Way of the Warrior (Troubleshooters #17.5)(77)

Griff’s uncle and cousin led the other gals down the river, and Griff pulled Kristy by the hand to the opposite side of the bank. There were several fallen tree limbs, washed smooth brown by the water and time, and all she could think about were snakes or beavers or some other horrid creature lurking beneath.

“I’m really sorry I ever watched that River Monsters show. The host hangs out in water just like this searching for crazy-huge creatures. And piranha.”

Griff chuckled. “There are no piranha ’round here. Or gators. Just snapping turtles and snakes.”

“Which you said you cleared out.”

“As of forty minutes ago, anyway.”

“You’re not helping!”

The vexing man chuckled again, clearly not the least bit worried. “You’ll be fine.”

Trent hovered with his camera as they approached the bank, but the idea of that hole garnered all her attention.

Griff kept hold of her hand. “I’m going to guide you to the opening. As soon as you pull out the fish, I’ll string it up and weigh it.” He took her by the chin and gently turned her to face him. “I’ll be right here.”

That comforted her, right up until he guided her hand inside a hole and said, “You’ll be more startled than anything when it grabs you. Be ready to grab it back.”

“I don’t want to—ah!” It attacked, just like he’d warned. “It’s on me, it’s on me!”

“Hold on.” Griff came up behind her, reaching down her arm, and pulled up a fish by the rope in its mouth. “You did it!” The fish flopped and fought as he handed the rope to her.

She’d done it. A gooey sense of pride and relief washed through her. “I did it. I did it!”

He pulled a mesh bag around the fish and held it up with a ruler-like thing. “You caught a thirty-two pounder!”

A woman’s piercing scream sailed through the air. One of her competitors had obviously caught a fish, too. Kristy hoped it wasn’t bigger than hers. Even if this wasn’t a real contest.

Griff released the fish, but his gaze was on her. “Nice job, Kristy.”

His proud smile was an even bigger rush.

Trent checked something on the screen. “Perfect.” He tilted the camera to show her the replay of her terrified expression when the fish took hold of her. And there was Griff, his good side toward the camera, watching her, not the fish. She saw something in his eyes, in the way that he looked at her…

She turned to him as he hovered just behind her. He cleared his throat and turned to Trent, whose expression was filled with glee. “That should be a great hook. You both gave me a huge helping of awesome sauce!”

Kristy couldn’t help giggling at Trent’s unbridled enthusiasm. Even Griff was chuckling. Trent headed toward the bank, where Mollie and Julian waited, and Griff’s cousin led them around the bend. Kristy turned to face Griff. “That was amazing. Freaky, slimy, and a bit painful, but amazing.”

She inspected her hand, and Griff took hold of it for a closer look at the bleeding scratches. He lifted it to his mouth and planted tender kisses on each one. Her heart dropped right out of her chest.

“Do you do this to all your noodling clients?” she asked, her voice a hoarse whisper.

“Nah. Most of ’em have hairy hands.” Even though he was making a joke, his expression remained serious.

“And I bet most of them don’t tip like this.” She freed her hand from his and laced them behind his neck. Up on tiptoe, sinking slightly in the mud, she pressed her body against his and kissed him.

His breath caught in surprise, but he responded with kisses that were sweet and soft and chaste. His hands came up to slide into her hair, and his breathing quickened. He paused, his nose brushing against hers. “I haven’t kissed a woman since before the explosion.”

Her smile probably gave away that she liked the idea of being the first. “Then I think it’s high time you did.”

He studied her with hazel eyes so serious that she feared he might step back. But a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Why, ma’am, I do believe you’re right.”

He braced her face and kissed her again, his mouth covering hers, brushing back and forth in sensual sweeps, and then opening to deepen the kiss. She invited him in, touching the tip of her tongue to the ridged skin of his lower lip, then running it along the entire length. He let out a soft groan as their tongues came together, as he moved even closer and explored her mouth. She could feel all of him pressed up against the front of her body, his hard muscles, and his even harder erection. Her hands slid up the sides of his chest and down his broad back as she’d longed to do earlier. She traced the tips of her fingers down the indent of his spine all the way to the top of his waistband.

“It’s been a while for me, too,” she whispered between kisses. “This feels like my first kiss.” Had she felt this pulse-pounding rush of blood with that first kiss? She couldn’t even remember it now. All she could see in her mind was Griff, his face, his smile. She threaded her fingers through his hair, brushing the ridges of his damaged ear.

He pulled back, looking thrown off.

“Did I hurt you?” she asked.

“No, it’s…” He ran his hand back over his hair. “I forgot. For a few seconds, I forgot what I look like.”