“I guess your pain’s no longer numbed by the cold,” was the first thing that came to mind. She hoped he bought it. Steam rose from the shower stall, enveloping them in a shroud of moist vapor. The tiny room heated up fast.
So had she.
Her eyes locked on the tiny hairs on the back of his knuckles. His large hands pulled his shirt off his shoulders, then used the blue flannel to wipe his brow.
The stranger—Jacob—took a few cleansing breaths, then leaned against his homemade crutch and waited. Destiny urged her frozen limbs to move.
She slid the stool behind him, and he sat. He wobbled when he leaned over to untie the tangled laces on his muddy hiking boots. Worried he’d topple over, she held out her hand.
Focusing on her outstretched fingers, he stopped. He sat up, still staring at her fingers. With brown eyes wide, and his mouth gaping open, his gaze followed, as she sank to her knees.
Finding herself in front of him, between his open legs, she froze. At this angle, she had an up-close and personal view. Would he reach out and stroke her hair?
Instead, he kept both hands on his thighs and gaped at her while she loosened the damp, mud-encrusted laces.
“This is the ankle you twisted, right?” Nimble fingers released his foot from his right boot.
“Yes,” he groaned.
“Sorry, Jacob.” She frowned. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“The pain in my knee isn’t the cause of my groan. You, on your knees in front of me, is driving me crazy.”
His candid response surprised her, while it answered her question. How does one respond to a statement like that? Ignorance sounded like a good plan.
She slipped off his wet sock then removed the other boot and sock. She saw no sign of bleeding or bruising on either ankle. Destiny stood up, planted both feet securely, and put out both hands.
“Up,” she demanded.
He frowned at her before he grasped her outstretched hands. Rising from the stool, he balanced precariously on his right leg. She positioned one of his hands against the shower door, then gripped the top of his unbuttoned jeans. The zipper slid open with ease. With one forceful motion, she dropped both his jeans and his boxers to the bathroom floor.
Ignoring his surprised gasp, she helped him step out of them. Destiny fought a deep-down craving to let her gaze follow the length of his body. Instead, she looked him in the eye.
“I’ll run these clothes through the washer when you’ve finished your shower.” Her tongue tangled with the words. When he met her gaze with eyes nearly darkened to black, her breath caught. He stared from under thick, brown lashes that lowered in slow motion. The pulse along his pale neck was the only indication she affected him the way he affected her, though she had yet to let her eyes fall below his waist. She licked her lips, while her pulse jumped. She felt close to losing the inner duel with her desires the moment her gaze swept up and down his body.
God, he’s perfect.
Locking on the long length of rosy-pink flesh, protruding from the curls of his groin, she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from moaning aloud. His breath hitched, and the thigh muscle of the leg he balanced on quivered. She turned to leave. She had to leave. An injured man deserved privacy, not a drooling voyeur.
A large hand landed on her arm and stopped her cold. His tendons trembled under his skin as he curled his long fingers around her bicep. Glancing down at his hand, amazed at the light dusting of golden-brown hairs that trailed across his wrist, then up a muscular forearm, she halted.
“Wait,” he pleaded. His words sounded forced, as if his lungs struggled for air.
Destiny returned her attention to his eyes, but she couldn’t read him. Did this signify lust, or something more? A brief memory featuring Marcus Benton and Pete Thayer crossed her mind, hindering her from acting on her first impulse.
“Do you need help showering?” An innocent question, so why had a smile broken out across his full, luscious lips? With a jolt, she realized what she’d said and how it sounded. “I wouldn’t want you to fall, of course.”
Deep brown eyes stared right through her. Was the man laughing because she’d said something inappropriate? Or, was his smile an invitation?
“It seems a sin to waste all this hot water, when there’s plenty of room for two.”
Was the man daft? Her shower was small. Really small. His voice sounded steady, but he certainly didn’t look steady. She, herself, suddenly wavered. If he fell inside her shower, she’d be in a pickle.
