“Did that show you?” She smirked, putting out her hand. “Okay, now pay up!”
Before she realized his intent, he grabbed her around her waist, hauling her against his body, her toes dangling off the floor.
She squealed, slapping her hand against his chest. “Hey, no fair! You pay with money, not with kisses. Kisses won’t pay the rent,” she quipped.
He wrapped both arms around her snugly as his gaze roamed over her face.
“What? Do I have something on my face?” she asked, self-consciously swiping her fingers over her mouth.
After Shane had suggested they not return to the station, and instead spend another two days together at his place, they’d spent the entire first day and long into the night just making love to each other.
They hadn’t even gotten out of the bed, had simply enjoyed the pleasure of being with one another, uninterrupted, just the two of them. The only time they’d been out had been to eat, and even then they’d taken the food to the bed and afterward made love in the crumbs.
The last four days had been the best she’d had in a long time. The trip to Sweetwater, where she and Shane had spent the time relaxing, making love and learning about each other, to now, where they played…and made love.
For the first time in her life, Emma felt completely at ease.
It was Tuesday evening, their last night away together. Both had agreed they needed to actually get out of bed. Shane had threatened that he was not a man restrained to the confines of the bed when loving his woman. Emma had blushed, partly because of the threat, partly because of his casual reference that she was his.
Emma forced herself to stop over-thinking it. Forced herself to stop wondering if and when she’d wake up from the dream, feeling as though the last few weeks had been like a fairy tale.
Take life as it comes. That had been her motto for so long, the words automatically came to her mind. Accept it as it comes, and don’t expect too much. It was a surefire way of avoiding pain and heartache.
“No. You’re beautiful,” he said, responding to her question.
“Shane…” The word was whispered, her eyes fluttering shut to block out the expression on his face. An expression she refused to analyze and try and figure out. Refused to dare hope that he could possibly share her feelings, feelings she’d just discovered she had for him.
She clenched her eyes tightly for a moment longer, fighting against the unexpected sting she felt burning at the back of them.
She had it bad for him. There was no fooling herself otherwise. When she felt his hands tighten on her waist, her eyes flew open, seeking his.
He lifted her until her feet left the floor, suspended with nothing but his strong arms around her holding her upright. He slowly lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.
Emma sighed into his kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, completely giving over to his caress. One of his hands remained around her waist, easily holding her firmly against his side, while the other tunneled beneath her hair at the nape of her neck.
“Mmm…I love kissing you.” The coarse whisper feathered against her mouth. He pulled away and allowed her body to slide against his until her feet touched the floor.
God, what he did to her. The way he made her feel with just one kiss. One touch. One look… Emma reached a hand toward his mouth, up, tracing her finger over the bottom curve of his sensual lips, her finger shaky. He drew the digit deeply into his mouth, his bright eyes on hers, swirling the pad of her finger around his tongue and suckling the flesh.
Heat radiated from his body, the flare of desire burning bright in his eyes as he licked and suckled her finger.
“Let’s get out of here,” he finally said, his voice low, husky with need.
She slowly became aware of her surroundings as he lowered her. Before she could be anything more than mildly embarrassed at their shameless display, he laid claim to her mouth again. A shrill ring brought her back to reality.
He broke their kiss, swearing lightly, and blindly reached down to snatch his cell phone from his pocket.
“Yes,” he bit out, his voice impatient, his heated gaze still on Emma. Emma’s fingers brushed against the frown, and immediately he smiled.
When the smile slipped from his face, Emma gave him a questioning look.
As he listened, Emma felt his hold tightening on her, yet he continued to hold her.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
He ended the conversation, placing his cell back on his belt clip.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s a situation brewing near the Idaho-Montana border. Everything is under control for now, but we’d better head back just in case,” he said, smiling briefly as he turned with her and strode briskly out of the bar.
“Do they need reinforcements?” she asked as they reached his truck.
“Not yet. Everything looks under control. They are in need of more supplies. Some of the guys were scheduled for a practice jump, so on the way we’ll parachute down some supplies.”
“We?” she asked, her excitement growing, thinking he was including her. “We as in me and a few others. You will be safely tucked away at the station,” he replied firmly, starting the engine and peeling out of the parking lot.
“Tucked away? No, you didn’t! Give me a break, Shane! Let me come! I could get some great pictures—”
“Emma, I already told you, no live-fire missions! This is serious work. You could get hu—”
“Shane, I’m a big girl! I can handle myself!” She interrupted him this time. Even as the words left her mouth, he was already shaking his head no.
“Absolutely not. When we get back to the station you can go to the ground crew area. I’m sure there will be more than enough things going on for you to get plenty of information for your article.”
“Shane. Come on. An opportunity like this doesn’t come around often. I’m only here for a short time more. This is perfect!”
He turned to her. “No, Emma. I’m sorry, but it’s just too dangerous. Fires can, and do, move. Anything can pop off once we’re airborne. I don’t want to take the chance with you on board.”
