A Sinful Trap (Three Sinful Wishes 2)

She always said that, too. It was comforting to know what was going to happen. To know people well enough that you could guess what they were going to say or going to order. Cam and Davide might find it boring, but for Bailey, it made her feel connected.

They’d probably been to plenty of beaches all over the world. She could see them lazing on the sand. Rubbing sunscreen on each other’s bodies. Kissing, waist deep in the water, Cam’s hand disappearing beneath the concealing waves to grip both their erections and—

“Bailey? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Benny.” She cupped her cheeks, knowing they were bright red. “I think I’m overheated and hungry, that’s all.”

Horny was the word.

Not the time.

“You go get your table and I’ll have Flora bring out your lunch when it’s ready.”

“Good idea.” She started toward the door but Benny’s light touch on her shoulder stopped her. “What is it?”

“Next week,” he said, looking uncomfortable. “Kashi and I have been together three years next week.”

“I knew it was coming up,” she told him, thinking of the present she’d already wrapped that was waiting in her closet. “Happy anniversary.”

Now he was the one turning pink. “We’re having a thing, and we wanted you to stop by so we could thank you for playing Cupid. I’m not supposed to tell you, but he might have written a song about what you had to go through to get us together, so I know it would mean a lot to him.”

She was going to cry. Her hormones could not make up their mind today. “I’d love to, but you two don’t have to thank me for anything.”

He harrumphed. There was no other word for it. “He never would have come near me if you hadn’t done what you do—seen a problem and found a way to fix it.”

“You weren’t a problem, but I do love the compliment,” she teased to lighten the moment. “I also enjoy good meals in beach cafés and vicarious happiness.”

He chuckled and awkwardly squeezed her arm. “Then you should be in heaven, because I’ve never been so happy.”

She fanned her wide eyes, backing away. “I’m leaving now before we start crying and hugging and I ruin your grumpy reputation forever.”

His booming laughter followed her out the swinging door, and she looked back with a smile in time to walk right into someone in her path. “Oh damn, I’m sorry I— Stax?”

It was him. The lean, handsome coyote who’d saved Dani. His long, black hair hung loose about his shoulders, and his piercing eyes caught hers and held.

She hadn’t seen him since that night in the Casa Rincon parking lot. Before that, it had been at Dani’s house when Nick had brought him to play poker with Liam and Jace while the girls had stayed outside and wished on their stars.

What was he doing here? “Are you here to see Nick? He’s at the bar with Jace.”

He shook his head, holding her captive with his gaze. “I’m not here for Nick, Bailey.”

It couldn’t be for her, unless this was about her seeing the spider. Did he know about that?

“Dani’s not here yet. But Liam is,” she added, just in case he had more designs on her friend.

His lips curved. “Dani’s about to walk through the door, but she’s not the reason I stopped by either. I still admire your passion, Bailey. For your inn. For your friends.”

He’d said that the night they met. Back when she’d thought he was a drifting conman instead of a powerful shapeshifter. “What do you want?”

Stax leaned down, close enough for her to smell sandalwood and desert. If she wasn’t so obsessed with Cam and Davide, she’d definitely be susceptible to him.

“Being safe isn’t enough anymore, so be brave,” he whispered in her ear. “As brave as you are for other people. And no matter what you see over the next few days, don’t forget to listen.”

“Bailey!” Dani shouted cheerfully from the door. “We’re at the table.”

Bailey glanced over her shoulder to call back “One second!”

But when she turned to ask Stax what he was talking about, he was gone.

Chapter Eight

What the hell?

Bailey spun around. The café was crowded, but not enough that she wouldn’t be able to pick out his very distinctive frame or the walking stick he always carried around with him. She knew he could transform into a coyote, but disappear into thin air…?

She closed her eyes and counted to ten before looking again. Nothing. Had he even been here at all? She was tempted to ask around and see if anyone else had seen him, but somehow, she knew they hadn’t.

What was her life now?

Running her damp palms over her skirt, she took a deep breath and headed outside to her table. Her friends. Sanity. Puzzling out her hallucination’s message would have to wait until later. She had too much on her plate at the moment, and she doubted Kaya would react well to the visitation. She’d better keep it to herself.