Threat: Follow up to Stranded but not Alone (Dragoslava Connection) by Cora Blu Read Free Book Online Page A

Her soft brown eyes held pain and passion for him, still alive and fighting for control.
    “I should have done better by you, but you can’t tell me there’s nothing about our relationship worth saving.” He paused and brought his voice down, ducking his face under hers to kiss the tip of her reddening nose, loving the coconut scent of her hair. “Am I that horrible, Beth?” Her face relaxed when he angled his face down to hover above her slightly parted lips. Every centimeter he closed in tighter, his heart thudded a bit harder. A tug on the hem of his jacket he let her bring him closer to her body, closing the space between them. Bethany’s lips parted, her breathing picking up speed, steam rising from her soft lips. “I think we’re worth fighting for and worth hanging onto. Don’t throw us away because of what happened.” He felt the heat off her mouth, her lips softer than he remembered. A hint of peppermint filled his senses as he brushed his lips over hers. She was still his. “There’s too much good to toss out for the one moment of bad. Give me another chance…please.” The round tip of her nose bumped his as their lips met. The kiss was gentle. He missed her touch, her fragrance, and her moans. Cupping the back of her head, he deepened the kiss. Bethany’s hand moved under his jacket up to his chest, bunching the material between them. God this is what he wanted, for her to let go. Give him some sort of a sign she still wanted him.
    Abruptly, she shoved her hands against his chest. The heat from her lips cooled with every side step she took getting away from him.
    “Don’t you see, Mikhail? I’m not a sample in a box of women you pull out and match to your suit. I go with everything. From Monday morning to Sunday night, I match everything.” She folded her arms. “But I come back from the states and find out you went out with Gemme…every night.”
    He stepped back as the truth hung between them. She backed away, shoulders slumped as she moved down the slope from the parking lot, wiping her mouth with her hand. It was three dates, but it didn’t matter, hurt was hurt.
    She laughed but it was as dark and lifeless as a funeral dirge. “I knew you had no answer for that. I need to stretch my legs and get some air…not ready to go inside just yet.”
    He had one, one she wouldn’t like, because he hated it.
    A group of women emerged from an SUV, he glanced their way and when he looked back, Bethany was staring at him, soft brown eyes gone cold.
    “You haven’t changed.” She threw up her hands.
    Was he supposed to?
    “Because I looked, Bethany? Give me a break, they’re guests.” He stepped toward her then gripped the ends of her scarf holding her to his chest. “What do you want me to do, pretend I don’t see them so they leave?”
    She cursed. “If I have to explain, then that kiss meant more to me than it did to you. Just like our relationship.” He dropped the scarf when she broke his hold to grab her skis off the top of his truck.
    Hell, she was going to give him an aneurism before the week was over. He took the skis from her setting them on the ground before pinning her to the truck.
    “Is there someone else?” As much as he wanted her to scream she wanted him, a small part of him knew there was a chance another man could be waiting to take her away. He wasn’t ready for that reality.
    Her mouth twitched. “You think I’d take this baggage into a new relationship. No, Mikhail. That wouldn’t be fair to him or me.”
    Relief took up residence in his heart and gave him hope of salvaging their relationship. “Forget I’m your boss. Forget about the games, and everything else screwing up this day and us, and tell me—if you don’t want anything to do with me, why did you agree to have me watch over you up here instead of a guard down in the valle?”
    One tear slid down her cheek, snowflakes dotting her warm skin. The pain on her face etched a crease over his heart.
    She