“Willa?”
I blink.
God, I really got distracted then.
I focus back on Lake.
I mean, the man is fucking fire. He’s gorgeous, all that thick blond hair, olive skin and those dazzling green eyes with specks of yellow in them. He has this strong body, big firm muscles, and abs that you would happily spend hours running your tongue over. He doesn’t look like he belongs on a ranch, that’s for certain. He looks as if he belongs on a board, riding a wave, gorgeous blond females on his thick, strong arms ...
Good heavens. Snap out of it, Willa.
I can’t even stand the man, what am I thinking?
If he wasn’t such a douche, I’d probably be attempting to get into his pants, but he is a douche and he has made it very clear it’ll be his mission to make my life as miserable as he can while I’m here. I mean, who wants to kayak and look at a bunch of trees? Not this brown duck. Who wants to sit around a fire and talk about how happy we are to be out of prison? Not me. I know what they are trying to do, but I’m not bloody interested.
“Wonderful evening, Lake. Fancy seeing you here.”
His mouth twitches as he pushes off the post. “Did you honestly think I wouldn’t know if you tried to sneak out? You walked straight past the main house with your flashlight on.”
Oops.
I figured they were in bed.
Look it has been a while since I’ve snuck out, okay? I’m not that great at it anymore.
When I was younger, I could stealth my way out of the house without so much as a creak. I would go out, party my little backside off, and be back in bed before my foster mother woke up in the morning. They all thought I was this great child, and I was, but when the night fell, I was nowhere to be seen.
“So there I am, havin’ a fuckin’ smoke before bed and I look out to see you scurrying around like an escaped prisoner.”
“Oh ha-ha,” I say sarcastically. “Is that the best you could do? How original.”
He grins, probably the most genuine one I’ve seen come from him. Usually, he wears a scowl when his face is pointed in my direction. “I know a shortcut to get down here long before you could, it was worth it to see your face.”
I grunt.
He’s so pleased with himself, thinking he has one up on me.
He’s wrong.
So wrong.
“Don’t flatter yourself, River. I was actually imagining the man who might steal me away and make passionate love to me tonight so I don’t have to return to this place.”
He really, really hates it when I call him River.
So, for obvious reasons, that’s what I call him.
“You’re walking a fine line with me, Willa. I’ve been nice, but my patience is wearin’ thin.”
“Nice?” I scoff. “At what moment have you been nice? You and Barry tried to kill me earlier, that is so far from nice.”
“Because you refuse to give this place a go, you’ve been here for less than forty-eight hours and you’re already acting like you’re too good. You think the world owes you something.”
“The world does owe me something,” I snap, crossing my arms. “You’d know that if you weren’t so judgy.”
“You’d know I listen well if you weren’t such a pain in the ass and actually talked to me like a normal person instead of walking around with a big fuckin’ chip on your shoulder.”
“Did that big sentence hurt?” I scoff.
“I’m fuckin’ about ready to take you over my god damned knee and ...”
I roll my eyes. “What?” I challenge. “What are you going to do? Throw me over your shoulder and shackle me in a basement? Maybe then I’ll do as you ask.”
His eyes flash. “Tempting.”
“Nobody is stopping you. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go and get a beer.”
“I’m not letting you leave this ranch, it’s against the rules.”
I put my hands up. “Ohhh, the rules. How dare we break them.”
He’s getting pissed, his handsome face is hardening, and he looks like he might just throw me if I continue with my antics. I wouldn’t mind having a tackle with Lake. I mean, imagine him throwing you over his big shoulders, that gorgeous body pressing against you ... It’s so tempting I might just allow it to happen.
I’m always down for a good wrestle.
Especially with a man like Lake.
“It’s not fuckin’ happening. You either walk back, or I’ll make you walk back.”
I grin and wicked idea popping into my mind. “I’ll do you a deal. I’ll go back to the ranch if ... you can catch me.”
Then I lunge forward, taking him by surprise.
I run.
I’m fast.
I’m little.
I run right past him, adrenaline bursting inside my body, spurring me on. Lake barks a curse, but I hear him begin to run. His pounding footsteps gaining on me. My heart skips a beat and I laugh, wild and free. Part of me wants him to catch me, to punish me, and the other part wants to outrun him so I can have that beer.