“I promise I won’t look or touch unless you want me to.” He held her widening gaze half a minute more, then opened the shower door and hopped inside.
Panic bubbled up inside Destiny. Standing stock still, she watched as the water cascaded over his head and down to his toes. Her eyes must have spelled out her sudden shock at his words, because he closed the shower door with a definite click…and broke the spell.
CHAPTER 5
“Great. I’ve done it now.” Hot, steamy water sluiced down Jacob’s naked chest to his injured leg. He groaned with pleasure as its magic fingers soothed his aching knee. With a grunt of distress, he realized he yearned for her fingers on him. Rewarded with a shot of pain, as his groin tightened, he twisted away from where she stood watching outside the glass shower door. He didn’t mind, but wouldn’t embarrass himself by exhibiting his unwanted erection, so he lathered his hair with her fragrant shampoo, and sighed with contentment. The scent—her scent—swirled through the steamy air like a comforting embrace.
Do her pillows and sheets smell like this?
They must, since this fragrance filled the forest. The delicious aroma surrounded him while he imagined lying amid those sweet-smelling sheets.
Next to her, over her, in her.
He cursed. Thinking this way would not help rid him of a throbbing erection. He’d stay in the shower until he battled his body into submission. Their last conversation echoed in his head. He’d given it a shot.
Had he insulted her? Had he scared her? She knew nothing about him. He might be a sexual predator who lied to her then used her hospitality against her. Had she come to her senses? Might she be dialing the local police right now?
As his gut churned, and soap streamed down his face, the shower door squeaked open, then snapped closed. He sensed her. Then he smelled her. The aroma invading his nostrils differed from the vanilla scent he’d found so provocative. The scent of something muskier filled the tiny space.
With that realization, his body reacted. “Hard” couldn’t describe him at this particular moment in time. Betrayed by his glands, he kept his body turned away from the door. He rinsed his hair while pretending not to notice her. Doing so in the tight space took strength. Jacob clenched his teeth at the impossibility of the situation. What the Hell did she think she was doing?
And what the Hell am I going to do about it?
When delicate hands planted themselves on his hipbones, he gasped. Water sluiced into his open mouth, and he choked.
“Are you okay?” she asked as she pounded his back.
He wiped the water from his eyes with a few shaky fingers, caught his breath, and then glanced at her over his shoulder. Without her hiking boots, she was short. Her hair hung wild and loose around her shoulders. Without answering, he passed her the bottle of shampoo, keeping his eyes on her face. He couldn’t look away, or down.
“I’m doing well,” he forced himself to finally say. “And my knee is holding up. The hot water helps, and I’m glad to wash away all that mud.”
A smile filled her face, as water cascaded down her back.
Her muscular arms reached up to lather her long hair, and she closed her eyes. A gush of vanilla scent filled the small shower, as she worked her delicate hands through her hair and over her scalp. He did his best to ignore her while he leaned into the shower wall. His eyes shut as spray peppered his skin while she washed herself.
Keep talking, fool.
“Water splashing off your ba
ck is soothing my injured knee. Let me know if I’m in the way.” As he tilted farther away in a useless attempt to give her more room in the tiny enclosure, Jacob stared through slit lids. He agreed with his first impression. She was pretty. He also assumed she must be a young student, and he mustn’t think of touching her in any way.
Talk about slow torture.
Before Jacob could dwell on his misadventure—how else would he describe being locked in a shower with a naked woman—gentle hands turned him toward her. Delicate fingers pressed against his hard chest while his back flattened against the chilly shower wall. He shivered. Opening his eyes wide, he gulped.
“Jacob,” she said. “I’m attracted to you. I’m foolish admitting such a thing. I know little about you, but—”
“That’s correct, Destiny. You don’t know me. This isn’t appropriate.” Please make her listen.
“Hear me out. You’re a good man. I know this in my heart. You won’t hurt me. Besides, with your injuries, you need me. Right?”
