Baited Read Online Free Page B

comfortable than she was with this awkward greeting.
    A different grin slanted over his lips now. That damned, I-want-you-now-Kat grin that used to spin her head like a whirlpool.
    Just like it did right now.
    Kat nodded, trying to calm the bang of blood through her chest. Will, she thought, I wish you weren’t here, but it’s weirdly nice to see you.
    Jerk.
    “What’ve you been up to?” he asked.
    She busied herself by tracing a finger over the mini-TV. Stop, she told herself. Just stop it.
    She nixed the fidgeting. “Same thing I was doing last year. Work, play, conquering the world. You know. The usual.” Eternal pause. “You?”
    He spread his hands out to indicate the boat. Kat couldn’t help following his every move, remembering how those fingers had stroked her to sleep. How those palms had smoothed over her face when she’d needed it the most.
    How those hands couldn’t be around to comfort her when they’d gone their separate ways.
    She drew to her full, not-so-impressive height, raising her chin so she could give him a look that was half-casual, half- Can’t you see I’m over you?
    “You own this boat or what?” Something sank into her chest, drawing her heart along with it. Nice. Thethought of him being a success, of him accomplishing all those ambitions he’d held so dear ate at her.
    “No.” He shrugged.
    With that one word, Kat knew she’d hit a tender button. Even as vindication—the realization that he was almost as restless in life as she was—settled through her, she couldn’t help the burning itch that choked her throat. Out of old habit, a silent cry for connection, she reached out to touch his arm, to make him feel better, just because she knew the mediocrity had to be killing him.
    But when he looked up, she caught herself, crossing her arms in front of her chest instead. Underneath her Billabong Surf T-shirt and faded jeans shorts, she was wearing a bikini. It made her feel too vulnerable, as if Will could see through all the material, see through her .
    True to form, he got that familiar cocky gleam in his eyes because he no doubt knew what was going through her mind. He’d always been real good at that.
    “But things are happening,” he said. “I’m working on owning my own rig.”
    “At least you’ve graduated to captain.”
    “And dive master,” he added, his jaw tightening.
    It wasn’t a quick enough career trajectory for Will, Kat knew. She’d never met a person with more drive and dreams. For a few short months, Kat had ridden his rainbows, too, believing that, someday, a fallen golden boy and a girl who’d been on the free-lunch program in high school could make things work. Sigh, right? But then reality had hit. He’d shown his true colors.
    And she remembered every nuance of their breakup down to the last, heart-shattering detail.
    She wanted to say something to wound him since she’d been saving up the anguish for so long. Something to reveal that she realized just how much his failure to fulfill his goals hurt. But she couldn’t, because she felt the same damned way about herself.
    Even after everything, she still needed him, dreamed about him, wanted him to live happy.
    “You look good,” Will said softly, jerking her attention back to the present.
    “And you’re still chasing the big pot of gold in the sky.” She wished she could stop herself, but pent-up frustration was getting the best of her. “I guess what happened with Captain Macintosh on your last sailing gig hasn’t stopped you.”
    Even at the mention of the dark rumor that had dirtied Will’s reputation personally and professionally, he kept his dignity. “I was cleared of suspicion for his death. He was a good guy, but a drunk. I can imagine what happened—him saucing it up and spilling overboard when we’d docked and most of the crew—except me—went into town for some fun. I was under the weather that night, in bed. I never heard the captain go overboard. And when I found his