Eruption (The Hunted Series Book 3) by Ivy Smoak Read Free Book Online Page A

feet.
"Why was it again that you wouldn't let me hire movers?" He was
wearing athletic shorts and a fitted t-shirt. There was a v-shaped sweat stain
down the front of his shirt, and I found it unbelievably sexy.
    "Because I love how you look when you're all
sweaty."
    "Is that so?"
    "Mhm." I traced my finger down his chest. "So
hot."
    He gave me that smile that always made me feel overheated. It
was playful and sexy and I knew exactly what was on his mind. "It actually
is a little hot in here, don't you think?" He grabbed his shirt by the
collar and pulled it off over his head. His abs glistened from sweat.
    "Scorching."
    He smiled. "That's better. Are you ready for a
break?"
    I had gotten the perfect idea. "I'm going to give you to
the count of ten, James."
    "To get you into bed with me? Done." He leaned
forward to kiss me, but I put my hand on his chest.
    God. Seeing him like his always turned me on. "To
hide." I ran my fingers down his muscular stomach.
    "What?"
    "Let's play hide and go seek."
    "I'd rather christen the new..."
    "Ten. Nine."
    "Shit."
    I put my hand over my eyes as James jumped over a box and
sprinted out of the living room. When I finished counting down from ten I
opened my eyes. I had only walked around the apartment a few times. But there
was barely any furniture in any of the rooms. He'd only be able to hide behind
doors and other fixtures.
    I wove my way through the boxes on the floor in the living
room and through the kitchen. I hadn't heard him run upstairs, so I assumed he
wasn't in any of the bedrooms. My eyes gravitated toward the balcony above me,
just to check. This place really was amazing. It was an apartment that was
probably designed for a big family, not just two people. It must have cost him
a fortune. I didn't even know apartments in New York could have an upstairs.
    A creaking noise made me turn my head. I peered around the
column into the dining room. Nothing. The downstairs was mostly an open floor
plan. There weren't that many places he could hide. I walked toward the
bathroom. The reflection in the mirror made it easy to tell that he wasn't
hiding behind the door.
    Another creaking noise made me jump.
    "James?" I whispered. The sun was beginning to set,
casting eerie shadows in the room. I tried not to think about it as I made my
way through the archway toward a few of the closed off rooms. There was an
office and a small library back here. I turned into the library. The blinds
were all drawn, and it was almost pitch black. I switched on the light and
looked around. The built-in shelves were all empty. Soon they'd be filled with
all of James' books. I thought about my bookshelf back at home, filled with
Harry Potter novels. They didn't seem sophisticated enough to be in here. But
there was something charming about the idea.
    There was a grand stone fire place in the center of the wall.
I could just imagine curling up in front of it with a good book. This apartment
was amazing. I'd have to tell James whenever I found him. It could be awhile. I
still had a lot of rooms to check. I turned around just as the lights cut out.
    I made a small squealing noise as the door slammed shut.
"James?" I couldn't see anything. "James?" I said a little
louder.
    A clicking noise made me turn around again. A small blue
flame had spread across the fireplace.
    "James?" My eyes were still adjusting to the lack
of light.
    His arms wrapped around me before he said anything and I
screamed again. His laugh in my ear calmed me right down, though. "I found
you," he whispered in my ear, as he wrapped his arms even tighter around
me, pressing his chest against my back.
    "I was the one that was supposed to be finding
you."
    He kissed the side of my neck and trailed his fingers down
the sides of my torso. "You were taking too long." His fingers
skimmed the bottom of my tank top as he lightly pushed it up. His palms were
hot against my stomach. He smelled like sweat and that wonderful scent that was
all his own.
    I