Second Chances (Athena Group Novel Book 1) Read Free

so? I’m impressed that you took me down so quickly. It appears you have learned a lot over the years.” He looked at her cautiously as he dusted off his hands.
    She sat back down on the beach and swept her arm in an invitation for him to have a seat. As he sat down next to her, she could feel the warmth from his arm. A faint scent of soap and aftershave mixed with the evening breeze from the ocean stirred a memory from so long ago.
    “I’ve learned more than you know. I’ve had too.” she whispered.
    He was looking out at the ocean when he spoke.  “I was surprised when you arrived yesterday.”
    She watched him carefully. “How long will you be here?” The muscle in his jaw tightened at her question.
    “I really don’t know. I haven’t thought about it.”
    She took a moment to look at him and his profile. He had aged, but it didn’t do anything to take away from his good looks. His hair touched the tip of his collar, and he obviously hadn’t shaved in a day or two. Oh how she’d love to run her fingers through his hair and feel that stubble against her skin. His arms were a nice shade of brown from extensive time outdoors. His arms were sculpted from hours of exercise, and just under the cuff of his shirt she saw the tattoo that she had traced with her fingers so long ago. He draped his arms across his bent knees as he sat next to her. It was as if no time had passed since she last saw him as every memory of his touch flooded back into her body. 
    He caught her looking at him. She was about to look away, but the look in his eyes took her breath away. He wanted her; she saw it in the hard lines of his face.  That couldn’t possibly be true. He had walked away.
    Her throat went dry as she stared as his mouth, the liquid shot down to her core staring at his mouth. Her tongue darted out to wet her parched lips. His lip turned up on one side just a tad in response to seeing her tongue dart out over her lips. Breathing in some of the ocean air she stood up to go inside before she lost all sense of reason.
    “I need to go back in, goodnight. I’m sorry for knocking you on your ass.” He took her hand, and warmth shot straight to the middle of her core. She pulled away leaving him staring after her.
    Walking into the house the lights immediately came on in the living room. She knew he was still standing there watching her as she went into the kitchen to fix something to eat. She hadn’t eaten since noon, and her stomach was fussing at her. She looked in the fridge for the fruit that they had bought at the market earlier. Taking a few pieces of kiwi, bananas and sliced cheese, she placed them on a plate, grabbed a bottle of water and went upstairs to settle in. She pulled a book out of the suitcase and lay down on the bed to read. Losing concentration after a few pages her mind began to wonder back to the beach. She was so surprised to see him here, but so happy at the same time. Casting the book aside, she stood to look out over the ocean. She couldn’t forget the feel of him beneath her as she straddled his chest. The warmth from his abdomen had singed a path up her thighs and straight to the center between her legs.
    Thoughts of him invaded her mind. The way he had looked at her, made her body tingle and immediately her body responded as if nothing had changed. It had been a long time since she had been in any kind of relationship and the slow burn that began earlier in the afternoon now turned into a raging fire.
    After Eddie, she had pushed herself into her work and training. Then there was the matter of Amanda. She had raised Amanda on her own from the time she had caught her ex with his secretary. Which left no time for dating, but Max had reminded her of what she had been missing. She missed having strong arms to hold her and not just any arms either. She missed his arms. He was the reason she wasn't a casual person.
    Touching her fingers to her lips, she kept thinking about his mouth and remembered