“You’re drenched,” she exclaimed, returning with another towel.
“I’ll dry,” he said off-handedly, accepting the towel. He glanced briefly at her. “You should go back to bed.”
“You won’t leave?”
“I’ll be right here.”
Kate walked back to the bunk and climbed under the sleeping bag, curling on her side with the flashlight on the floor beside her. He stood up and was silhouetted in the beam from his own flashlight. She held her breath when he grabbed a fistful of his shirt and dragged it over his head, dropping the sodden garment onto the back of the chair.
He was breathtaking.
She released her pent-up breath on a shaky exhale. She’d realized after seeing him in the bathroom that he was fit, but the flashlight cast intriguing shadows over his body, emphasizing every dip and contour. As he toweled himself dry, she could clearly see the thrust of his shoulders and pecs. When he bent forward to blot the excess moisture from his pants, his abdomen resembled corrugated metal.
Kate felt herself growing warm. Recalling the intensity of his lovemaking the previous night, she knew he would be a good lover. Despite his size and obvious strength, his hands had been gentle on her body, coaxing a response from her until she’d been so aroused that if he hadn’t pulled away when he did, she would have come just from rubbing herself against him. Even now, desire coiled tightly inside her and then unfurled, blossoming outward until her breasts ached and she shifted restlessly beneath the covers.
“You’ll sleep better if you turn that light out,” he offered, sitting down on the chair.
“Are you going to sit there all night?”
“That’s the plan.”
Kate’s heart was beating fast. She reminded herself that she didn’t even know this guy, and that he’d all but told her that he had no intention of sleeping with her.
But she knew he’d lied.
There was no denying that they had chemistry. Sizzling chemistry. Maybe it was the storm that raged outside their tent, or the inherent danger that surrounded them from insurgents, but Kate had never been more desperate for human contact than she was at that moment.
Did she have the courage to proposition him? More importantly, would she have the guts to face him in the morning, regardless of whether he accepted or rejected her offer? If she did sleep with him, it would be with the knowledge that they wouldn’t have any kind of relationship outside of a physical one, and even that would be short-lived. In a week, she would return home and he would resume his Ranger duties. But she also knew that she wanted this man more than she’d ever wanted any other. She’d made a lot of difficult choices in her life, some she’d regretted. This wasn’t going to be one of them.
She watched as he tilted his head from side to side in an attempt to ease the tension in his neck. Charity lay on her belly beside him with her nose on her paws, and now she whined softly as Kate pushed back the covers and slid her feet to the floor. She didn’t have to see Chase’s face to know that his attention was riveted on her, although he never moved a muscle. His flashlight lay on the floor nearby, the beam of light angled slightly away from her, but she knew it provided sufficient light for him to see her. Outside, the wind howled and the canvas at the entrance flapped noisily.
“Kate,” he warned softly.
“Shh,” she whispered, standing directly in front of him. “Don’t talk. I know what you’re going to say, and you’re wrong.”
His voice was a husky rasp. “You’re about to do something that you’ll regret.”
“Wrong again,” she said, and with her heart in her throat, she slowly pulled her shirt over her head until she stood in front of him wearing only her loose flannel lounge pants and socks. She didn’t try to cover herself. She wanted him to see her, to be tempted by her.
He made a sound that was half growl, half groan, and his hands formed fists on his thighs. “I’m giving you one last chance, Kate, but if you don’t turn around right now and go back to bed, I won’t be responsible for what happens.”
But instead of retreating, Kate took a step forward, until her knees almost bumped against his. Chase’s eyes glittered in the dim light as they slid over her, and his chest rose and fell swiftly, evidence that he wasn’t nearly as composed as he seemed.
She didn’t say anything, simply straddled his legs, forcing him to make room for her. She sat down, looping her arms around his neck. He sucked in his breath and the expression in his eyes was so heated that Kate wouldn’t have been at all surprised if steam started rising from his damp skin. Her breasts brushed his chest as she leaned forward and feathered her lips over his in the barest whisper of a kiss. He groaned and turned his head, following her mouth with his own.
“Tell me that you want me,” she demanded softly, and punctuated her words by taking his hand and placing it over one breast.
“Kate …” His voice was ragged.
“Tell me.”
“Ah, Christ,” he breathed in capitulation. He hauled her against his chest, sliding one hand over her bare back and thrusting his other hand through her hair to cup her scalp and angle her face for his kiss.
There was nothing sweet or romantic about the contact. His kiss was greedy and desperate, as if he’d hungered for her and now feared she might vanish before he could get his fill. His tongue swept past her lips and teeth to ravage the inside of her mouth. One hand slid down her back to press her closer as he ground his hips upward. He consumed her, sucking and licking at her mouth, fisting his hand in her hair to hold her still.
Kate had never experienced such complete and total possession before, and she welcomed it, sliding her arms around his shoulders and spearing her fingers through his damp hair to return his kiss eagerly. He tasted hot and sweet and his tongue slid sensuously against her own, driving her need higher. She heard a small moaning sound as she shifted closer, and realized with a sense of shock that it came from her.
“More,” she managed to pant against his mouth, and cradled his head in her hands, deepening the kiss. She hardly recognized herself; she’d never been so consumed by lust, and all she could think about was the aching spot between her legs. She knew if Chase touched her there, he would find her drenched with moisture.
She gave a surprised gasp when he gripped her bottom in his hands and stood up, supporting her as if she weighed nothing. Kate locked her legs around his hips and hung on as he walked them over to the bunk and then bent forward, letting her fall back onto the mattress. As he straightened, she saw the hard thrust of his arousal beneath his camo pants, and the realization of what they were about to do hit her.
“I don’t want you to stop, but what if someone comes?” she asked breathlessly, her gaze shooting toward the entrance where Charity lay and watched them curiously.
“I’m hoping that will be you,” he said, his eyes glittering hotly as he looked down at her. His voice was a husky rasp. “Don’t worry. You were right when you said that nobody will be out in this weather. Even if they were, they wouldn’t come in.”
“Are you sure?”
His hands paused in the process of unfastening his belt. “Having second thoughts?”
“No!” If he stopped now, she would die. She was sure of that. Sitting up, she brushed his hands aside and her fingers trembled as she eagerly unfastened his belt. “Definitely no second thoughts.”
The buckle fell away and Kate tugged on the button of his pants until that too popped open beneath her fingers. Before she could unzip them, however, Chase sat down beside her on the narrow mattress, the metal bunk squeaking beneath their combined weight. Bending over, he unlaced his boots and pulled them off, dropping them onto the floor by the bed. Then he turned to Kate, and she felt herself tremble at the intensity of his gaze.
Chase