The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance, a distinct warning of the impending storm approaching them. Lora shivered at the sudden drop in temperature and rubbed her hands along her arms. "We should probably head back to the cabin before we get stuck in the rain."
He'd been so caught up in their conversation that he'd forgotten about the storm moving in. But it was definitely on its way, and judging by the dark, bloated clouds drifting overhead, it was going to be one helluva downpour. "I think you're right."
They were at least half an hour away from the cabin, and despite their brisk walk along the open trail, the rain quickly caught up to them. Large, fat drops fell, sporadically at first, then gradually increasing into a heavy deluge that soaked right through their hair and clothes.
With a low curse, Joel grabbed Lora's hand and picked up the pace to a light jog, searching for some kind of shelter until the worst of the rain passed. Behind him, Lora laughed at their comical situation, and he found himself chuckling, too-and had to admit the playful moment felt incredibly good.
Finding a large tree with long, thick branches and dense leaves, he pulled her in that direction, until they were finally beneath the large overhead canopy that protected them from the worst of the storm. She was still laughing as she gathered her hair over her shoulder and wrung out the dripping wet strands.
Her white blouse was thoroughly saturated-and now completely transparent, enabling him to see her bra and the tight, rosy-hued nipples straining against her top. The wet fabric clung to her luscious breasts and outlined her curves like a second skin, and all he could think about was how soft and lush the rest of her body was beneath those clothes.
Amusement shimmered in her gaze, and a drop of water dripped from her cute little nose. "Wow, what's with me getting caught out in the rain?"
At least this time there was no threat to her life. But still, Joel felt bad for getting them in this predicament and for not paying more attention to the changing weather.
"I'm sorry. We should have headed back sooner." And now, with the rain falling hard and steady around them, they'd be much safer waiting beneath the shelter of the tree for the worst of the storm to pass.
"I don't mind." She grinned at him, her lips wet from the rain. So pink and sweet and kissable. "If I'm going to be stuck out in a downpour, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be stranded with."
As much as the situation lent itself to seduction, that wasn't what her comment was all about. No, she meant it in a way that implied that she truly appreciated being with him, no matter the cause or the reason.
God, she was unique, and so far removed from the normal high-maintenance women he dated who'd be pissed as all hell that the rain not only ruined their hair and clothes, but that they were stuck out in the wilderness indefinitely. But Lora didn't seem to mind at all. In fact, she appeared to be enjoying herself and the spontaneous change of plans.
Standing next to him, she shivered, obviously chilled. Gooseflesh rose on her skin, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I should have worn a jacket."
Another roll of thunder shook the gray skies, and a brisk gust added to the cold, wet conditions. Feeling responsible for their situation, and knowing the best way for them to keep warm was sharing body heat, he grabbed Lora's arm and gently pulled her to him.
"Come here, so I can keep you warm," he murmured, even as she came willingly into his embrace.
Knowing they had a while to wait before the storm eased up enough for them to head back to the cabin, he moved back a few feet until he was resting against the thick tree trunk. Spreading his legs, he pulled her closer, so that his thighs bracketed hers and protected her from the wind. She snuggled into him, her hips aligned much too intimately to his, and her full breasts and tight nipples pressed against his chest in a way that had his lower body instinctively growing hard. Her head rested on his shoulder, and her face was nestled into his neck. Her nose was chilled from the elements, but her lips, when they touched his skin, were warm and soft-her breath equally so.
Arousal shot through his system like a drug he'd been craving for too long. He closed his eyes and inhaled a deep, steady breath that did absolutely nothing to curb the insistent ache in his groin.
She kissed his neck and somehow, when he hadn't been paying attention, had managed to pull his shirt from the waistband of his jeans and slip her hands beneath the damp material. Flattening her palms on his abdomen, she slowly stroked them up toward his chest, then back down again.
"How can your body be so warm when it's so cold out?" she asked as her lips nuzzled just below his jawline.
