“They are gone.”
“Are you sure?”
“That was their Jeep pulling away.” But he wouldn’t sleep much tonight. He’d have to keep an eye out in case the men double-backed on foot.
“Do you think we should find somewhere else to hole up for the night?”
He didn’t miss the hint of worry in her voice.
Mack sat up, riffling through the Velcroed pockets of his cargo pants legs for his flashlight. “This is definitely the safest place. Even if they do come back, I’ll be able to pick them off with my rifle. Plus, this will provide us with shelter from the animals and the environment.” His fingers closed around the heavy steel of the light and he clicked it on. The setting sun only highlighted about a foot into the cave, and it would drop below the tree line within the next few minutes, shrouding them in total darkness. “Let’s see what the inside of our home looks like, shall we?”
Mack panned his light around the mouth of the cave. Although the entrance was small, he realized, it opened into a large cavern a few feet in. He put the flashlight in his mouth and crawled into the opening on his hands and knees, continuing on that way until the space opened up and he was able to stand, the ceiling a few feet from his head at full height. Marley hovered outside the cave and he gestured for her to follow. “Come on. It’s bigger in here than I realized.” She hesitated and then followed suit, crawling until the ceiling opened up and she was able to stand. She stood close enough for him to feel her heat, but he’d no sooner realized that than she took a step back.
“Wow, you know how to pick them.”
“You up for a little exploration?
“Follow you into the deep, dark, scary cave? It’s exactly what I want to do on my Saturday night.” Then she smiled—it was the first smile he’d seen on her face, and the effect was like a punch. The air left his lungs and his brain blanked and suddenly he found himself wanting to make her smile more.
“Thought I’d impress you since this is our first date. Let me take you on the grand tour of the mansion.”
First date? Had he really just said that? Her irritation with him would return, no doubt, and he would be stuck dealing with a hostile female the rest of the night because suddenly his dick had started thinking instead of his brain.
Marley’s grin grew wider and she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I have to say, this is the best first date I’ve been on in over a year.”
Mack’s shoulders straightened and his chest swelled up a split second before he got his emotions back under control. “And how many first dates have you been on in the past year?”
“Just one. And so far, you’ve definitely piqued my interest.”
Chapter 11
What the hell was wrong with her? She’d almost died half a dozen times today, and here she was standing in a cave flirting with Colonel Mack Grey.
He had to be at least ten years older than her, and for the majority of the day he had snapped and barked out commands in the most irritating and infuriating manner. He had maintained a resting stern and irritated expression all day—until right now. The fine worry lines crinkling his eyes eased, and his lips, which she’d thought thin and hard before those soft kisses, stretched into a teasing grin. He towered over her by nearly a foot, but she didn’t feel like he was trying to intimidate her with his height like a lot of men did. He seemed confident in his own skin, sure of his decisions and actions.
And he’d been the one to initiate the teasing, hadn’t he? And he’d kissed her, too . . .
She wasn’t stupid; the man was interested. And he was currently staring at her with barely veiled hunger. His grin faded and his nostrils flared and she could feel the shift in the atmosphere. The crackling energy between them.
The logical part of her brain knew this was probably just a burn-off from the adrenaline rush of running and fighting for their lives. She’d heard about it often enough—how people had that edge after a near-death experience. That would explain this sudden…there was no other word for it but lust. If they hadn’t been through those experiences, she wouldn’t be noticing how well the man filled out that black T-shirt stretched so tightly over his hard-cut pecs. Or the way his jaw clenched as he stared down at her like she was his breakfast, lunch, and dinner all rolled into one.
He looked at her in a way that made her feel young and adventurous, and with an intensity that promised earth-shattering sex.
His gaze dropped to her lips and there was a question in his eyes. Marley realized he wasn’t asking for permission to kiss her. They both knew there’d be no stopping when they touched this time.
She swallowed, scrambling for a reason to deny this need.
