Sunset Rivalry: The Caliendo Resort (By The Lake: The Caliendo Resort Book 2) Read Free Page A

stood at the end of her bed and resisted the urge to straighten the ponytail she’d pulled her medium blonde hair into, or smooth over her black tights and sweater. She’d tried to dress for rogue and camouflage in the shadows. Apparently, if one was watching and waiting−aka Quinn Barker−it wouldn’t have mattered what she wore.
    Now Anya felt foolish, like a teenager sneaking around thinking she was so clever only to be busted by her parents. Only parents didn’t give her the smoky hot eyes of Quinn that bore straight into her soul.
    Smoky hot eyes? After all these years? Really?
    Swallowing hard, she knew if Quinn gave her the smallest hint that he was interested in more than arguing over a key, she would let him take her.
    Right here. Right now.
    She would tear every last piece of clothing off his body to feel his strong, flexing muscles beneath her fingertips.
    Oh for crying out loud! Now you’re acting like a horny teenager. 
    Quinn’s dark eyes held hers for what felt like hours locked in a moment of sharing everything they’d done together, and that last night.
    Anya’s body trembled remembering how cold he’d been after she confronted him in her suite...right here in her bedroom where they stood now. He’d shut down and detached from her, confirming everything her father had said about him was true.
    Now his eyes slowly traveled down her body, in a slow way that perceived every part of her. It was part of his job to assess people, monitor them and then invade and dig into their personal lives, their decisions, their actions...anything to use against them.
    Did he notice she’d lost weight?
    Anya knew she was stick and bones as a result of her appetite loss, struggling every day to push passed the sickness of her guilt and eat. Eat to survive.
    Did he see the sadness in her eyes?
    Her life was no longer her own and she was indebted to the life she’d ruined until she found Rebecca’s family and reunited them. Maybe afterwards Anya could resume her life.
    Here? At the resort? With her family?
    The notion was amazing, but how could Anya resume a normal life after everything that had happened? How could she smile, laugh and be happy? Deep down, she didn’t feel that was a possibility or something she even wanted. 
    Quinn saw all of it. It didn’t matter, because he didn’t care.
    Anya could hardly stand still as Quinn finished his profile assessment of her and stopped at her eyes, forwarding his unmistakable disapproval in her appearance.
    That made her angry.
    He had no idea what she’d been through. Who the hell did he think he was giving her a disapproving look? 
    Without a better solution, she did exactly the same thing as him. 
    Standing only a few feet away, with her eyes adjusting to the darkness, she ran her eyes down the same dark colours he wore as her.
    She might not be able to see the rippling muscles of the workout body she knew was under the clothes, but the width and height of him made her luxury bedroom seem like the size of a mouse hole. 
    “Marc asked me to find you.” His words came out strong and confident. She would have retaliated if panic hadn’t arose through her body.
    Marc? Why?
    “When I find you, I’m to report to him.” 
    Report to him? Clearly she was wrong about her brother.
    Quinn pulled his cell phone out. 
    The thunderous sound of her own panic inside her head released a no that only she could hear, deafening her.
    She wasn’t ready. She couldn’t face her family right now. But that was exactly what would happen if Quinn phoned Marc.
    The Caliendos were a close-knit family and although the bonds between them were amazing for support and love, they wouldn’t understand.
    “Wait,” she said, as his finger’s touch lit the screen. “What do you want?”
    The way his breath released told her he was bargaining for himself. “I want into the file room. Obviously you’ve lost the swipe card−”
    “I didn’t lose it.” 
    Quinn didn’t bother