed in a white T-shirt with dark chinos and steel-toed boots. His hair was close-cropped and his skin was slightly more tanned than his brothers’. The muscles bulging under his tee showed that he took care of himself well—he might even be into body building.

“Hello.” He nodded at her. “I’m Elijah. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms Salander. I believe we’ve talked on the phone before? When I made the reservation?”

Savannah remembered—they’d had a pleasant conversation. “I believe we have. It’s a pleasure too, to finally meet you in person.”

Eli was polite and genteel, just as he’d been on the phone. Back then, she’d suspected he was a geek, considering he and his brothers were from New York and the majority of her clients were some bored yuppies. She hadn’t expected the Cattaneos to be so…yummy. She craned her neck, looking at their luggage piled on the marina’s deck. “Is that all of your bags?”

“I have a couple more items in the boat,” Eli replied. “I haven’t finished unloading.”

“We have plenty of time, don’t worry.” Savannah peeked at her watch. “We’ll hike out tomorrow morning at six sharp. As soon as you load your luggage into my car, I’ll drive you guys to your motel. And perhaps”—she turned to Eli—“you could come with me to my office to finish up the registration? I need you to sign some papers.”

“I’ll do that,” Zach answered eagerly. Eli shot him a look. “He didn’t want me to pay for the trip,” Zach whispered. “Is that your Hummer?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful.”

After Savannah had dropped Diego and Eli at the Cherry Creek Motel, she drove Zach to her office, about two miles from the marina, to wrap up their paperwork. Zach watched her while she was driving. “Yes?” she finally asked.

“Do you really have a pregnant girlfriend?” Zach was curious.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t think you swing that way. You love cock. I can tell.”

Her cheeks burned from his brazen statement. She chose not to answer. Her guts were right—the Cattaneos were trouble. Especially Zach.

“How long have you been a guide here?” He finally tore his eyes from her, scanning the road.

“About three years.”