She would probably never see him again after this mission was over. Men like Mack Grey never settled down or got married and had families, and they sure as hell didn’t want to take on raising someone else’s kid.
She had a turnkey family and a daughter without a father.
But sleeping with the man didn’t mean she had to marry him, right? The last guy she’d slept with had become her husband, sure, but that in no way predicated Mack ending up in the same position—or her wanting him to. She and Maddie had a good thing worked out. They were perfectly content in their own life.
So why couldn’t Marley take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime situation to have mind-numbing sex with the most handsome, intense man she’d ever laid eyes on, knowing that after this situation was over they would never have to see each other again if she didn’t want to—
No matter how much she tried to think of a reason not to indulge herself, she couldn’t come up with a single one. And from the way Mack was holding himself back, she’d have to be the one to make the first move.
As unsure of herself as she’d been in her first encounter with him on the airplane, she timidly laid a hand on his chest. Mack jerked and she yanked her hand back as if burnt. God, she was acting like a virgin. She’d had sex before—just because it had been long enough for cobwebs to grow in her panties didn’t mean she’d forgotten how to seduce a man.
Chapter 12
Jesus Christ.
He wasn’t a fucking saint. Her fingers burned him like hot coals, sending tendrils of lust shooting straight down into his cock until he was rock hard, more so than the stone floor beneath his feet. Marley didn’t need this right now. The dark circles forming under her eyes and dirt smudging her cheeks was a loud proclamation of just how tired she had to be. Air Force or not—she had seen one helluva day.
He was used to shit like this happening. Bombs. Gunfights. Pounding it out in the jungle, fighting off snakes with one hand while popping off evil badasses—it was all a pretty typical day in his schedule. He slept on dirt and sand and rooftops, covered in grime and even chemical weapons. He’d gone days without food and water and shelter. The desert, where he pulled off the majority of his missions, was an unforgiving bitch. There weren’t any spare water sources to quench a parched throat, and there weren’t any opportunities to leisurely cook for supper over a campfire. When shit hit the fan, your ass better have an MRE tucked in your back pocket along with a spare pouch of water, or you’d end up a dried-out cornhusk in the dirt, held up like a piñata by the local terrorist group to show the seven o’clock news.
This place was practically a tropical paradise—he’d grown up in the woods in the country, hunting and fishing for food and sustenance. Hell, that snake he’d killed earlier could have fed them for two days. And although he hadn’t told her, he had killed a few more on their path.
But Marley, she deserved better than this.
She was a damn good pilot, no disputing that, and she had serious guts. He liked that she didn’t back down from a fight when he threw a sarcastic comment her way. That she’d met the silent challenge in his eyes with bold audacity. But the last thing she needed was for him to lay her down in this cave and . . .
“You need to rest.” It was hard to choke out the words through the almost animal-like ha
ze of lust clawing at him.
She drew her hand back and he immediately captured it in his own, missing the soft touch of her palm like he missed a cool bottle of water after twenty-four hours with nothing to drink.
“Did I read you wrong?”
Hell no, she hadn’t read him wrong, his cock was about to rip a seam in his black tactical pants. The heavy-duty material was made to withstand just about anything, but if she didn’t stop staring up at him with those wide innocent brown eyes, they wouldn’t stand a chance against his desire.
“You sure as hell didn’t. But you deserve better than this.” He stepped back about an inch, which was all he could manage when every fiber in his body was screaming out at him to get even closer. “You need food, water. You need sleep. The last thing you need is a man mauling you after all you’ve been through.”
He half expected her to take her hand away and he fought the disappointment he knew would follow. Then Marley surprised him and pressed her hand against his chest again, and just like the first time, he felt the instant punch of lust.
“You got any food?” she asked, the sensual tone of her voice doing crazy shit to his reasoning.
He managed to push out an answer, more of a grunt. “No.”
“Got some water?”
