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Myla paced her room at the B&B until her aching knee forced her to sit. Maybe getting her thoughts down on the computer would stop them swirling in her head. Unfortunately, few of her thoughts were suitable for her articles. They were all about Sawyer.
She was worried about his safety. And that of the other men as well. With two police officers and a former SEAL in the group, they should be safe but she didn’t know. Couldn’t know. She hadn’t even thought to ask the deputy to have someone tell her the outcome of the entire operation. Her only thoughts had been of Sawyer and the relief evident in his face as she left.
He’d held her through the night, touched her until her world exploded in a symphony. Then he’d rebuffed her. Actually, he’d rebuffed her repeatedly. Even when she’d asked if he would be interested in sex.
She was hopeful he was going to say yes until she’d played the virgin card. Keeping that to herself would have been the smart move but she didn’t want to lie to Sawyer, especially when he was convinced she was lying about her job. He must have been involved with some sleazy reporter for him to be so sure and so angry.
She wanted him to trust her. Wanted him to believe in her. And hop into bed with her.
Myla shook her head to try to spin the thoughts out of it. In the last few days, she’d become the master of cyclical thinking and she was making herself dizzy.
Her window at the B&B looked out onto a side street but she angled her chair so she could see as much of the lake and the boardwalk as possible while still keeping an eye on the road. Maybe she’d see a sign they were safe.
As the hours passed, Myla managed to get caught up in her articles enough to write some decent copy as well as several blog posts. She avoided the biggie—Clumsy Girl Takes a Plunge—and not into water. Especially when the guy sent such conflicting messages. Kissed better than any fantasy she'd had and so much better than the reality she'd experienced.
His eyes burned into her, right deep down into her, unless they went blank. That part of him called to her too. She knew what it was like to have secrets, parts of you that ate you slowly from the inside out. She understood closing off a part of yourself from any and all eyes. But she wanted to reach out, help him find a way to heal his shattered heart.
Was she willing to take a chance on him seeing hers? Because it wasn't trust—or love—unless she was willing to take that risk. The thought had her up and pacing again.
Love? She didn’t know about that.
People only fell in love this quickly in books and movies. In the real world, lust sure but not love.
Not that she knew a lot about it. Her nurses had cared for her and she kept in touch with two of them. Some of the foster parents had been very kind. But love? Nope. She had nothing to go on. It was impossible to know what it felt like.
She'd probably mistaken everything in his eyes, in his kisses, in his actions, for love. In reality, it was probably lust. Which would fizzle away once he saw her.
Clumsy Girl Takes The Coward's Way Out.
No. Not this time.
If the opportunity came, she'd risk it. Risk going deeper. Take a chance on him. And on herself.
Try to build something with him. She’d find out if the man was interested in anything other than a quick roll in the sheets. Although, she'd take that too. As many times as he wanted to roll.
The thought of Sawyer's hands on her skin had her flushing. All over. And checking the window.
Silly. The deputy who'd met her at the lake's edge had told her to call the station in the morning to make arrangements to get her car from Sawyer's shed. Darby had given Myla her spare keys for her own car if she needed to drive anywhere in the meantime.
Myla paced a bit but always returned to her chair by the window and her laptop. Writing had helped her through the toughest times in her life. When she hadn't had a laptop or even a notebook, she'd written in her head. Articles, exposes, stories, poems. Whatever suited her mood.
At the moment, her mood was definitely running into the fiction area. Romance. Steamy romance.
Why not?
Normally, she outlined her ideas, did some brainstorming, had an idea where she was going with her writing. Tonight, she didn't need any of that. The emotions were bubbling.
The story wasn't autobiographical. It didn't happen in the winter or in the woods but the hero was all Sawyer. She changed the name of course but the quicksilver moods, the eyes that burned fire then ice, the protective streak, the devastated heart, they were all him.
Military past. The death of friends despite his efforts. The nightmares that haunted him.
