TheSatellite by Storm Savage Page B

a challenge yet.” He definitely sensed she was testing him for some inexplicable reason.
    “Great.” She raised her arms and smiled. “Ready. Set. Go!” She dropped both hands.
    Hatch took a strong lead. Swimming at the gym was something he did often in New York. He doubted his saucy little woman knew that fact when she’d started this game. His arms swept over the water in broad strokes as he glided across the pool. Raef closed in from behind. No doubt he swam this pool every day, so beating him on his own turf would indeed be a sweet victory and put him in his place. If it took a silly swimming race to shove Raef back into the shadows, then so be it.
    He touched the far wall then did a quick turn. Halfway across the pool, Hatch glanced back. His opponent was gaining quickly. Then suddenly Raef pulled ahead. Shock flooded Hatch. He refused to accept that this man, who’d been in the background during their entire music career, could outdo him. The closer they drew to the winning side, the greater lead Raef obtained.
    Hatch stopped abruptly and grabbed his calf. “Shit! Damn leg cramp.” He made his way over to Flame. “Sorry, babe, my leg cramped up on me.” He feigned a wince.
    “Aw, and you were doing so well.” She gave him a puzzled look. “I hope you learned your lesson. Bragging will get you nowhere because anything can happen.”
    “You’re right. I was behaving like an ass.”
    “Do I still get my kiss?” Raef asked.
    Flame wrapped her arms around his neck. “A win is a win. Right, Hatch?”
    “Yeah…” He gave a nod and sighed. “Go ahead, give him his prize.” Better to accept one kiss between them than to openly lose a race and sacrifice his pride. What could one little kiss out in the open hurt, anyway? At least Flame will see I am a good sport.
    What he thought would be a short sweet peck on the lips turned into a sizzling display of passion. No sooner did her lips meet Raef’s than he swept his arms up her bare back and pulled her close. Even worse, she wrapped those long killer legs around his waist and her graceful arms tighter about his neck. They merged together for at least a few minutes, locked in a kiss that could’ve stopped traffic. His mouth dropped open while watching.
    When she finally eased back, Raef didn’t release her immediately. Hatch forced the image of their naked bodies rubbing against each other’s from his mind. He didn’t dare glance underwater. A misty glow shone on her face when she smiled back at Raef, making Hatch’s jealousy nearly impossible to conceal.
    He cleared his throat and held his voice steady. “Okay…now that that’s settled, how about we go have some drinks.”
     
     
     
     

Chapter Five
     
     
    A couple of the women not related to the band shot Flame dagger-eyed looks as she pulled herself from the water and toweled dry after a refreshing swim. She ignored them and got dressed. Her mission had become clear. But Hatch’s resistance posed a threat to her success.
    Her gaze followed the increasingly appealing Raef as he pulled on tight white jeans but no shirt. His six-pack abs rippled with each movement. He looked like liquid stud poured into skintight denim. His easy way drew her in.
    And the kiss. Wow! She inwardly gasped. He is unbelievably hot!
    She silently questioned her engagement. Hatch had become more controlling of late and less appealing every day since they’d left New York. His fake cramp made him look weak. He couldn’t handle losing a simple competition to his friend. His lust for power was a turnoff. A second marriage didn’t seem like a great idea now. She couldn’t allow herself to marry another weak control freak.
    A flashback of the night she’d been held hostage by Aiden at his parents’ house sprang to mind. Why did my ex take such extreme measures to get me away from Hatch? Was it jealousy, as I thought, or could there be any truth to his crazy suspicions? And the question that still remained and haunted