Page 25 (1/2)

But it didn’t Work

Jax walked into the inn’s kitchen with hiot coffee While Jax headed to the sunroons of Chloe and found none

"Looking for anything special?" Tara asked frolanced out theNo Vespa

"She’s not here," Tara said dryly "She’s been sneaking away for a few hours here and there, needing to regroup" She paused "It’s because she lets things build up inside of her She tries to hide it, pretend nothing gets to her But things get to her People get to her"

"Tara," Maddie said quietly froets to her," Tara said to her sister, pointing at Saith a wooden spatula

"What’s wrong?" Sawyer asked "What’s happened?"

Tara shook her head "Nothing At least nothing specific"

"Any idea where she oes soives her peace and quiet, a place where she can think"

At that, some of the tension left Sawyer’s shoulders He had a decent idea where she one, he looked back at Tara

Her eyes were fierce and protective "Don’t make me sorry I told you" There was an unmistakable threat in her voice

Normally that would irritate the hell out of hiaze level with hers and shook his head "I won’t"

As he walked out, he heard Maddie say to Tara, "Look at you,like a mother hen"

"She won’t thank me," Tara said

"Depends on what happens next," Maddie said, which was the last thing Sawyer heard as he left the inn

Sawyer drove through town, hoping he was right about Chloe’s location Soht about it too s Lance’s house Hang gliding…

He shuddered Christ, he hoped she wasn’t doing anything like that, but when it came to Chloe, one never knew Her idea of peace and quiet was decidedly left of center

But her partner in criirlfriend, which hopefully et into trouble

So Sawyer headed hohts, it took fifteen h town and up the hill to his house ThisLucky Harbor, bathing the town in a golden glow, heat the Vespa parked there Not wanting to exa in his chest, the one that felt suspiciously like relief and also soo inside, but walked around the side of the house He flicked a glance at the outdoor shower, and as it had every other time since he’d been in there with Chloe, his dick twitched at thein rivers down her curves…

He moved to the cliff and took the stairs to the beach The sun had risen a littlein black shadow, the rocks indistinguishable from one another

At the bottom of the stairs, he kicked off his boots and socks and turned to face the cliffs The sun was in his eyes, blinding hiranite The beach was utterly empty and completely isolated, especially at this time of year There was a salty breeze but the waves were subdued, soft and quiet A lullaby, gently rolling against the rocky sand A bird squawked Its ht of a petite, redheaded, wild beauty nale-track of small, feminine footprints, he sucked in a breath of pure relief "Gotcha," he mure outcropping of rock, heading for the cliff

Where they vanished at the face of the rock

If it hadn’t been for the footsteps, he’d havehis head back as far as he could, she was invisible to him But he knew she was up there

He could feel her

Shaking his head at hi himself that this would be a hands-off talk

Halfway up, he levered hie, flat rock that jutted out and found her

Silent, gaze hooded, arms clasped around her knees, her lovely face was in profile but still projecting a loneliness and darkness that called to him

Because it matched his own

He crouched in front of her "Hey"

Chloe turned her head and studied him, from his bare, sandy feet, to his wrinkled uniform, and finally his face Whatever she saw there had a sht, Sheriff?"

"Jax asked "

"It’s because you look like shit"

"Yeah, he said that, too"

She nodded and scooted over, a wordless invitation to join her He crawled in next to her and mirrored her pose

They watched the waves for a few otten the feeling fro that vibe froue soht?"

"Always" She smiled, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes "Saiven na from her lips way more than he should "Your sisters are worried"

She blew out a sigh and sank farther back against the rock "They shouldn’t be"

"Wanton cuffingme back?"

"If I cuff you," he said, "the inn is the last place you’ll be headed"

She laughed softly "You’re such a tease You climb up here in uniform often?"

"Almost never"

She looked at hiain "You really do look beat"

"I am" He unbuckled his utility belt and set it on a rock

"Don’t stop there," she said

"Right, and end up on Facebook"

Chloe laughed "Lucille wouldn’t do that to you"

"Only because she knows I’d arrest her"

"Sure you would" Her shtful frown "Why is that, I wonder?"

"Why what?"