“I can handle myself,” she insisted. “Besides, this might be my only chance to catch a live shot from the air. I can get the kind of shots that could make or break this article. Make it go national. Please, Shane,” she all but begged, but yet again he was shaking his head no before she could even finish her sentence.
“Emma, I don’t have time for this. Not now. Please.”
She expelled a deep breath, crossing her arms over her chest, clenching her jaw tight. Finally she nodded her head. “Fine.”
A look of relief eased over his face before he sped along the street, heading back toward base.
The station was teeming with action when Emma and Shane arrived. As soon as they entered, Roebuck called out to Shane and the two of them quickly made their way to the control room where he briefed them on the latest developments.
“The situation is unchanged—the fire is being contained,” Roebuck said as soon as they joined him at the computer monitor. He pointed to an area on the map where the fire was currently raging. “They have enough men. Jumpers from Montana have already lent additional manpower, so everything is under control.”
“Thank God.”
“The only thing our men are doing is setting up a paracargo drop, lending more supplies. The men assigned were headed up to a nearby area anyway, to do a practice jump.”
“Plan still the same?” Shane asked.
“Yes. As soon as the cargo is parachuted down, they’ll go to the area for their jump.” He turned to Emma, including her. “I thought this might be a great opportunity for Emma to get some live shots. Maybe you could take her up with you.”
“No way! Emma isn’t going anywhere near a live mission!” Shane stated firmly.
Emma turned to Shane, a pleading look on her face, and he was already shaking his head no.
�
��Oh, come on, Shane!”
“No, it’s out of the question. Anything can happen. You’d have to wear a chute…”
“I’ve taken the course. I’ve watched the film, remember?”
“You haven’t jumped, though, Emma.”
“I’ve jumped before, Shane! You know that. Not here, not into a fire, but I know how to use a parachute!” When he looked as though he was going to argue more, she interrupted him, “Besides, I won’t have to jump! I’m just going along for the ride, to get the pictures. And you’ll be there with me. Nothing is going to happen, Shane.”
Her shoulders slumped when she saw the flat line of his mouth not budge. He gave her a quick frown and turned to go. When he reached the door he paused before turning back to face her.
A resigned look crossed his face, and after a slight hesitation he said, “Come with me. We have to get you outfitted if you’re going to fly with us.”
Emma let out a whoop and ran toward him, grabbing him around the neck and giving him a big hug. “Thank you, Shane! I promise I’ll follow your instructions! Let me grab my camera and I’ll meet you and the crew in the cargo area!”
Before he could change his mind, she sprinted out the door and ran to his truck to retrieve her camera before making her way back to the hangar to join him and the other crew, now forming, preparing to go.
“This way, Emma,” Shane said as soon as she joined them. She quickly followed him as he led her to the “suit-up racks” in the ready room, where he grabbed suits for the both of them.
Emma quickly donned the gear, thankful for the boring training films he’d made her suffer through that demonstrated the quick and efficient way to put on gear.
When she finished dressing, just seconds after Shane, she glanced over at him. She walked closer to him, placing a finger over his ever-present frown, and smoothed a finger over the deep lines etched into his forehead.
“I’ll follow your instructions, Shane. I promise. You can trust me.”
He captured her finger, giving it a soft kiss before nodding his head. “You know I can’t say no to you.”
She grinned up at him. “No, I didn’t know that. But it’s good info to know,” she quipped.
“Let’s go, woman!” he growled, and Emma hid her smile.
Chapter 21
An air of excitement and expectation prevailed inside the plane.
Besides Emma and Shane, there were the four jumpers who were going out for their practice shoot, a spotter and the pilot. The remainder of the “crew” consisted of boxes of supplies that were to be parachuted down to the jumpers on the mission in Montana.
“We’re headed over the Grand Tetons, and from there we’ll parachute the cargo down just on the other side of the mountain.”
With her face pressed to the window, Emma saw the mountains come into view and gasped when she saw a shadow of dark smoke darken the skies.
“We’re coming close to the fire. It’s contained so far,” Shane said in answer to her unspoken question, his voice grim.
The cargo was to be sent down to the men below, before the jumpers would precede to their jump site. Both the pilot and Shane were in constant contact with the ground crew being updated on the fire.
“What if—”
“Shane, I think you’d better come up here. The situation has changed,” the pilot called out loudly over the loud engine, interrupting Emma.
“Hold that thought, baby,” Shane said, swiftly making his way over to the pilot. Hunching down low, he and the pilot spoke in tones too low for Emma to hear, yet she noticed immediately the change that came over Shane.
“Change in plans,” he said grimly, walking back toward Emma and the four jumpers, who all immediately stood, gathering around Shane.
“The fire has shifted, growing in a new direction. The son of a bitch barreled right past the containment field. It’s growing too fast and it’s getting out of control. There aren’t enough jumpers to handle it. They’re calling in backup. We’re headed that way and we’re the closest ones. Thank God we’re minutes away.”
The men nodded their heads, quickly preparing for the jump. Although the news was grim, it wasn’t completely unexpected.