“No.” A helluva provider he was turning out to be. He would wait until she was asleep and then slink down into the jungle and forage for some water and food. A place like this was ripe for the plucking, if he could tear himself away from her side long enough.
“You got a bed?” She leaned in when she asked the question, and a fresh wave of her sweet scent wafted up to his nostrils. Mack took in a deep breath, savoring every layer of her that he could get.
Images of her on his bed, spread out naked and wanting, took front and center, and his eyes crossed from the effort it took to hold still, keeping himself back so she wouldn't feel pressured.
“If I had one, you’d be in it.”
Her eyes widened a fraction and those pouty lips parted. He’d scared her with that remark. Good. He wanted her on her toes. That way she’d be ready to react if something unexpected came their way.
“I don’t need to be in a bed to be naked.”
Fuck, his cock went so hard, he was surprised it didn’t bust a seam in his pants after all. He couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman as bad as he wanted Marley. Ever. She was all innocent and sweet, yet full of guts and glory at the same time.
She didn’t play the maiden-in-distress or damsel-in-distress rescue card. Far from it. She didn’t even ask for his help—or want it—when she needed it. But she’d made it clear in no uncertain terms that she wanted him. And damn it all to hell, he couldn’t resist, not for another second. Mack crushed his lips to hers, snatching her against his chest so he could feel every single curve of her body pressed against him. The soft material of his T-shirt and the hard zipper down the front of her flight suit was an irritation, something he wanted to have gone as soon as possible. He craved naked skin on naked skin. The feel of her satiny flesh sliding over his rough chest.
Marley made a little mewling sound in the back of her throat and threaded an arm around his neck, holding him to her. She met him without hesitation, a full-grown woman who knew what she wanted. And he intended to savor everything she offered.
Mack stepped back, not wanting to be too rough. Then he feathered kisses over her lips before delving back inside that moist, hot, sweet haven. She broke off the kiss, breathing hard and leaning her head against his. “What’s wrong?”
He lifted a trembling hand and tucked a stray strand of brown hair behind her ear, savoring every inch of her silken skin beneath his fingertips. “I didn’t want to be too rough.”
“Mack, I don’t need gentle right now.”
She punctuated that bold statement by tightening the muscles in her arm and pressing a hard kiss to his lips. Then she drew his bottom lip between her teeth and nibbled.
Mack sucked in a breath, fighting off a surge of white-hot desire before his eyes rolled back in his head. “Your arm.” Careful not to touch the actual wound beneath the bandage, he skimmed his hand down her right bicep.
“I think I’ve already proven I’m made of sterner stuff than that little scratch, don’t you think?”
He grabbed her waist and pulled her against his erection, wanting her to feel exactly how serious he was. “Damn, you’re beautiful. I want you. But I don’t want to hurt you.”
No matter how tough she claimed to be, no matter how tough he knew her to be, there was still a gentle fragility about her that he wanted to protect and possess. And he’d be damned if he had any part in anything that harmed her, even if it was just squeezing her a little too tight.
Marley moaned and arched, rubbing her tummy up and down the sleek, rough material of their clothes, abrading his sensitive cock.
“Stop being a pain in the ass. No more talking, just take me already.”
Coarse words shocked him into action and he buried his tongue deeply in her mouth again, spearing his fingers through her thick, silky hair. He couldn’t get enough of her—her taste, her touch, her smell—everything about her held him spellbound.
She wrapped herself against him, signaling just how much she liked his rough touch. Did she really need it like he did? This daylong exercise in adrenaline overload needed an explosion to ease the insane ache.
