Tempted by His Target by Jill Sorenson Page A

stuck.”
    Her mouth tightened with displeasure. The money she’d saved was rapidly diminishing, but she wasn’t going to ask him for anything. “I’ll get us a room.”
    While she went inside Hotel del Camino, Brandon surveyed their surroundings, noting the bizarre holiday decorations. Posters depicting elegantly dressed skeletons graced most of the storefronts. A group of women were hanging wreaths of vibrant orange flowers on every lamp-post. In addition to the roadblock signs, there was a large paper banner at the town’s front entrance with rows of grinning skulls.
    Although he knew he was in a surly mood, it seemed a little macabre—and devil-may-care—to throw a party for Death. What did the revelers do in the cemetery, dance on graves? Then again, he didn’t have any room to judge. He’d lost his virginity to his high school girlfriend at the cemetery on Halloween night.
    Isabel left the hotel with a piece of paper instead of a room key. “They’re full because of the holidays. We can check elsewhere, but we might not find anything. The woman inside recommended a casa de huespedes .”
    “What’s that?”
    “A guesthouse or extra room offered by a host family,” she said, showing him the printout, which was a simple map of the city. “This one is in a rural area, away from the center of town.”
    Brandon didn’t like the idea of imposing on a family, but he wouldn’t have felt comfortable in the hotel, either. A remote or little-known location would be safer. And if they had limited privacy, he might survive the night.
    They bought a few basic provisions at the market and grabbed some street food on the way out of town. Brandon could have eaten a dozen of the three-bite tacos Isabel purchased. The grilled fish tasted like it had jumped out of the ocean ten minutes ago, and the spicy red sauce drizzled over the top added a bright burst of flavor.
    When he was finished with his to-go plate, he licked the sauce from his fingers and wished for more.
    Isabel offered him fruit instead. She had a clear plastic bag filled with chopped melon. Without really thinking about it, he leaned forward, letting her pop a juicy slice into his mouth. As he chewed and swallowed the refreshing bite, she slid another piece of fruit between her lips, sucking gently.
    Damned if that didn’t remind him of something.
    His cynical side suspected she was doing this on purpose. She had to know she’d driven him crazy on the bus earlier today. No straight guy on earth could watch a sexy woman lick a Popsicle without picturing himself in its place.
    He forced himself to stop staring at her sweet-looking mouth and focus on the journey. “Where is this place?” he asked, eying the dark clouds overhead.
    “The woman said a few miles.”
    They’d already walked at least three and the humidity was killing him. He felt irritable for a number of reasons. Sleep deprivation, sexual frustration, general anxiety. When thunder cracked in the sky, and the heavens opened up, his outlook didn’t improve.
    They were both soaked in minutes. Isabel began to shiver, but she didn’t slow down or complain. Although his boots were weatherproof, her ratty canvas tennis shoes offered no protection from the rain. Or the pebble-strewn road, for that matter. If they had to cover several more miles, she’d get blisters.
    “How are your feet?” he asked.
    She gritted her teeth. “Fine.”
    The dirt road turned into wet mud, slippery and thick, adding another layer of difficulty. She slid sideways, almost losing her balance. He reached out to grip her wrist, steadying her. “Let me carry you.”
    “No,” she said, jerking her arm from his grasp.
    “You’re going to get hurt.”
    “That’s my problem.”
    “It’s my problem, too, if you can’t travel.”
    “Then you can just leave me!” she shouted, stomping forward.
    Brandon stopped in his tracks, baffled by her outburst. Then he realized she was upset with him for switching gears so