Page 21 of Lethal Game

"Cuts will heal," he said, giving her a smile.

She shook her head in wonder. "You don't let anything get you down, do you?"

"I'm happy we're alive. No cuts are getting me down."

"I'm happy, too. You…are something else, Jason."

He inclined his head. "As much as I'd like to take the credit, luck was on our side."

She needed to let go of him, and he needed to let go of her, but neither of them seemed inclined to move. It was probably just the joy of being alive after their shared terrifying experience. But she felt a connection to him that she hadn't ever felt with anyone.

Jason's gaze darkened as he looked at her. "I should let you go," he muttered. "You know what this feeling is, right? It's just amazing relief and gratitude that we're alive."

"That's what I was thinking, too," she agreed. "But I have this crazy urge to kiss you right now. That would be really inappropriate?—"

Before she could finish, Jason closed the distance between them, his lips pressing against hers in a kiss that silenced everything else. It was exactly what she needed—more than words, more than comfort. In that moment, it wasn’t just about surviving.It was about feeling alive. About connection. And maybe it was something more…

CHAPTER FIVE

He shouldn't be kissing Alisa, but every time Jason thought about stopping, her mouth invited him back in. It took several minutes before he could finally put an end to the impulsive desire that had ripped through him when she'd looked at him the way she had, when she'd put into words what he was feeling, too.

Her face was flushed, the breeze lifting her dark-brown hair as the surrounding trees rustled, bringing him back to reality, to the situation they'd found themselves in.

"I'm sorry," he muttered as he stepped back, fully breaking the contact between them.

"Don’t apologize. I wanted to kiss you, too," Alisa said, her voice soft. "I know it’s crazy—we barely know each other."

"We just went through something intense," he said.

"That’s probably why," she agreed, though her eyes still held a lingering question, daring him to admit it might be more.

But he wasn't going to admit that. He knew the high that came with a close call. And that was why they'd ended up sharing one of the best kisses he'd had in a long time.

Clearing his throat, he said, "We need to get out of here."

"Right." Her gaze moved up the steep hillside. "I still can't believe we didn't flip over on the way down."

That surprised him, too. He was also astonished they'd missed other trees on their way down the hill. Thankfully, the brush had slowed the car down enough that by the time they'd reached the last set of trees that the impact hadn't been as destructive as it could have been.

There had definitely been luck or someone watching out for them because it was a miracle they were not just alive but also not seriously injured.

He pulled his phone from his pocket. "I've got a weak signal. But hopefully, that will get us some help."

"Oh." She looked back toward the car. "My bag is still in there. I need to get it. I need to check my phone, too."

"Hang on," he said. "I'll get it." He moved away from her, leaned into the car, and grabbed not only her purse from under the airbag but also pulled her keys out of the ignition. He handed everything back to her, then used his phone to call Savannah.

"Jason, where are you?" Savannah asked. "The lawyer came and went."

"I was in an accident. I was driving Alisa to her parents' house, but we'd barely started down the hill when I realized the brakes on her car didn't work. I'm sure someone cut the line."

"Seriously? Are you both all right?"

"We're okay, but we were in an accident. We're stuck at the bottom of the hill leading up to the hospital. I don't think anyone can see us from the road, but we went through a guardrail, so that should identify where we are. Can you call the fire department?"

"Of course. What about an ambulance?"

"We don't need an ambulance. Just help to get out of here."