Shane turned to Emma.
“You’re fine. There’s no danger to you, but still…”
“Shane, handle your business, baby. I know how to stay safe. Nothing will happen. You have enough to worry about other than me right now.”
“You stay safe.”
“I will,” she promised.
Despite the tension of the moment, he yanked the glove from his hand, ran a finger down her face and leaned down to give her a soft kiss.
He turned back to the men, his voice losing the intimacy, becoming brisk as he briefed them on the change in the situation.
Neither he nor Emma noticed—or cared—the way the others turned away, smiles on their faces despite the tension, after the small intimacy. Their senior squad leader was known for his brisk manner, yet whenever he was around Emma he softened noticeably.
Shane’s worried glance fell on Emma, her camera on her lap, a contemplative look on her face.
She must have felt his gaze on hers. Turning in his direction, she offered him a reassuring smile, yet the smile appeared strained, the worry in her soft brown eyes easy to see.
For the first time in his career as a jumper, the anxiety he felt churning in his gut had nothing to do with the mission ahead, or the lives in jeopardy. Instead his anxiety had to do with the small woman who had, in one short month, come into his life and turned it upside down.
He forced a reassuring smile before he turned away to face the others.
“We’re nearing the drop site,” Jones, the spotter, called out over the near-deafening roar of wind and engine, listening to the direction from the pilot.
Again Shane’s gaze flew over to Emma. No longer looking in his direction, she’d returned her attention to her camera, gazing out the window. He wanted—needed—to go over to her one last time to reassure her. But all of his attention needed to be on the mission ahead.
He fingered the cross around his neck in the same way he did each time before he jumped. Pausing before tucking it inside his jumpsuit, he glanced down at it.
Kyle had given him it to him. It had been passed down from his grandfather to his father, and then to Kyle, once he joined the jumpers. Kyle had given it to him the day he graduated from his rookie class. He’d never jumped a fire without it. Until now.
Briskly, he walked back toward Emma, lifted the necklace from around his neck and placed it around hers. Without a word he turned around and made his way to the back.
The doors opened to the thunderous roar of wind, immediately revealing a billowing column of smoke rising high. When the spotter pulled his head back inside the plane, he yelled over the roar of wind, “Take us down to three thousand.”
It was time. The jumpers pulled on their helmets and flipped the wire-mesh mask over their faces before tugging on gloves. All of them, including Shane, were running on pumped-up adrenaline, like horses at the starting line. They were primed and ready for the starting gun and the race to begin.
After the spotter gave the go sign, Shane led the way. At the door he paused, glancing over his shoulder once more at Emma before dropping into a sitting position, legs dangling out of the plane.
When he felt the slap on the back from the spotter, he grabbed his toggles and peered below.
His gaze scanned the column of smoke that cast an ominous shadow over the land below as he leaped from the plane, his body pitching sideways against the heavy wind, beginning the familiar mental countdown: “Jump-thousand, look thousand…”
Chapter 22
Emma stood as near as possible to the jump door, capturing each man’s jump on film, until the last one left.
Although her stomach was in knots with worry over the danger the men—Shane—were literally jumping into, she continued to take picture after picture, long after the last jumpe
r was too far from the plane to capture his image through the smoke and fire obscuring her vision.
The beauty of the images was indescribable, haunting. She hoped she’d captured the near otherworldly quality on film. For the first time in her career as a photojournalist, she was not only in awe, but felt strangely inadequate, fearing that her skills wouldn’t—couldn’t—do them justice.
She’d gotten to know the jumpers on a personal level. Their humor, who they were as individuals, why each one had joined the smoke jumpers…each man had a different tale, a different story to what brought him to this point in his life.
“Did you get what you needed, Emma?” There was a subdued quality to the spotter’s voice, and she turned to face him, nodding her head.
“Yeah, I think I did.”
With a soft clap on the back, he turned and signaled the pilot to close the doors, and Emma moved back to take her seat. She stared out the window, sightless, trying to muscle her mind away from thinking about the danger Shane was facing and to concentrate on the article she still needed to write.
Over the last month, she’d captured more than enough images to sift through later and decide which ones would make the cut, but she knew the lasting image in her mind of Shane placing his beloved cross around her neck before jumping from the plane was the one that would stick in her mind forever.
She fingered the necklace.
Sighing, she grabbed her backpack, glad she’d retrieved it from Shane’s truck before leaving, and withdrew her voice recorder. Hovering in the recesses of her mind was the angle she needed, the one that she saw with an instant’s clarity was the direction to take for her article.
“Jones, I need you up here!”
Urgency rang sharply in the pilot’s voice as he called the spotter, cutting into her thoughts. Emma rose from her seat as the spotter strode swiftly past her. As she rose, a violent turbulence hit. The plane dipped, the impact shoving her violently to the side, the side of her head hitting the corner of the seat in front of her, her backpack spilling to the floor.
Hot to Touch (Kimani Romance) Page 12