Creating the heroine caused her more trouble. A nurse. Working in emergency. Someone who had seen too much death, too much waste.
They met at a clinic for the homeless where they were both helping out, her with the physical, him with the emotional. Both trying to heal themselves as much as others.
Myla's fingers flew as the sparks ignited between the characters. Furtive looks. Interest. More.
Saving a patient who'd come in with gunshot wounds.
Her car wouldn't start. He'd take her home.
Long drive.
Talking. Sharing.
Safe in the dark. Easier to face the unfaceable.
Stopping outside her home.
Parking.
Touching. Finally touching.
Tasting.
Savoring.
Lights flashed in Myla's vision, cutting through the dark and pulling her out of the story.
Headlights.
A car finished the turn onto the B&B’s road, handling the icy curves with ease, then drove right on past.
Not Sawyer. Not anyone who wanted to stop and tell her what had happened out there.
Myla shoved away from the desk. To heck with sitting and waiting. To heck with hanging back. Time to be the one pushing, asking, and demanding.
She ignored the tremble in her hand and the voice in her head screaming that she needed to sleep before making life-changing decisions and grabbed Darby’s keys.
As a teen, she’d never snuck out of the house. She’d held back then, too. She’d never had a group to hang out with, never been part of a gang of girls who had slumber parties. Never snuck out to go parking with a guy.
Her foster homes had rarely lasted a year, not enough time to truly fit in. And, as long as sleep deprivation was making her honest, she hadn’t put that much effort into fitting in. Not when she’d known she’d be moving soon. It was too hard to leave friends behind. So much easier to not make them in the first place. Safer.
Which brought her back to Bloo Moose and Sawyer. Something about the town and the people was different. Or, they’d made her different.
As it was after three in the morning, she kept her steps quiet and held Darby’s keys tightly so they wouldn’t jangle. The giddiness of doing something illicit was silly. She was an adult. If she wanted to traipse around in the middle of the night, she was allowed. Not that she was sure what traipsing was.
Stifling a giggle, Myla crept through the kitchen, left a note for Darby, and slipped through the back door.
The air was icy and she briefly considered going back for her coat. The cowardly part of her told her to head back inside to bed. Instead, she grabbed the railing to head down the stairs. The fierce cold surprised her as it penetrated her skin and seeped right down to her bones.
Thankful she’d slipped on the boots, Myla shuffled to Darby’s car, cranked the ignition and the heat, wondering if she was about to make a massive fool of herself.
Surprisingly, the snow made the streets less slippery but Myla was still shaking with nerves by the time she reached the turnoff to Sawyer’s cabin. This road was narrower, hadn’t been plowed as recently but Darby had told her Sawyer’s cabin was the only one on the road. Impossible to miss.
It took almost ten minutes before she reached a driveway. That long again to convince herself to drive up to the house. If she’d misunderstood Darby, she might be about to scare the bejeepers out of some man who would be as likely to answer the door with a shotgun as with a question.
Inching up to the house, Myla knew instantly it was the correct one. Cozy log cabin. Huge garage to the side. Deck that wrapped around to the front. The snow had piled up in the time they’d been away but the wide driveway and paths had obviously been cleared by someone with a penchant for neatness. The edges of the snowbanks marched with almost military precision. Two dog houses sat beside the garage.
The perfect winter getaway.
Myla kept the car idling as she debated her next steps. If Sawyer didn’t reappear during the night, she’d run out of Darby’s gas and freeze while waiting. That would be totally pathetic.
As the night closed in around her, Myla started to feel incredibly stupid. Chasing down a man in the middle of the night. A man who, if he did come home, would be exhausted. A man who had made it clear he didn’t want to want her. A man who’d pushed her away.
Yup, she’d already managed pathetic.
Maybe she’d leave him a note, except she hadn’t even brought along her purse. Just her keys.
She tapped her hands on the steering wheel. Stay or go? Be brave, be a coward, or be sensible?
