Touched by Corrine Jackson Page A

almost touched mine. Heat zinged from his fingertips.
    “Remy.” He waited for me to look up. “Don’t you know? You take my breath away.”
    Solemn eyes focused on mine without a hint of the teasing I’d expected. Feeling exposed, I tucked my hands in my lap out of his reach.
    Asher pulled back, too, giving me space. “I can’t believe you’d think I was that low. I didn’t even notice the bruises, at first. I went out there to get shots of the clouds moving in. It’s wild when it storms over the harbor.” He smiled, remembering. “I stepped on that beach, and there you were with your hair blowing about and your wise, sad eyes. I had to take your picture to prove you existed somewhere other than my imagination.”
    The handsome, sculpted face and gentle voice mesmerized me. I’d connected to him when I’d sensed his loneliness. Asher reached for me, and my heart thudded into my rib cage. His powerful gaze dared me to back away. I didn’t move, and he slipped a hand in my hair, his fingers combing through the long strands near my cheek. It felt like a touch, though the movement barely stirred the air.
    “Hey, Asher. Great game.”
    The deep voice shredded the intimate moment. I wished the visitor would go away when Asher’s expression hardened and his hand dropped. With some distance between us, I remembered how to form complete sentences and twisted to see who had joined us. His brother, Gabriel, stared at me with green eyes like Asher’s.
    “Gabe.” Asher’s clipped tone was unfriendly.
    Gabe’s gaze didn’t stray from my face. Seeing his features up close, I was captivated, though my appreciative perusal was impersonal. Almost too beautiful to be real, his appearance left me cold. Gazing upon Gabe, you had to admire the artistry of the creator who could mold such perfection.
    He reinforced the illusion when he smiled. I couldn’t find a flaw anywhere, and that made me nervous. For some inexplicable reason he reminded me of a predatory shark who’d sensed blood and circled in for the kill. He had to be only a couple of years older than me, but that age gap could have been ten years for all I cared. Still, that didn’t stop me from admiring perfection in its purest form.
    A throat cleared and I shifted to find Asher scowling at me. On anyone else that expression would have been jealousy, but it made no sense. Even if he’d had grounds for jealousy, it wouldn’t have been fair. His brother was a work of art, and Asher couldn’t blame me for looking. When Asher continued to glare, I rolled one shoulder in a shrug.
    Forest-green eyes narrowed and I blinked. Whoa. I guess he can blame me for looking.
    Gabe missed the exchange as he stared into my eyes with soulful intent. “Asher, introduce me to your friend,” he demanded.
    Asher remained silent, and I introduced myself. “Remy O’Malley. But you can call me Jailbait.”
    “Hi, Remy O’Malley. I’m Gabe. My brother didn’t mention you had a sense of humor.”
    His voice had the same proper accent as Asher’s, but with none of the sandpaper roughness that caused goose bumps to form on my arms. I detected a hint of com-petiveness in Gabe’s smile as he leaned forward with one hand on the table and the other on the back of my seat. He was too cocky; too sure I’d be putty in his hands if he deigned to notice me. I’d thought Asher arrogant, but his brother owned it.
    I decided I didn’t like Gabe.
    It also occurred to me that Asher’s abilities might run in the family. Distaste filled me at the idea of Gabe’s energy mingling with mine, and I shored my mental walls up five stories higher and ten miles wider.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Asher’s satisfied smile.
    Gabe continued to invade my space, and I scooted my chair toward Asher until he had to let go or fall. Gabe didn’t seem to notice my evasion. He stood over me, leaving me with the distinct impression that he was hunting me.
    “I heard your dad bought you a new car.