“Yes I do. Right now, at least, but soon—”
“Let me help you, until you can manage better.”
His heart beat strong and fast under her palms, which lay flat against his soggy chest hair. Her brilliant blue eyes sparkled from under damp lashes. He wanted to kiss her. Truth be told, he wanted to do a lot more.
“Destiny,” he groaned. “I refuse to take advantage of the situation, or of you. You’ve been wonderful, and you may have saved my life today. But understand this.” He paused as she pushed her hair back off her face, then stepped back. “I’m only a mortal man. With needs and wants.”
“This, here and now, seems right for me.”
“Me, too, but what happens next is up to you. I’d be content to finish my shower, rest, and leave,” he lied. He ought to be heading home on the double. He kicked himself for praying she’d let him stay.
***
Destiny couldn’t believe her ears. “You don’t want me?”
“That’s not what I meant. I’m saying the decision is yours.” With that, he turned away to rinse his hair.
As she watched the soap slip down his wide shoulders, along his spine, and past his sculpted buttocks, she recalled the few times she’d dated. Men took the initiative when it came to sex. Afterwards, she felt used. Jacob’s words confused her, while her body trembled in anticipation. Of what, she hadn’t a clue. She mulled over his last statement.
I can say no?
When he turned back toward her, she searched his eyes. He smiled with a wickedly sexy grin and her toes curled…again.
“Jacob, I can’t explain it, but I know I’m safe here, with you. I want to make love with you.”
He let out a strangled gasp. She’d shocked him once again, but it didn’t matter. She wanted this night…with him.
“Stay the night. Okay?” She waited, biting her bottom lip. Thick steam and the shower’s spray hid the fear that he might think her loose with her affections.
An eerie silence ensued, pierced only by the sounds of water splashing over two naked bodies. The intimacy of the scene seemed to shake him into responding.
“An invitation like that almost makes me forget the pain in my knee.” He smiled widely, flashing perfect white teeth.
Droplets, dripping from delicious lips tinted a healthy color, grabbed her attention.
Great. He looks better.
Then, as if in slow motion, those moist, perfect lips descended toward hers. A shiver of anticipation turned into reality, as they touched.
She melted.
His mouth felt warm and wet, and he tasted like mint toothpaste. Had he had time to brush his teeth while she searched for the stool? Heat filled her at the memory of peeling his jeans from his body. As water dripped down her face from his hair, she breathed him in.
The kiss was gentle, almost timid, almost as if they tested one another. Then his lips grew hungry, pressing hard against her mouth. His tongue pushed through her defenses, and tasted her. He swirled and dipped, and then nipped her bottom lip. Surprise brought out a subtle groan. As if considering her noises as agreement, he pressed her entire body back against the wall of her shower. Water sluiced down her forehead and into her eyes, but she refused to break the connection.
He made love to her mouth while his hands slid down to her hips. She fought the urge to pull him close, to feel his heat and the solid length of his shaft. Without a word, he pressed against her, capturing her between a chilly shower wall and the hot length of masculine skin.
This is heaven. I’ve died and gone straight to…
When he broke their connection, Jacob’s smile lit his face, and Destiny couldn’t help but join him with her own. Then his cheeks reddened with more color than the return of good health would merit.
“Are you embarrassed?” she asked. “Or are you still in pain?”
“Destiny, the knee pain is manageable. I barely thought of my injury while kissing you. You taste so good, and you feel terrific.” He pulled his hands away and pressed them against the walls. “My mind wandered to what comes next.”
“And…?”
“I’ll need your help if you want to make love,” he said with a sheepish grin.
“Why?”
His eyes wouldn’t meet hers.
“Now I’m intrigued. Jacob, tell me more.”
He groaned and she hesitated.
“What do you need me to do?” She tried not to think about unusual sexual positions he might assume she knew. When Jacob hesitated to answer, she bit her lower lip and watched while water plastered silken brown strands across his forehead. His chest muscles flexed as he took a deep breath. When he spoke in a whisper, Destiny stepped closer.