With a vicious twist, Myla turned off the car and hopped out. She’d at least check to see if he was home. No lights. No smoke from the chimney.
No harm in knocking.
The wind laughed at her sweatshirt’s attempt to warm her body and she hugged herself as she shoved through the snow to climb the deck. Instead of knocking on the back door, she made her way to the front, hoping curiosity wasn’t going to kill this cat.
The view had her stopping in her tracks in awe. In front of the cabin, the trees opened up to show a spectacular view of Bloo Moose Lake.
A huge deck, including a hot tub, took advantage of the view. The sky was the clearest it had been since she’d arrived in town and the half-moon and stars stood out in stark relief against the black sky. Otherworldly. And no camera to capture the images.
No Sawyer either as the cabin was locked up tight. When she turned and saw her own tracks through the snow, she realized that not only was there no chance anyone was inside but there was no way to hide the fact that someone had visited in the middle of the night.
Time to give up and head back. Get some sleep and deal with it all when she wasn’t coasting along on the words she’d written. If this scene was in her book, they’d already by enjoying that hot tub.
Myla took one last long look at the view. If she had the chance to come back, she’d make sure she had her camera.
Halfway to the steps, she heard the motor. Distant at first but closing.
Myla waited for a few moments, listening.
Closer.
Had to be Sawyer.
Nerves ran through her, leaving her immobile as she waffled between stay and run. If only she knew what his reaction would be. If he would push her away like he’d done so many times.
He might be happy to see her.
He might not.
Face flushed with embarrassment, Myla decided to run. This whole thing was far too risky and she wasn’t ready. She’d start with smaller risks. Rocky Road instead of Chocolate Fudge.
The roar of the machine echoed in the night and she hurried her steps. Close. Too close.
Her need for speed did her in. She flew off the deck’s top step and completely missed the next three, landing in a puff of snow at the bottom. Sucking in deep gulps of air, Myla floundered around to get some purchase on the slippery ground beneath the snow.
Gloves would have definitely helped.
Shaking and suppressing giggles, Myla finally shoved to her feet and headed to Darby’s car.
As she rounded the corner to the driveway, a light flashed through the trees, highlighting the car.
Caught.
Before she could take another step, the snowmachine came into view, the light turned in her direction and blinded her. She threw up her arms in defense as she worked to maintain her balance.
The light faded, the machine shut off and silence descended as Myla fought to regain her vision along with her composure.
“What are you doing here, Myla?” Sawyer’s rough question had every girlie part she owned doing a happy dance. That voice sent her heart fluttering all on its own. Add in the intense stare she couldn’t see but knew was aimed in her direction and she was glad she hadn’t left.
“You're okay?” She licked her lips, swallowed hard, and wished her voice hadn't trembled.
Instead of answering, he climbed off the snowmobile and pulled off his helmet. The moonlight allowed her to see him but with the light behind him, his face was in shadows, so his expression remained hidden.
Myla wrapped her arms around her in protection, against the cold and against the potential rejection. “Are you okay?”
Still, he didn’t answer her. Four long strides and he was in her space, blocking the moon and creating a bubble of shadow in the night.
For long heartbeats, neither moved or spoke. She knew his eyes were trained on hers but his expression remained hidden in the dark.
He took another step, his boots on either side of hers, and pulled off his gloves. He shoved them in his pockets and ran his hands up and down her arms, then leaned in until a fairy wing wouldn’t fit between their lips.
His fingers gripped her shoulders, then pulled her in and up. He rubbed his lips over hers, back and forth and again. His breath heated her skin and she leaned in to close the final gap, felt him smile against her lips.
The kiss shot fire through her system, making her shudder. His arms wrapped around her and she let out a gasp as her body crashed into his freezing winter gear.
Sawyer drew back enough to rest his forehead against hers. “I don’t know why but now I am.”
Myla didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. “What?”
He grinned at her and kissed her nose. “You asked if I was okay. Now, I am.”
