Page 20 of Seaside Strangers
“Oh? About what?”
Keeping her gaze averted, she offered a quick lie. “I really don’t remember.”
He stepped closer without crowding her. “Maura, I meant what I said yesterday. I’m an excellent listener if you want to talk about it.”
A small, sad smile touched her lips. He really was kind, and she wished they’d met under different circumstances. “Thanks. But this is something I have to work out alone.”
Sighing, he shrugged and took a step back. “Okay, but I’m here if you ever want to talk. If you hadn’t noticed, I also have some pretty big shoulders to cry on.”
His teasing softened the moment.
“Thanks,” she repeated. “I think I’m going to take a short walk on the beach.”
“Okay. I’ll see you in a little bit.”
She slipped past him toward the stairs. As she descended, she felt his eyes on her. The pull between them was already too strong, too easy to get lost in—and after the nightmare, she felt exposed in a way she couldn’t afford. Distance was safer.
Still, she couldn’t help silently cursing the universe for introducing her to a man she could never have.
KC reluctantly let her go before heading inside to shower, closing the door behind him. He wasgrateful Maura hadn’t asked why he couldn’t sleep. He would have lied. There was no way he could admit that every time he closed his eyes, she was there—too close, too vivid, impossible to ignore.
It wasn’t just an attraction. It was how she lingered in his mind, the way his thoughts kept circling back to her, no matter how hard he tried to focus on anything else.
Seeing her on the deck hadn’t helped. Not when she looked like that—soft, natural, completely unaware of the effect she had on him. He’d forced himself to keep his attention on her face, to act normal, but it had taken more effort than he cared to admit.
By the time he reached the bathroom, tension coiled tight through his body, leaving him restless and on edge. He turned on the shower and stepped under the spray, letting the water beat down on him as he tried to regain control.
Dragging a hand over his face, he exhaled slowly. This wasn’t like him. He was used to control. Discipline. Keeping things simple.
But there was nothing simple about Maura.
He stood there longer than necessary, letting the water cool his overheated thoughts, willing his bodyto settle. It took time, but eventually the edge dulled enough for him to think straight again.
Damn! It’s going to be a long four weeks.
And that was becoming an unwanted mantra.
Chapter Ten
The next threedays flew by, and Moriah found herself settling into an easy rhythm with KC. In the mornings, they headed down to the beach, where he walked her through basic self-defense. He adjusted each move for her smaller size, showing her how to use leverage instead of strength—how to create just enough damage to break free and run. The soft sand made it easier to practice, cushioning her falls when she ended up on the ground.
And she did—often.
But each time, she got back up faster. Stronger. With more confidence.
To her surprise, the movements began to stick. What had felt awkward at first started to come naturally, her body responding without as muchthought. By the third day, she could execute several techniques cleanly—almost effortlessly.
The afternoons were spent at the firing range. KC increased the distance a little more each time, and then showed her how to shoot from different positions—kneeling and behind cover—always reminding her to make herself as small a target as possible. When he had her switch the gun to her left hand, she’d hesitated, but he’d patiently guided her through it, showing her how to adjust if her dominant hand ever failed her.
She hadn’t liked that thought.
But she understood why it mattered.
Moriah threw herself into every lesson, determined to improve. Each solid hit on the target sent a small rush of satisfaction through her, building confidence she hadn’t felt in a long time. Even Al had started lingering nearby, watching with interest more than once.
“I hope I never run into you in a dark alley.”
Moriah laughed, lowering the gun. “That’s exactly what I thought about you the first time I met you. But now that I know you better, I think you’re a pussycat.”
