I Will Survive. Samantha Connolly

to have sex with him after all? On camera?

      “Here,” said Nick, handing her his T-shirt. “Put this on.” He put his shirt back on and bent to untie his boots. “I’ll give you my socks as well, they should be some help.”

      Jessie, mortified by her assumptions and touched by his consideration, slipped the T-shirt over her head. It smelt of him and she wrapped her arms around herself as she felt the lingering warmth of him seep into her skin.

      Nick gave her his socks and then covered his microphone, indicating she should do the same. Jessie wrapped her hand around the microphone and stared at his face, shadowed in the moonlit night.

      “I just wanted to tell you that you don’t have to worry about…I mean, what Lois said earlier about the sexual tension…that’s not something you have to worry about.”

      Jessie felt her chest constrict and she was glad of the darkness. “Oh, gosh,” she fumbled, “you neither. I mean, you don’t have to worry. Of course not.”

      He nodded and smiled. “Come on, let’s get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.” He tilted up the roof of the shelter so Jessie could lie down and then he arranged himself next to her, lowering the roof above them.

      The bed was too narrow to allow any space between them and anyway, Nick seemed devoid of any self-consciousness as he slid one hand under her neck and curved his arm protectively around her. He was lying on his back and Jessie found herself nestled in the crook of his arm, her back snuggled warmly against his side. She could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest and she made an effort to slow her own breathing, certain that he could feel her heart thudding like a piston. Her gaze dropped to Nick’s arm and she could see the golden hairs glinting in the tiny rays of moonlight that seeped through the roof branches. She could imagine the salt on his skin and wondered how he’d react if she just tilted her head down and licked it.

      She closed her eyes. A few moments passed and then she decided that she didn’t care if the others were less than ten feet away. She was in bed with Nick Garrett and she was going to make the most of it. She rose up and turned over in the bed. She looked down at Nick who was watching her with dark eyes and she moved over until she was straddling his lap. She peeled off the T-shirt and then slowly, tantalizingly, dropped first one strap and then the other until her breasts were bared to his gaze.

      Nick’s reaction was immediate and passionate and probably would have done him proud had he been aware of it. Jessie had already succumbed to sleep and her flickering eyelids were the only evidence that such a shameless seduction was taking place.