Crossing Lines by Alannah Lynne Read Free Book Online Page B

something to wash away the disgust and self-loathing that crept in on the heels of the post-coital exhaustion.
    Worse yet was the reason he stuck with Lizbeth in the first place. Watching Kat and Erik build their life together gradually ate him alive from the inside out. Not because he wanted Kat for himself or because of jealousy. He was so damned happy for his friend that lately, aside from Spencer, Erik’s joy was the only bright spot in Kevin’s life.
    But Kevin had come to realize he wanted the same thing for himself. The Wildman, who swore to never settle down with one woman, wanted to be tamed.
    He’d known all along Lizbeth wouldn’t be a permanent fixture in his life, but having someone temporarily beat being alone. At least that’s what he told himself before Lizbeth went crazy. By the time he reached his breaking point, the wedding had closed in, and he found himself trapped.
    His gaze dropped to her high-heeled shoe and, not for the first time, the damned thing morphed into a ratty work boot.
    Since crawling out of bed to drink in earnest, Samantha Wallace dominated his thoughts, which only intensified his mental anguish.
    She fascinated him on every level, from her rocking body to the history behind her boots to her mysterious eye color—an unknown that was driving him batshit crazy. He didn’t have room for another complication, however. His plate was already loaded with Lizbeth, the wedding, and now the Vanguard problem.
    Oh… and apparently, he also had a drinking problem, so throw that shit on top and call it gravy.
    The only way to keep from joining Lizbeth on the crazy train would be to avoid women altogether. If he stayed in Myrtle Beach, away from Lizbeth, he wouldn’t have to worry about repeating tonight’s performance. He’d need to deal with Samantha from time to time, but she had no idea how much she attracted him. He could keep things professional until he had the wedding behind him and ended things with Lizbeth. Then, after he got himself under control, he would pursue her and see if anything developed.
    Until then… celibacy was the name of the game.

Chapter Five

    M yrtle Beach’s Boardwalk, a mishmash of activities and shopping, offered something for everyone. Along with the Ferris wheel, there were several rides available for adrenaline junkies, one being a giant slingshot that launched riders into the stratosphere… Okay, so it only sent the passenger sixty feet in the air… but still.
    For the less adventurous, who preferred spectator sports to thrill rides, a jumbotron at the edge of the pavilion played popular afternoon sporting events. And for the truly sluggish, there were lots of bars and cafes scattered about, where one could eat and drink until their little hearts grew merry.
    As far as Sam was concerned, the best thing about the Boardwalk was the world-famous, massively messy, awesomely unhealthy but so friggin’ fantastic foot-long chilidog.
    The promenade wasn’t nearly as crowded as a few weeks before, but Sam still doubted they’d be able to find one six-year-old boy—assuming he was at the Boardwalk and not wandering around on the beach, or at a different location altogether.
    Sitting on a bench in the middle of the pavilion, she handed Michaela her hot dog and drink and spread the fries between them. After making sure Michy was settled, she closed her eyes and bit into the gooey mess. The bread nestled her lips like a fluffy pillow as flavors exploded on her tongue—ketchup, tangy mustard, sweet relish, spicy chili—
    Her moment of nirvana came to a crashing halt when Michaela yelled, “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy. There’s Spencer.” Sam opened her eyes to find her daughter pointing across the crowd to the small seawall separating the pavilion from the sand. “I told you we’d find him. I knew it.” Michy waved her arms like she was trying to take flight and yelled, “Spencer, Spencer!”
    Everyone in the area turned to them… everyone except Spencer,