Page 87 of Snow

Nova’s kiss had been fucking addictive.

Snow glanced sideways at the woman sitting beside him and immediately wished he hadn’t, because his gaze dropped straight to her mouth.

Apparently, two kisses had been enough to imprint the memory on his brain permanently. He could still remember the way she had initially gone still, the soft sound of surprise she had made before kissing him back, and how quickly he had gone from intending to give her one gentle kiss to wanting a hell of a lot more.

He still wanted more. A lot more. But wanting something and taking it were two very different things.

After they had returned to their room last night, Snow had deliberately given her some space. Nova needed to call her sister and brothers, and he needed somewhere to burn off the restless energy still humming through his system, so he had headed to the gym.

He had spent nearly an hour abusing a treadmill and a set of weights while trying to process everything she had told him. Her parents fucked up.

He felt for her. Not pity, because Nova Hart was probably the last woman on earth who wanted anyone’s pity, but a deep ache that she had spent so much of her life trying to earn something from her parents that should’ve been freely given. Things like their support, loyalty, and unconditional love. She deserved so much better.

From everything she had told him, her siblings seemed decent. Her sister clearly had her back, and her brothers sounded ready to go to war on her behalf if necessary. At least she had them.

Her parents, though? Snow had a feeling it would be a very long time before he could hear Leonard Hart’s name without wanting to punch him.

By the time he had returned to their room, Nova had been out cold. Of course, she had apparently attempted to work first.

When he had walked in, he found her sprawled diagonally across the bed with her laptop open beside her, several documents scattered over her stomach and one hand still resting on a legal pad. He had stood there for several seconds staring at her before shaking his head.

He had carefully gathered the papers, saved whatever she’d had open on the laptop, and set everything aside before pulling the blanket over her. She hadn’t so much as stirred when he had brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

That was when he had made himself a promise. Whatever happened between them, he wanted to be someone she could depend on.

He wasn’t naïve enough to think one kiss meant she was suddenly ready to jump into another relationship. She had spent two and a half years with Rick, had been cheated on, and was now dealing with parents who had apparently decided consent was optional when arranging their daughter’s future. If Nova needed time, he would give it to her.

But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to kiss her again because that was absolutely happening.

The thought made his mouth twitch as he remembered his conversation with the team earlier.

Nova had gone upstairs to take a private call with Mr. Silverman, allowing Snow to check in with the team.

Derek confirmed he had turned over everything Nova had uncovered to the appropriate agencies.

Snow had also told them about the boat he and Nova heard the night before.

Naturally, the assholes had immediately focused on the least important part of that statement.

Apparently, telling his friends that he had been alone with an attractive woman on an upper deck at night was the conversational equivalent of throwing raw meat into a shark tank.

Joker had wanted to know what exactly Snow and Nova had been doing up there under the moonlight.

Bear had helpfully suggested they probably hadn’t been discussing corporate compliance.

Snow hadn’t told them shit. What happened between him and Nova belonged to them. If she wanted the guys to know eventually, fine, but Snow sure as hell wasn’t turning that kiss into locker-room entertainment.

He had, however, explained what happened with her family and the engagement announcement. Nova had permitted him to tell the team; otherwise, that information would’ve stayed with him too.

The mood had changed immediately. Every one of them had been pissed on her behalf, although Jay Bird’s suggestion for what Leonard Hart could do with his engagement announcement had been particularly colorful.

More importantly, they were relieved Nova was okay.

Derek had also informed him that their ship had been forced to reposition because of the storm, moving farther south and putting additional distance between the team and the rig. Snow didn’t like hearing that, but there wasn’t a damn thing any of them could do about Mother Nature.

Which brought him back to the present.

The dining area was busier than usual. With operations suspended, crew members who would’ve normally been scattered throughout the platforms were milling around inside, drinking coffee, playing cards, watching television, or staring at their phones while waiting out the storm.