Hunted by Kaylea Cross Read Free Book Online Page B

side out in the bedroom. Hell, he was pretty sure she’d welcome it.
    His groin tightened at the thought and he shifted in his seat to ease the suddenly snug fit of his jeans. Dammit, he had to stop letting himself go there in his mind. She wasn’t for him, plain and simple.
    “Yo. Bauer. Hello?”
    He looked across the table to find Evers snapping his fingers in Clay’s face to get his attention. “What?”
    “I’m getting another round. Want another one?”
    He glanced back at the dance floor. Zoe and Schroder were still going strong. “Sure.”
    As Evers left to go to the bar, Tuck leaned back in his chair and followed Clay’s gaze, a fond smile on his face. “It’s good to see her loosen up like this.”
    Clay shot him a surprised look. Since when was Zoe in need of loosening up? “What’s that mean?”
    Tuck turned his head toward Clay and shrugged. “She doesn’t go out to bars much. Likes to keep to herself. Introvert. You know how she is.”
    No, Clay realized with a start, he didn’t. Tuck’s description of her didn’t mesh at all with the confident, outspoken woman Clay had come to know. Or thought he’d known, anyway. Now he was even more fascinated by her.
    The fifth song came to an end and finally Schroder escorted Zoe back to the table, a hand on the small of her back. Clay studied his teammate’s face. The former PJ was leaning close to Zoe, grinning at something she said, his body language protective, almost possessive.
    Something raw and territorial lit up inside Clay, its ferocity taking him off guard. His teammate wasn’t doing anything wrong. Clay couldn’t fault him for his clear interest in her, and Schroder was a good guy, but he still wanted to walk over there, yank that guiding hand off her, and replace it with his own.
    God, you’re so fucked up.
    Thankfully Evers returned to the table with the next round just as Zoe and Schroder sat down, preventing Clay from having to analyze his unconscious reaction. They spent the next hour shooting the shit—well, Clay mostly listened and tried not to keep looking at Zoe—then Schroder slapped his palms to the wooden table.
    “Bourbon Street,” he declared, his too bright eyes telling Clay the medic was feeling his three hurricanes. “Who’s in?”
    “I’ll go, for a while,” Evers said.
    “Not me,” Zoe said with a smile. “This was my biannual dance fest, and now I’m going to go home and work.”
    “Work,” Schroder said in a confused voice, his expression making it clear how disappointed he was that she was leaving. “It’s almost midnight.”
    “I know, but as you can plainly see I’m a creature of the night and it’s when I’m most creative.” She shrugged. “If it ain’t broke…”
    “Zoe’s a writer,” Tuck said over the noise of the band when Schroder continued to look confused. He started to push back from the table. “I’ll take her home then meet you guys. Bauer, you want to go with them, or—”
    “Bauer can take me home,” Zoe interjected, and they all looked at her. She stood, slipped the strap of her purse across her bare shoulder. “If you don’t mind,” she added, looking down at him with a question in her eyes.
    He should say no. It was on the tip of his tongue to refuse, make some excuse about having to go with the others, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead he found himself nodding as he pushed back from the table and stood. He looked at Tuck. “I’ll text you once I’m done, meet up with you guys.”
    Tuck was no idiot. His gaze shifted from him to Zoe and back, then he nodded. “Sure.” He came around the table to give his cousin a hug, kissed her cheek. “See you later.”
    “Yeah. Come by when y’all are done barhopping if you want. I’ll still be up. I can make you guys some coffee before you hit the road.”
    “You’re a gem, Zo.”
    “I know,” she said, giving him a bright smile, the easy affection between them making something in Clay’s chest tighten. Hell,