He gave her a quick hug followed by an even quicker kiss. When she started to protest, he said, “I’m just marking my spot. I wouldn’t want to lose track of where I was.”
She was still sputtering when he took off at a slow lope through the trees.
THAT MAN WASgoing to be the death of her. There were still rogues running loose in the woods, not to mention it was pouring outside. Any sensible person would already be inside with the doors locked and a roaring blaze in the fireplace. But she never felt at all sensible when she was with Eli Jervain.
Even now, her body vibrated from the intensity of that kiss. If that tree hadn’t decided to give them both an icy shower, there was no telling how out of control things would’ve gotten. She wasn’t the type of woman who fantasized about being taken hard and fast by a green-eyed warrior up against a tree. At least she didn’t used to be. However, the minute those big hands of his settled on her ass, she was ready to wrap her legs around his hips and hope he’d take the hint.
The lights blinked on and off. It was about time. Her teeth were chattering, and without Eli there to keep her warm, her body had turned into a giant Popsicle. She nearly stumbled going up the steps to the porch, but Eli was there to steady her. He handed her a towel as he led her inside.
“You can have the shower first.”
She wasn’t going to argue. She also wasn’t going to invite him to join her, as tempting as that thought might be. One of them had to show some common sense. The further they traveled along this path, the harder it would be to turn back. If they ever did take that final step... no,whenthey did take that final step, she didn’t want a bunch of secrets between them. Especially because this would never be about hot sex with no expectations. She wanted more from him, something more for the both of them.
“You okay?”
How long had she been standing there lost in the possibilities? She immediately knelt to unlace her boots, using that as an excuse to avoid meeting Eli’s gaze for fear her expression might reveal the hunger she felt for his touch.
When she stood back up, he held out his hands. “I’ll take your boots and put them with mine over by the fire. There are clean towels in the linen closet. I laid out the toothbrush you used the last time and that same set of sweats.”
He offered her a quick grin. “Sorry I don’t have any suspenders to help you keep the pants up. I could cut you a length of rope for a belt. That would make quite a fashion statement.”
“Smart-ass.”
There went another killer smile. “True enough. But if you play your cards right, by which I mean taking a fast shower so there’s enough hot water left for me, I’ll have a mug of hot chocolate waiting when you get out.”
“It’s a deal.”
“Good. When you get done, put your wet things on the washer in the utility room. I’ll run them through later, so you have something dry to wear in the morning.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
She picked up the backpack she’d left in the cabin earlier and headed down the hall to make good on her promise to hurry. The water was hot enough to sting her goose-bumpy skin and warmed her up quickly. By the time she dried off and put on Eli’s oversized sweats and socks, she felt a whole lot better. Wrapping her wet hair in a towel, she went in search of her host.
Eli looked up from where he was sitting at the kitchen table when she came back into the room. “I’m impressed. I expected that to take a lot longer.”
“I figured my hair would dry faster if I sat by the fire to brush it.” She tossed her pack aside and started rubbing her hair with the towel. “Besides, you’d be surprised what I can be motivated to do with the promise of chocolate.”
He headed over to the stove to fill a mug. After tossing in some mini marshmallows, he set it on the table. “Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll definitely keep that in mind for future reference.”
The gleam in his eyes left little doubt that he was thinking about what else he’d like to motivate her to do. She sipped her drink. The rich chocolate and that seductive gaze chased the last remnants of the night’s chill from her skin, leaving her all warm and toasty, not to mention tempted by the man standing within arm’s reach.
He knew it, too. Eli shuffled half a step toward her and then abruptly stopped. His hungry expression slowly morphed into something that looked more like regret. “Safara, honey, don’t doubt I want this. Hell, I want you so damn much it hurts, but we still haven’t had that talk. For your sake, I think that should come first.”
They both knew he was right. That didn’t mean either of them had to like it.
“Go take your shower. I’ll be waiting when you get out.”
He looked so relieved that she had to wonder if he really thought she’d chicken out and take off to avoid having that discussion they kept promising to have. Worse yet, did he want her to? She didn’t think she’d misread him that badly, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. “I told Dad I might stay up here on the mountain for the next day or two. Maybe I should’ve asked you if that was okay first.”
“Of course it’s okay. I want you here. Damn, I’m screwing this up, aren’t I? I don’t mean to.” He ran his fingers through his still wet hair, looking frustrated. “You matter to me, Safara. I want to get whatever this is between us right.”
“Me, too.”
“Okay, then. I’ll be back in a few.”
Once again, he dove in closer to give her another one of his hit-and-run kisses. Then, just as quickly, he was gone. Staring down the empty hallway, she smiled and touched her lips. That man really knew how to kiss. While she waited for him to return, she sat on the raised hearth to soak up the heat and brush the tangles out of her hair.
A few strokes later, a stray thought had her smiling. As much as she enjoyed the flickering warmth of the fire, it was a poor substitute for generating a whole different kind of heat with Eli.