Maybe if he could let go, take her, and get her out of his system, he’d be able to focus on his mission—
Marley reached down and cupped his cock in her hand through his pants, and all thoughts of his mission disappeared. He ripped his mouth off hers, fumbled with the zipper on her flight suit and yanked; the material parted instantly, as if invisible fingers were pulling the edges back and presenting him with the most beautiful Christmas present he’d ever had the pleasure to open. The skin-tight black tank she had on beneath it was practically painted on, accentuating curves even lusher than he’d imagined. Careful not to hurt her arm, he slipped the material over her shoulders and down so that it hung from her hips, showing off a trim waist. Mesmerized, he wrapped his fingers around her waist until they nearly touched. He’d known she was tiny, but this—
As if sensing his hesitation, Marley shoved the flight suit the rest of the way down and his mouth went bone dry. Her tank top made his mouth water, but when she shoved her pants down with the suit, he lost his mind.
A pale green lacy thong was the only scrap of material between him and heaven. Lowering to his knees, Mack buried his face against her tummy, drawing in a deep breath. Marley gasped and threaded her fingers through his hair as he placed a gentle, reverent kiss just above the line of those lacy panties.
He helped her toe off her boots, but it wasn’t nearly enough. He wanted her to strip the rest of the way down. No, needed it. “Take your top off.”
Marley complied and brushed her hand down his face, not even wincing from the rough five o’clock shadow that had grown during the day. She wore a barely there bra, a see-through lace confection that was delicate, feminine, and pretty. Marley reached back and pulled her hair loose from the few places the ponytail holder had managed to keep in. The long, silken strands fanned down around her shoulders, teasing the tops of her nipples. Oh, my fucking God. Rembrandt didn’t have shit on her.
“Mack? Touch me.”
“You don’t have to ask twice, baby.”
Staying on his knees, his eyes level with her belly button, Mack lifted his hands and covered her breasts, testing the weight. Her hard nipples poked into his palms. Unable to help himself, he hooked a finger in the cups and pulled the material down. It made her breasts jet up and out as if begging for his mouth. “Christ, you’re gorgeous.”
A hot flush spread across her upper chest and neck, staining her cheeks a sexy rosy hue that matched the deep red of her nipples. Nipples he intended to suck into his mouth right now. Mack lifted up, putting one booted foot on the floor of the cave so that his mouth was lined up with his
target. He drew her into his mouth, all lips and tongue so he wouldn’t graze her with his teeth. Marley moaned out loud and her fingers dug into his scalp. He sucked harder, loving the intensity of her response when she moaned again. She certainly was expressive. He couldn’t help reflecting, for just the briefest moment, on how timid and closed off his wife had been. There was nothing timid about Marley Mitchell.
“Was that too hard?”
She looked down at him with a mixture of lust and annoyance. “Did you hear me complaining?”
Mack chuckled. “No, ma’am.”
He took the other nipple in his mouth this time, grazing his teeth over that rigid pink bud, reveling in her cry of pleasure. So Marley liked it a little rough; he did, too. Adrenaline junkies tended not to be shy and she was probably still riding that high—so he’d give her what she needed. And he would take what he craved.
His willpower to hold back waned, and he slid a finger into her panties and yanked them down. Marley’s hips jerked toward him as he kissed his way down her chest, pausing to lap the circle around her navel, tasting every square inch of skin he could get his mouth on. When he reached the bare pink flesh just above her sex, he held there for a moment. Not to give her time to tell him to stop—she was practically pulling his hair out trying to get him to continue—but because he wanted to savor this moment of intense longing. He knew that it wouldn’t feel quite the same after he took her. That he’d no longer feel this close to the line between heaven and hell, so fully alive that he was aware of every particle of air circulating around their skin. Grateful beyond measure that he was holding a goddess in his arms.
He had to taste her now. Had to see if her sex tasted better than her lips. He parted her legs enough for him to dip down and tongue her clit. Marley bucked and gasped and swayed and he put his hands beneath her thighs to hold her upright. She hadn’t wanted him to go easy, so he gave no quarter, lashing at her now until she wasn’t even breathing, just mewling and moaning. She was so wet, her juices coating his thumbs where he cupped her thighs, his fingers itching to delve into her depths, wondering if she was as tight and hot as she seemed. But he wouldn’t yet give her the satisfaction.
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