If her heart hadn't been fluttering like hummingbird wings against her ribs, it might have melted completely then and there. Or maybe it already had.
"Did you find him and stop him? Is everyone okay? What happened? Where is he now?”
Sawyer grimaced. "And the nosy reporter raises her head."
Myla straightened her spine. She’d forgotten he thought she was writing about him. In amidst all her worries, she’d forgotten. Not her best move.
She wriggled against his hold. “I’m glad you’re okay, Sawyer. I’ll see you later.”
He didn’t let her go. “Why’d you come out here, Myla?”
She shook her head. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
His growl rumbled into her. “The real reason. Why’d you come out here?”
Another head shake.
“Tell me, Myla.”
“I don’t know.”
He bent down so they were eye to eye and shifted her so the moonlight exposed her face. She wanted to run, wanted to hide.
Sawyer waited and Myla fought with herself.
And lost. Or won. She’d find that out later.
“I wanted to see you.”
He nodded. Waited some more.
“I wanted to—” her voice trailed off as she decided she was going to focus on showing rather than telling.
Myla lifted her hands and ran them up his chest and cupped his jaw. His scruffy jaw that hadn’t seen a razor in a few days. She brushed the tips of her fingers over him, shivering at the touch on the sensitive pads.
Sawyer didn’t move—at all—as she explored his face with her fingers and her lips, then her tongue.
“You, Sawyer. I want you.”
His groan made her smile and he kissed her again. Hard.
Too quickly, he pulled back. This time, he took her shoulders and stepped back, then looked her up and down. “What the hell are you doing outside in the middle of the night without a coat or gloves. Are you crazy?”
Most likely.
“Damn it all, Myla, you’re half frozen. Let’s get you inside.”
She wasn’t going to argue with that.
He put one arm around her and dug for keys in his jacket pocket. Once they were on the deck, not-so-distant barking disrupted the quiet.
Sawyer sighed and turned them so her butt rested against the deck railing. “Hang on. Haven’t seen them in a few days, so they’re going to be a little nuts. They’ll be worse if we sneak inside.”
He unzipped his jacket, pulled her to his chest, and wrapped his jacket and arms around her. Close enough that they lined up in all the right places. When she shifted slightly, it created the best kind of friction, so she shifted again, causing him to groan and do some moving of his own.
The thump of the dogs against Sawyer’s back shoved them more closely together as he stopped her from toppling backward.
He captured her laugh in a kiss and they became totally absorbed in each other as the dogs bounded and licked and finally got bored enough to leave them alone.
“Now, let’s get you really warmed up.” Sawyer grabbed her hand and tugged her into the house, pushing her up against the door as soon as he had it closed. His mouth crashed on hers and tried to devour her.
She returned the favor.
Breathing heavily, Sawyer lifted his hands to rest on the door on either side of her head and pulled back. Not far. Too far.
Her hands were wrapped around his neck and she tried to pull him back but he dropped his head and sighed.
“Are you sure about this, Myla? Really sure? It’s not a decision to be made lightly.”
His eyes were serious and his hands still.
“I’m sure, Sawyer. Very sure. I want to know what it’s like. I want to do this. And I want to do it with you.” She swallowed deep and forced out the question. “And you? Are you sure?”
He flinched at the question but didn’t break eye contact. “Are you lying to me? Are you writing about me?”
She kept her eyes and voice steady. “No and no. I write adventure articles. Not exposes. I promise.”
“I’m going to check you out. I want to see what you’re writing. If you’re lying, I’ll know it.”
“I don’t have my laptop with me but you can do an online search right now.”
Those deep chocolate eyes searched hers and she tried to project the truth.
Sawyer’s eyes closed briefly and when they opened, the heat was enough to melt the lake out there. He leaned down and kissed her again, gently enough to make her knees wobble.
“No regrets afterward.”
It was a statement, not a question but she answered it anyway. “No regrets. I promise. And the same goes for you. No regrets.”
