Free Bound For Me by Natalie Anderson Page B

fanned herself with her free hand.  
    Savannah just stared at her. “The ‘Icicle’?”
    “Connor.” Krista added, like it was obvious. Her smile turned sly. “You should have seen the way he stood over you.” She fanned her cheek again and giggled.  
    Savannah’s bamboozled brain finally started putting the pieces together.
    The Icicle. Connor . Ultra short hair. Angry blue eyes.  
    No . No freaking way.  
    Disbelief knifed through her nausea.
    Krista fell silent and though she kept a smile on her face, a different kind of concern crept into her eyes. Caution. “Don’t worry,” she said quickly, setting the glass down and rubbing her palms down her trendy new après-ski pants. “Just tell him everything you remember. It’ll be okay. He’ll fix it.” She bit her lip for a second. “Connor takes care of everyone. It’s like, what he does.”
    What, so that ‘emotion’ she’d mentioned a second ago was nothing all of a sudden?
    “What he ‘does’?” Savannah echoed, trying to ignore the rising tide of horror within her.
    “Mmm hmm,” Krista nodded brightly. “You know, it’s just his thing. He’s the big man ‘round here… makes sure everyone is all okay…”
    The big man—as in the King of the Mountain?
    A fragment surfaced, a hazy image… a few words.  
    I’m so stupid .
    She sure as fuck was.
    “I need to get out of here.” Savannah pushed back the light coverings.   “Where are my boo—”
    “No, just wait. You have to wait.”
    No she didn’t. She had to get out of here.
    But the door opened, right on queue.  
    He walked in. Savannah froze in place and just stared at him. No way could this be Connor Hughes.
    He met her gaze square on. Hers locked. Yeah, there was no noticing anything else the minute he appeared.
    He didn’t so much as glance at Krista, he just walked forward right to the side of her bed. Peripherally she took in the worn, faded blue jeans. The loose white tee that exposed tanned, muscled forearms. And he had freaking bare feet. Didn’t that just cement how obviously at ease he was in this environment. In this freaking room . Now why was that? It better not be his room.  
    Savannah’s rage trebled.
    “You’re awake.”
    How observant of him.
    “Am I? I’m hoping this is a nightmare,” she answered sourly.
    “Sav, it could have been a far worse nightmare.” Krista said softly.
    Connor turned. “Thanks so much Krista, you’re probably keen to get home and get some decent sleep. I think it’s pretty clear Savannah’s back to her bristly self and able to handle things on her own.”
    Krista’s eyes widened but she nodded. “Sure.” But then she leaned past him to look into Savannah’s face with a bright smile. “You need anything, you text me.” She straightened. “I mean anything . I can give you a lift—”
    “That won’t be necessary,” Connor interrupted.
    “Right,” Krista stepped back. “I’ve already told Luca there’s no way you’ll be working tonight.”
    Savannah was still recovering from the ‘bristly-self’ comment but now she had to clamp her mouth shut with sheer willpower while trying to stretch her lips into something of a ‘thank you’ smile.
      Of course she’d be working tonight. She had no freaking choice.
    “Thanks Krista,” Connor took it upon himself to do the talking for her. “Can you tell Austin and Mac to come in.”
    He waited ’til Krista had made it to the door before turning and looking back down at Savannah.  
    “How are you feeling?” he asked softly.
    She couldn’t answer.  
    “Sugar?”
    Oh that was too unfair. And he was watching her so damn intensely—like she’d turned into the Rubik’s cube conundrum of the other night again.
    “I’ve had better starts to the day,” she said warily.  
    She’d slept with him. The guy she’d wanted to hunt out and make pay somehow. How was that possible ?
    “It’s not going to get much better for a few more minutes I’m afraid,” he