"I've always been warm-blooded," he said gruffly, and swallowed back a low groan when her thumbs grazed his taut nipples. "The cold weather doesn't bother me much."
She shifted closer, if that was even possible, and he felt her mouth curve into a smile as it traveled up to the shell of his ear. "Well, you definitely feel good to me, and I'm thinking there are plenty of other ways to generate some heat. Lots of rubbing and friction is always good for that. And kissing and making out, too."
This time he did groan, because the images that slipped into his mind were just too damn erotic to ignore. She was tempting him, driving him beyond crazy with lust and desire. And he had no doubt that was exactly her intent.
"We're out here, all alone, and there's absolutely nothing you need to protect me from while we're at the cabin," she whispered in his ear as she skimmed her hands around his waist and up the slope of his spine. "There's no reason why we should deny what we both want."
He wanted to argue the point, tell her that there was more at stake than him keeping her safe from Zach's thugs. There were already too many emotions swirling between them, bonding them in ways he'd never felt with any other woman, and that in itself was reason enough for him to keep his distance. Making love with Lora again just wasn't a smart idea, because the biggest threat of all was the possibility of breaking her heart when this job ended and he walked away.
And him walking away would happen. It always did.
Besides, realistically, there was no place for Lora in his life, a life that consisted of a hectic schedule and workload with Elite, and spontaneous assignments that were sometimes dangerous and other times grueling. She deserved a stable relationship with a man she could depend on on a regular, daily basis-not someone who'd never endured a long-term commitment with a woman and didn't know if he was even capable of doing so.
But Lora didn't give him the chance to say any of what he was thinking. Her mouth found his and she kissed him softly, nibbled on his lower lip, then teased the seam with her tongue, seeking an invitation to explore deeper territory. He'd spent days ignoring this sizzling attraction between them in order to stay focused on protecting her, and it had been fairly easy to do since she'd been on her best behavior, but how was he supposed to resist such a blatant sensual assault when she tasted so damn good, and felt even better in his arms?
A kiss… he could handle a kiss, he told himself, and it didn't have to lead to anything sexual. But what he wanted from her wasn't a sweet, playful kiss. No, if this was all he was going to allow himself to take from her, then he wanted something hotter, harder, and a whole lot more carnal and satisfying.
Bringing a hand up from where it had been secured around her waist, he sank his fingers into the damp strands at the nape of her neck, tipped her head to the side, and slanted his lips across hers in a demanding, open-mouth kiss. With a soft moan, she gave him exactly what he craved, responding like a woman equally starved for him. Their tongues mated eagerly, dueled aggressively and with a driving, passionate force that matched the storm raging inside them, and around them.
And just like every other time they'd touched or kissed, it wasn't nearly enough.
The tips of Lora's fingers stroked their way down his back, kneading skin and muscle with those talented hands of hers until she reached the waistband of his jeans. She strummed those same graceful fingers around to his bare abdomen, then slid them lower as
she traced the stiff length of his erection confined beneath his button fly, making him swell and harden even more. Boldly, she cupped his cock in her palm and squeezed gently, but firmly enough to make him groan deep in his throat and forget everything but the hot need surging through him.
Then her mouth was gone, and before he had the chance to clear his head and realize what she meant to do, she was already down on her knees in front of him on the wet grass, her hands working to unbutton his jeans. Just as she hooked her fingers into the waistband of his pants and underwear and started to pull them down, he came to his senses and grasped her wrists, stopping her just inches from baring his aching shaft to her gaze, her touch, her incredibly sensual mouth.
"Lora," he rasped, the one word infused with a warning for her to stop.
She tipped her head back and looked up at him, her eyes dark with temptation and a little bit of sin. "I want to do this for you. Please. I'm not asking for anything in return."
He instinctively knew she wasn't referring to a reciprocal act of sex. but rather, she was making it very clear that she didn't expect any of those sentimental promises from him. She just wanted him, right now. Here. For the moment and while it lasted.