“Well, my love, we cannot make love standing up in this small shower. My knee won’t support us.” A sly smile sliced across his face.
She’d forgotten about his injury.
“Let me see your poor knee.” Her gaze traveled down to where his swollen knee stood out from his body. Not unlike another part of his anatomy.
Difficult to get a good view with such an impressive body part standing at attention.
She reached down, and stroked his swollen knee where a deep purple bruise marred his skin. She offered a gentle caress while she peeked at his face. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”
Instead of answering, his head fell back against the shower wall. He closed his eyes while she skimmed over damp flesh. Up and down, up and down.
“Oh, man, that feels nice,” he moaned. “You have magical fingers. A little more rest and my knee will be in working order.”
“You seem to know a lot about recuperation methods.”
“I’ve been through something similar before, during a less-than-pleasant time in my life. Spending time with you might be an improvement, especially if you keep touching me.”
When he didn’t move, Destiny kept one hand on his injured knee and trailed her other hand down his chest, stopping just below his belly. His entire body stiffened.
“Relax, Jacob. I’ll try not to hurt you, but I hunger to touch you everywhere. Then, I want to taste you.” His eyes flickered open, and she locked her gaze with his. She didn’t miss the fire in his dark eyes. She knew what guys liked, and she’d prove to him she could give as good as she got. Maybe he’d touch her in the same way…
Slipping lower, she slid her hands along the length of his cock and stroked the hardened flesh, like wet velvet over rock-hard steel. She kept up a gentle rhythm, as Jacob pressed both hands against the shower stall for support. She expected pleasant moans. No such luck.
***
As if in a dream, Jacob’s mouth opened and he coughed out, “What are you doing?” His breath caught in his throat, as he stared at her beautiful face and long, wet hair falling in disarray. The shower’s steam enveloped her as she whispered, “Trust me.”
Gathering his wits, he reached out with one shaking hand, sliding it across her prominent collarbone. His fingers traced a line through tiny w
ater droplets, which burst and drenched the valley between two pert breasts. Steam swirled through his nostrils, bringing with it her musky scent. An aroused woman’s fragrance, which combined with the scent of her vanilla shampoo.
Heat built in his lower extremities, and his cock grew more rigid, pulsing along with the rapid beat of his heart. His fingers followed the path of the tiny bead of water between her breasts until he found himself cupping one—smooth as satin, cooler than her neck, and ripe as a melon—and gave in to his urge to lock a nipple between his knuckles and squeeze.
She closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and moaned. The joy in her voice swept Jacob over the edge.
He exploded.
CHAPTER 6
Jacob’s climax was quick, powerful, and agonizingly pleasurable. Strength trickled from his bones, and he grabbed hold of the shower door for support.
“Are you okay? Can you stand?”
The rapid staccato of his heart slowed enough for him to inhale. The tang of his spent seed mingled with her vanilla shampoo. When she smiled up at him, Jacob could only stare. She rinsed him from her body, and turned off the water, opened the door, and grabbed a large, fluffy towel from the pile she’d placed on the stool.
“The heat in the cabin has kicked in,” she whispered. “And my sheets are clean. You are staying.” She handed him a towel.
“Okay,” Jacob answered, when he found his voice. Her tone, authoritative yet quiet, comforted him and threw his embarrassment aside. She helped him wrap the towel around his waist and then passed him his crutch. Slipping into a silky robe the color of pink carnations, Destiny led him to her tiny bedroom.
Soft lights illuminated the gloom of late afternoon as he slowly limped toward her bed. Only the tapping of his crutch along worn, wooden floorboards broke the silence.
He watched her purposeful movements as she turned down the sheets and then turned on a bedside radio. She dialed down the volume. The curve of a pink breast tipped by a darker, rosy nipple peeked out, as she swung around to help him sit on the edge of the bed. He handed her the crutch. Smiling, she leaned the branch against the wall by her bedside table.
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