His skin was beet red, and he could barely open his eyes. But there was no mistaking that handsome face.
Jenna released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Her jaw dropped. “Adrian?”
“Hey, gorgeous.” He smiled through the burn. “Miss me?”
Chapter 2
Adrian stood under the shower’s pummeling spray, the cool water rinsing the soap from his face. He’d washed it four times, already, and the flames he’d felt with that first chemical splash had finally begun to diminish.
This is what you get for coming back to this hell hole.
The last time he was in Gulfside Harbor, he’d been searching for his sister. A sister he’d lost because he wasn’t there to protect her.
This is also what you get for caring for a woman you barely know, asshole.
And he did care. More than he should. More than he had arightto.
That’s why, when Gabriel Dawson had called to share his concerns about Jenna’s new travel assignment and asked him to come down here and check on her, Adrian hadn’t hesitated to agree.
Like Gabe, the idea of Jenna being anywhere near the Mexican border—especially in the same city his sister was taken from—scared the shit out of him.
And he wasn’t a man who scared easily.
Except he’d damn near been terrified to see her again. Okay, maybeterrifiedwas too strong a word. More like nervous as hell.
After leaving the way he had, Adrian was certain she’d yell and scream and tell him to go to hell. Or throat punch him.
It was a toss-up, really.
So, in an attempt to avoid starting a public spectacle, he’d decided to break into her room and wait for her there. In hindsight, hiding in the dark and grabbing her like he had probably wasn’t the smartest move.
Occupational hazard and all that.
Adrian also wasn’t sure which surprised him more—that Jenna had been carrying pepper spray or that she’d actuallyusedit on his ass. Hell, he probably would’ve burst out laughing if his face hadn’t felt as though it were melting off his damn skull.
One thing that didn’t surprise him, however, was how fucking hot his fiery woman had looked. Especially when she was standing there, yelling and threatening to spray him again.
She’s not yours, dipshit.
God, but he wished she was. He’d never hadanyoneto call his own. Not the women he used to occasionally hook up with for some mutual catch-and-release and sure as shit not Jenna Shaw.
A fact Adrian had been dumb enough to question.
His life had been going just fine until he’d kidnapped Jenna two months ago in order to help her friend out of a dangerous situation. One look, and he’d been knocked on his ass with lust.
After witnessing Jenna’s spunky attitude and smart mouth that very first time, he knew he wanted her. But when he’d walked in on the fucknut he’d been working with trying to rape her, Adrian saw red.
He’d realized then that what he felt for her was more than mere physical attraction. But despite his newfound knowledge, he’d gone in, got the job done, and left.
Problem was, he keptreturning.
Week after week, he’d go to her apartment. Adrian would stand outside, just until he saw Jenna and knew that she was okay. Then he’d leave again.
He thought that would be enough. That knowing he hadn’t completely screwed her up would satisfy the gnawing hunger he felt deep inside.
But the pull he felt toward Jenna grew stronger and stronger. Itkeptgrowing until finally, he’d said fuck it and went back again.
Giving in to his incessant need to make sure Jenna really was okay after everything she’d been put through—whathe’dput her through—Adrian had gone back to her apartment three weeks ago.