"Please, Joel. Let me," she whispered huskily, another soft plea, and this time when she leaned forward and kissed his stomach, then nipped at his flesh with her teeth, he let himself surrender to the undeniable need she inspired in him.
He released her wrists, and with a slow, gradually tug at his jeans and boxer briefs, he was freed. Seconds later, she had him in her hand, her fingers wrapped tight around his thick length. She caressed his shaft slowly, leisurely, drawing out the process and teasing him unmercifully-because she could. She glided her thumb over the sensitive crown, followed that with a lazy lick of her tongue, and smiled oh-so-seductively when he shuddered from the exquisite pleasure.
Just when he thought he couldn't take any more of her sensual torment, she parted her lips and replaced the snug grip of her hand with the liquid heat of her mouth. Exchanged the stroke of her fingers for the silken swirl of her tongue and the suctioning pull of her lips dragging up and down his cock.
The white-hot sensation jolting through him was so intense, he could barely remember to breathe.
With a ragged groan, his head fell back against the trunk of the tree. Closing his eyes, he reached down and slid a hand into her hair, gently grabbing a fistful of the damp strands as she took him slow and deep, using her tongue in incredibly erotic ways that inflamed him even more. Over and over, she drove him to the brink, only to ease back just enough to keep him right on the edge of what promised to be an explosive orgasm. She lingered and played, as if there was no other place she'd rather be than right there with him. As if they had all the time in the world and she wanted to make this last.
Her mouth enveloped him once more, all the way to the base of his erection, then back up again, sucking him harder, faster, deeper, and finally giving him the release she'd been withholding.
The coil of desire wound tighter and tighter inside him, and before long there was no holding back the pulsing orgasm rising to the surface. He tried to issue a raspy warning, tried to pull free from her mouth, but instead of stopping, she merely moaned and slid his shaft all the way back inside, until he reached the back of her throat. He felt her swallow around the head of his cock, and the tight, squeezing sensation was his final undoing.
A haze of pure ecstasy fogged his mind, and he uttered a curse as he fell headlong into a blissful kind of oblivion and his entire body clenched in the hottest, most intense and all-consuming release he'd ever had. It trapped the breath in his chest, nearly stopped his racing heart, and left him completely spent and shaken.
While he struggled to recover-he was eternally grateful for the support of the tree behind him-Lora rose back to her feet to face him. With his gaze still a bit unfocused, he took her in. She looked beautiful, triumphant. Her cheeks were flushed an alluring shade of pink and her green eyes glittered mischievously.
He couldn't ever remember a climax that had left him so dizzy and weak. So thoroughly wasted, yet undeniably sated. He opened his mouth to speak, but all he could manage was a hoarse, "Jesus, Lora."
She laughed, way too pleased with herself. "I guess it was good for you?"
Grinning, he pulled up his pants and buttoned them up, his movements still unsteady. "Good is just too tame a word to describe that out of body experience. I was thinking more along the lines of phenomenal."
He glanced around them, beyond the shelter of the tree, and realized that while it was still raining, the initial torrent had passed. But that didn't mean they were in the clear, and they needed to take advantage of the slight lull while it lasted.
"We really need to get back to the cabin before the storm and winds kick up again, or else we could be out here for hours, and it's starting to get dark." They had about half an hour of any kind of daylight left, and it was getting gloomier by the minute. "I say we make a run for it."
"You're on." He hadn't meant it as a challenge, but she took it as one and upped the ante. "How about first one there gets the shower, and the other one has to make dinner?"
"Sure," he agreed, and pushed away from the tree. "Just so you know, I like my grilled cheese sandwiches nice and brown and crisp."
She laughed at him, and his presumptuousness. "I don't know why you're telling me this, since I'll be taking a long, hot shower while you're making dinner."
