Private Pleasure (Sun Stroked Book 3) Read Free Page B

her.
    “You sure have a long range of sight with this thing.” She shot him a sidelong glance. “Perhaps the guests should be warned to keep their curtains closed.” She scanned the sandy shore below until she reached a chaise lounge—the same chaise lounge she’d masturbated on less than an hour before.
    Had Cody been stationed here then?
    Watching her?
    An unexpected burst of lust whipped through her veins. Moisture dampened her panties and the nerve endings in her clit screamed for attention. Oh, boy!
    Under her breath, she added, “Or reserve their intimate indiscretions for behind closed doors.”
    “Well, that depends.” His voice was low, maybe even a little harsh.
    “On what?”
    “If they like to be… watched or not . ” One brow arched as though he was fully aware of her budding fetishes.
    Abby gulped air. This guy was far too perceptive.
    She admitted it was possible she had pleasured herself on the beach deliberately, hoping someone would catch her… watch her .
    Maybe that did excite the hell out of her.
    She cleared her throat and shot him a questioning glance. “And obviously you like to watch,” she managed to choke out.
    “It comes with the profession, Abby. Watching, waiting, calculating…”
    Her body broke out in a sweat at the sensual way his voice had softened when he said her name. “You must be a very patient man.”
    “Whatever it takes and no matter how long it takes to get the job done.”
    Her gaze raced over his face, wondering whether he was still talking about his job, or something else entirely…
    She looked through the scope again in search of a distraction and smiled when she spotted Lauren on board The Cascade , Ryan seated next to her. Was it possible that Ryan was Lauren’s Tarzan man?
    Abby decided to redirect the conversation. “You watch over everyone like you’re some sort of guardian angel.” Abby noted the way his eyes froze over, his body going cold. She studied his body language a moment longer. Oh, yeah, she mused. This guy was repressed, all right. Certainly no different from any other guy she knew. She recalled her conversation with Lauren, and the way her friend had encouraged her to have an affair with Cody. She suspected he could get the job done sexually, but as far as unleashing himself on her, driving them both into a frenzy of need and passion, she had her doubts.
    “Sniper,” he corrected her. His expression turned dark. His hands fisted, and the anguish in his gaze turned her blood to ice. She shivered.
    As she considered his combative stance, and sorted through matters, understanding quickly dawned. “I see,” she said. She was intelligent enough to know that such a job would undoubtedly require cold calculation.
    Was this why she sensed an iciness inside him? Why he was so guarded?
    Needing in some inexplicable way to make a connection, to help ease his anxiety, she put a placating hand on his leg. He flinched at the feel of her palm on his thigh.
    Despite his obvious discomfort, Abby kept her hand there, offering her warmth and sympathy. “I’m sure your job must be a very difficult one.”
    He made a face, surprise registering in his eyes. “What?” she asked, unable to understand his reactions.
    “Nothing, really. You just caught me off guard for a second there. Most people think it’s a pretty cool job, and the first thing they want to know is how many kills I’ve made.”
    “I don’t see anything cool about it.” Narrowing her eyes, her glance swept over him again. “Were you injured?”
    By small degrees his body tightened and his jaw clenched. There was something sad in the depths of his eyes. “No.”
    His behavior contradicted his words, and he didn’t fool her for a second. He might not be injured on the outside, but she could only guess that it would require him to build a wall of defense around his heart to survive in the field. Abby knew there was a form of protection in closing off one’s emotions.
    “Then why