The Secret Baby: The Sinful Secrets Series (Book #3) by Day Leclaire

Author:Day Leclaire [Leclaire, Day]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: DLI Publishing
Published: 2015-05-31T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

“Sable! Sable, stop!”

Damien’s footsteps pounded on the deck outside the restaurant, giving chase—and gaining on her. She ran recklessly onward, intent on escape, the breath sobbing in her throat, tears blinding her path. She’d always known that it would come to this, both of them reverting to their baser instincts. She the prey, fleeing before the predator, Damien giving chase, moving with cat-like speed, running her down to earth. Her heel caught on an uneven plank and just as she pitched forward his hands closed on her shoulders, saving her from a nasty fall.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, spinning her round to face him.

She tore free of his hold. “Take your hands off me! I’m going home. Alone.” She swept her hair back from her eyes and glared at him with all the defiance she could muster, refusing to shrink from his wrath. To her confusion, he didn’t look angry as much as concerned.

“You want to go home? Fine. I’ll take you there.”

She shook her head stubbornly, trembling with emotion while she struggled to catch her breath. “I said alone. I’ll catch a cab. Or take the ferry.”

He stepped between her and the walkway toward Sausalito. “Not a chance. You came with me, you leave with me.”

“No! I’ll—”

“Forget it, Sable.” His tone brooked no opposition and he shifted closer, as though in anticipation of her bolting again. “You’re not going home alone. I’ll escort you to the launch. You can wait for me there while I settle up inside.”

She drew in a deep, shaky breath. She’d overreacted, she realized, allowed him to get to her, to break through her defenses. She’d panicked when she most needed to keep a level head. But it was all too much. Every time she turned around she faced a new battle, one she had no chance of winning.

Slowly she nodded, her rebellion draining away, to be replaced by an oppressive weariness. “All right,” she said in a cool, remote voice. “You may take me home.”

“Thank you.” Irony colored his words.

“No more, Damien,” she said, with a tiny sigh. “Please. I’ve had enough.”

He apparently concurred. Wrapping a protective arm around her waist, he guided her down the ramp to the dock. “Wait here,” he ordered, then stilled. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, he tilted her face toward the lights ringing the restaurant, his brows drawing together in a fierce frown. His thumb feathered across her cheek, tracing the path of her tears. “You’re exhausted.” He sounded almost apologetic. “I should have realized.”

She didn’t trust his compassion. It was just one more weapon in his arsenal, the latest attempt to slip beneath her guard. “I’ll be fine again tomorrow.” She had to be. There wasn’t any other choice, not with the clock ticking steadily toward her doom. She had to act, not rest.

He helped her aboard. “I’ll be right back. Don’t disappear on me.”

“I won’t,” she murmured, and collapsed on the padded seat in the bow. She didn’t have the energy to find her own way home, anyway.

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