She took off down the trail, and he started after her, figuring he'd give Lora a bit of a lead before passing her up. Except he didn't take into account how sluggish his legs would be after that draining, and amazing, climax she'd given him, and that closing the distance between them would take too much effort and work when he was actually enjoying the view from behind.
As he followed after her and kept her in his sight, he came to the decision that he wanted this one last night with Lora, no matter how selfish it might be. Because tomorrow, when and if Zach showed up, everything was bound to change, and not necessarily for the better.
Chapter Fifteen
LORA walked out of the bathroom after a hot shower and into the living room, where Joel had built a fire in the hearth to help warm up the front rooms. With her hair towel-dried and wearing her favorite pair of pink cotton sweats and fuzzy socks, she headed into the kitchen, where Joel was pouring their steaming soup into bowls. She felt her stomach grumble hungrily, and realized that she was starved.
"That hot shower sure did feel good," she teased as she came up beside Joel at the counter. While he'd taken the time to change into dry clothes, his hair was still damp from getting caught out in the rain.
"I wouldn't know," he said, and cast her an envious look, one that lingered longer than necessary on her lips before lifting to her eyes. "I was busy slaving over the stove making your dinner."
She laughed and picked up the plates with their grilled cheese sandwiches to take to the small dining table.
"Now don't be a poor sport. We made a deal, and you lost. I can't help it if you're a slowpoke."
He carried over the bowls of soup, along with spoons, and set them down on the placemats. "Yeah, well, I didn't expect you to cheat."
"What?" Her tone rose incredulously, and she arched a brow his way as she sat down. "How do you figure that I cheated!"
He took the seat next to her. "You took complete advantage of a weakened man." His gaze took on a sexy glimmer, and the corners of his mouth twitched with a playful smile, leaving no doubt in her mind as to what, exactly, had worn him out.
Remembering her bold and shameless seduction, a warm blush swept over her cheeks. "You know, I'm finding it very hard to feel sorry for you."
"It was worth a shot," he said with a wink, and started in on his navy bean soup.
Taking a bite of her grilled cheese sandwich, she shook her head and pondered the change in Joel, from his earlier brooding attitude while chopping wood, back to the fun, flirtatious guy she'd ori
ginally met. He might have willingly surrendered to her lip service out in the middle of the storm, but she'd truly expected him to revert right back to being serious and all business once they returned to the cabin. She'd even anticipated the possibility of him expressing regrets for giving in to his desires, or launching into one of those "we shouldn't have" kind of speeches, and she was grateful that he hadn't done any of those things-because if he had, she would have had to just deck him.
She supposed it was the fact that they were a world away from civilization and the threat they'd left behind, she mused as they continued to eat their dinner in compardonable silence. Or maybe the carefree, laid-back atmosphere out there lent itself to a more relaxed attitude and mind-set. Whatever the reason, she was going to enjoy Joel's fun, cheerful mood while it lasted.
Finished with their meal, Joel leaned back in his chair and let out a contented sigh. "That was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself."
She rolled her eyes and decided to humor him. "Yeah, you're a regular Chef Boyardee."
He gave a low, lazy chuckle. "Yeah, that's about as good as it gets when you're a bachelor."
They stood up, and when he started stacking their plates and bowls to help clear the table, she brushed his hands away. "You go take your shower," she said, and carried the dirty dishes to the sink. "Since you made dinner, the least I can do is clean up the kitchen."
"You won't get an argument out of me." He put his hands up and took a step back. "Cleaning up the mess is the worst part."
He headed out of the kitchen, and she filled the sink with hot, soapy water so she could hand wash the dishes, along with the pot and frying pan Joel had used. She wiped down the table and counters, and put away the leftover butter and cheese into the refrigerator, then went into the living room.
Joel must have thrown a few more logs on the grate, because the fire was burning bigger and brighter than it had been when she'd come out of the bathroom earlier. She was grateful for the warmth, considering how windy, cold, and wet it was outside.
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