Page 10 of Hideaway Reunion

The coastal night was dark, the moon obscured by a thick bank of low-creeping fog. Thunderstorms were an ever-present threat this time of year. He listened for the source of that metallic sound, but only the rhythmic, distant roll of the surf and the rustle of the breeze moving through the dune grasses came back to him.

Keeping his flashlight off, he crept along, relying on his natural night vision, honed by training and years of tactical experience. Rounding the corner, he spotted the movement at the front of the house. Shadows from the front porch showed someone struggling near the ground. Hearing another scrape and screech of metal, followed by a curse, the pieces clicked.

The water main. When would these guys stop? This was more than trespassing, it was sabotage, designed to impede Hideaway business. The audacity was appalling.

Brayden moved soundlessly toward the person and he was almost within reach when the man swung out with the long, heavy shut-off key, before bolting across the front yard.

On an oath, Brayden ducked. Mad about his mistake, he rolled to his feet and gave chase.

A twig snapped and Brayden followed the sound. He’d expected the guy to run for the street, but instead he went straight for the trees. He flicked his tactical light to full strobe, the blinding, disorienting beam cutting through the fog to illuminate a dark, hooded figure standing about twenty feet away.

“Hey!” Brayden roared, springing forward with explosive speed. “Guardian Agency! Freeze!”

The figure scrambled for the Indigo Reef site.

Brayden didn’t hesitate, launching himself into the dark woods after the trespasser.

CHAPTER 3

The click of the deadbolt sliding into place sounded so final in the quiet kitchen. Veronica pulled the curtain across the glass and retreated to the other side of the island, her hands trembling. Her heart hammered against her ribs, wild and frantic, a rhythm that echoed in her ears.

Lock the door behind me, Veronica. Do it now.

Brayden’s command had been absolute, delivered with a cold, sharp authority bearing little resemblance to the easygoing childhood friend she knew. In that split second, the man who had gently cupped her cheek, sending her pulse into a tailspin, had vanished, replaced by a lethal stranger. An intense, focused protector.

Why didn’t that scare her?

Because in any form, Brayden was her friend. She’d seen him sharp and edgy, ready for competition. When she thought about it, his protector face wasn’t all that different. The stakes though? Those were way more significant than any sports title.

She stared at their unfinished meal and began to clean up. Goose bumps rippled across her skin as she thought about the heat in his gaze and in his touch when he’d cradled her face. Of course he was familiar with her. Over the years, he’d touched her frequently during workouts, while watching a game, or just hanging out.

But not like that.

That touch had been familiar, laced with something entirely new. Something her body recognized, despite her effort to tamp it down: desire.

The last time she’d allowed herself to feel anything other than friendship for Brayden had been early in their senior year of high school. It had been weeks since they’d seen each other at a track and field training camp. Somehow, he’d returned to school a few weeks later with more confidence and swagger she’d found magnetic.

During that brief window, she’d struggled to think of anything other than kissing him. Her focus was trash, her workouts uneven. It was crazy and consuming and nearly undermined the most stable friendship of her life. Should she tell him? Why didn’t he notice? Was it only because she felt left out of the teenage dating scene?

All those weeks, she’d yearned and waffled over what to do, how to say anything. Until she’d seen him kissing another girl. A girl he’d never mentioned to her.

That had been an effective cure for what she’d labeled as infatuation and tucked away as a silly phase. At the time she’d blamed it on Natalie rubbing off on her with her non-stop chatter about homecoming, teen romance movies, and first kisses.

She couldn’t blame her current daze on her little sister. Wishing Brayden had been her first kiss all those years ago was only making today worse. Why was part of her still longing to kiss him?

Well, some reasons were obvious. He was the sexiest man in her immediate circle. Strong and fit with a hefty dose of bravery thrown in for good measure. She adored the spark of humor in his dark eyes and though he kept his thick hair cut short, he’d let it grow out of military regulation into a more casual style.

She liked his hair both ways, but the longer version made him look younger, a bit more accessible. Which was not what she needed.

That quiet, intensely intimate moment had come and gone. The near miss was probably for the best. Definitely. She didn’t need or want another chance to let her lust off the leash. Best to not fan the flames of all her pent-up longing. Especially not while Brayden was out in the dark, chasing a potential threat.

Veronica forced herself to breathe, deep and slow. She was a physical therapist and personal trainer. She spent her days helping people find their balance, helping them heal, rebuild, or reshape their bodies. She’d never been a damsel in distress. This foreign helplessness clawed at her insides, prodding her to do something.

The dishes were done, food stored, and she searched for another way to be proactive.

Taking her phone with her, she went to the suite. With the lights out, she stared out into the night, hoping for a glimpse of Brayden. The lights on the deck illuminated a thin, misty fog drifting near the edge of the trees, wrapping the live oaks in ghostly, shifting shrouds.

“Please be okay,” she murmured.