Free Unbound by Sara Humphreys Page A

turned in your bag. Then we’ll find a phone so you can call whoever you need to call.”
    Then without another word, Zachary grabbed a towel before leaving and closing the bathroom door tightly behind him. When the door clicked shut, she let out the breath she’d been holding and slid down the wall to sit on the cold, wet tile of the shower floor. Hugging her arms around her knees, Annabelle shivered from a combination of emotional overload and damp, cooling flesh while she struggled to get herself focused.
    She’d wanted to stop him from leaving. To tell him everything and have him gather her back in his arms, but that would be selfish. Annabelle knew she had to let Zachary go, even though the mere idea of it broke her heart. She wasn’t a fool, and she hadn’t fallen in love with him overnight, but damn if she wasn’t on her way.

Chapter 7
    Zachary had never been so fucking confused in his entire life. He’d thought that once he found his mate, life would get easier, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Being with Annabelle was a lesson in patience, self-control, and exquisite pleasure, all of which he’d experienced in full force that morning in the shower. Everything had been going along perfectly, and feasting on her gorgeous body was, quite simply, one of the hottest sexual encounters of his life—because it wasn’t merely physical. The pleasure was intensified by their intimate emotional connection, and watching her come apart the way she did was sexy as hell.
    Then it all changed on a dime.
    Something happened. He felt the shift in her energy signature, and even if he hadn’t, the look on her face would have been more than enough to bring their encounter to a screeching halt. Her expression was a combination of sadness and regret, and it slammed into him with gut-wrenching force. She’d come to him in the shower and made it crystal clear that she wanted to be with him, but then moments later, Annabelle had buyer’s remorse.
    She clearly regretted being intimate with him, and it made Zachary feel like absolute shit.
    While she got dressed, he spent his time scolding himself for being so selfish and stupid. The girl was running scared, and what did he do? He kept pushing the mating thing like an arrogant alpha Amoveo man. What the fuck was wrong with him? If Tatiana were here, she’d smack him upside the head and tell him he was being a dick.
    He stole a glance at Annabelle as they walked along the road toward town. She was wearing a blue sundress that he’d conjured up for her and looked every inch the beautiful young woman she was. Her long hair was wavy and wild as it fluttered in the breeze, reminding him again of a mermaid, but the angry red spots on her shoulders gave him pause.
    â€œYou’re getting sunburned,” Zach said. He nodded toward her shoulders, and even though he wanted to run his hands over her smooth skin, he resisted. Sticking his hands in the pockets of his board shorts, Zach cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the buildings ahead. “We can grab some sunblock at the market, and some aloe would probably be a good idea too. That looks like it’s going to hurt.”
    Annabelle didn’t answer but simply nodded her agreement. She’d barely said a word since emerging from the bedroom, and Zachary didn’t know how to get her to open up. He considered reaching out to Dominic and Tatiana but decided against it because Dominic would never let him live it down.
    As they walked into the center of town, music drifted out of the local cantina next to the beach. He stole a glance at Annabelle. Her attention had also been captured by the lively tune and intermittent laughter from customers. “Sounds like a lot of fun in there. Actually, I thought there would be a lot more tourists here.”
    â€œNope. It’s the off season, and the college kids aren’t on break right now. From