Page 36 of One Hot Chase

In one fluid motion, she ducks under my outstretched arm and darts past me, weaving through the racks of clothing. I spin round, giving chase once more. We dodge between mannequins and displays, earning a scandalized gasp from the shopkeeper as we race through her carefully curated collection.

"Sorry!" Bree calls over her shoulder, flashing an apologetic smile at the flustered woman.

I'm hot on Sabrina's heels as she bursts back out onto the street, the shop bell jangling wildly behind us. The chase resumes, our laughter mingling with the sounds of beeping cars and chattering voices. Bree leads me on a merry dance through winding alleys and bustling squares, always just out of reach.

As we round another corner, I spot an opportunity. There's a small park ahead, with a fountain at its center. Bree heads straight for it, clearly planning to use the open space to her advantage. But I've got other ideas.

I propel myself onward, moving faster, closing the gap between us. Just as we reach the edge of the fountain, I lunge forward to wrap my arms around Bree's waist. We tumble to the ground together, our momentum carrying us straight into the shallow water with a spectacular splash. Sputtering and laughing, we surface in a tangle of limbs. Bree's hair is plastered to her face, and water droplets cling to her eyelashes. She looks utterly ridiculous and completely breathtaking.

"Gotcha," I say, grinning triumphantly.

Though Sabrina tries to hide it, she's smiling too. "I suppose you did. Though I'm not sure dunking us both in a public fountain counts as a proper catch."

"Oh? And what would you consider to be an appropriate capture, Ms. Remington?"

She pretends to think about it, tapping her chin thoughtfully as water drips from her nose. "Well, Your Knightliness, I suppose a proper catch would involve less public indecency and more...private indecency."

I can't resist laughing. "I think that can be arranged."

Standing up, I offer her my hand. She accepts it, and I pull her to her feet. We're both soaked to the bone, clothes clinging to our bodies in a way that's sure to draw attention. But in this moment, I couldn't care less about the curious stares of passersby.

"Your place or mine?" I ask.

She pretends to consider, wringing water from her hair. "Hmm, well, considering we've thoroughly christened your flat already, why don't we try mine this time?"

"You checked out of your suite at the Savoy. Do you have a place of your own here in London?"

"Um...no."

I cluck my tongue, shaking my head. "Are you always this unprepared?"

My mobile rings.

"Bloody hell," I hiss as I swipe to accept the call, not even bothering to see who's trying to contact me. "What do you want?"

"You're in a foul mood. Did that girl throw you over?"

"Julian?"

"Who else would it be? Maybe you have amnesia, eh?"

I push Sabrina away and stumble backward, still trying to make sense of what I'm hearing. "Did you want something?"

"Yes. To find out if you'll be bringing Sabrina to our family dinner tonight."

Dinner? I have no idea what my brother is talking about. My cock had begun to swell the moment I pulled Sabrina into my arms and her soaked dress revealed her hard nipples. Nothing else can get through my brain right now. "What are you on about?"

"Dinner," my brothers says with sarcastic emphasis. "That's when human beings gather around a table to share various types of food."

"You're a cheeky sod. Do you know that?"

"Just answer my question and I'll say goodbye. Dinner at home, yea or nay?"

"Too busy tonight. Goodbye, Julian." I disconnect the call and struggle in vain to avoid noticing how translucent Bree's dress has become.

She quirks an eyebrow at me. "Family dinner, huh? Trying to hide me from the relatives already? Julian's the only one I've met, and that happened by accident."

I groan, running a hand through my wet hair. "I don't care to discuss my family right now. They have certain standards."