His chuckle rumbled through every place they touched and made her whimper.
After another kiss, he pulled back enough to lean his forehead on hers. “I’ve been in the bush for two long days. I smell like I’ve been in the bush for two long days. I’m going to shower. You’re going to be here when I’m done.”
She raised her eyebrow at that. “Then you’d better hurry.”
He barked out a laugh and kissed her briefly. “I’ve got all kinds of incentive. I’ll hurry.”
He stepped back and started shedding his winter gear. “Make yourself at home. Find something to drink. Or eat. Or watch. Read. Whatever. It’s fine if you change your mind. We’ll talk or watch something. Anything. Just. Do. Not. Leave.”
Watching him take off layers pretty much ensured that. Still dressed in sweats, he wrapped his hand around her neck and drew her in for another seductive kiss. “Five minutes. Give me five minutes.”
She nodded and watched him disappear through the kitchen. It took her at least one of those minutes to build the energy to push herself off the door. Her muscles were heavy, slow-moving like she’d been drugged. By his touch. His kisses.
Water splashing down the hall had her stepping in that direction but she stopped. Her leg would be more than obvious in the shower and she wasn’t that brave.
Soap bubbles would be cascading down Sawyer’s muscles making interesting trails that she could follow with her hands and her tongue. The scent of his shampoo would wrap around her, filling her up with him while she filled her hands with those muscles.
Myla’s skin flushed everywhere and she took the time to slip her feet out of her boots, leaving the support inside. In the kitchen, she dropped her keys on the table and wondered if she should turn and go.
Nope. Time to ease up on the shields and take a risk.
With her body.
Not her heart.
Sawyer had made it clear he wanted her but that was all about the lust.
She had to put her hand on the counter to steady herself at the thought of all the lust. Wow. Her imagination was spinning all kinds of wonderful scenarios. She was probably making it too big, too important. Too impossible.
People had sex all the time. It would be pleasurable. Fulfilling. Good.
Poor man had no idea what kinds of expectations her imagination had created for him. For them.
What if it was awful?
It could be awful. She might be really bad at it.
Myla edged back toward her keys. She didn’t want to see disappointment in his eyes. Worse, pity.
Taking down her shields was dumb. Taking risks was dumber.
Time to leave.
Her hand grabbed for her keys at the same moment as two powerful arms wrapped around her from behind. “Chickening out, Myla?”
His breath nuzzled her neck and she automatically tilted to give him better access. Her nerves morphed from run-for-the-hills to we’re-going-to-do-this nerves.
Instead of grabbing her keys, her hands wrapped around his arms, pulling him tighter into her. His breath was half relief, half laugh. “Thank God.”
With their bodies aligned from shoulders to knees, there was no mistaking Sawyer’s arousal and every girlie part Myla owned cheered.
Spinning in his arms, she found the alignment even better, especially since he wore only a pair of low slung jeans. Unbuttoned. Leaving his chest uncovered.
Her heartbeat accelerated way past crisis levels. The man was built like a warrior. Her eyes devoured the plains and angles and the soft trail of hair that disappeared into those jeans.
Myla let her fingers trail over his chest and up to his shoulders, enjoying the flinch of his muscles wherever she brushed. The lower her fingers traveled, the more intense the flinches.
Power surged through her and Myla smiled as her fingers continued to brush over him. She’d have never believed that she’d be able to cause this kind of reaction.
Feeling brave, Myla eased her fingers lower, brushing each muscle ridge slowly. When she reached the edge of his jeans, her daring left her and she moved her hands back up. A strangled chuckle had her flushing and her fingers returned to trace the skin along the edge of his jeans again.
Sawyer’s hands tightened on her hips and he breathed out her name.
Changing direction, Myla wound her arms around his neck and slid her fingers into his hair and then pulled herself up on her toes to kiss him.
No tentativeness, no questioning. She kissed him with all the need clawing inside her heart. She might make her living with words but she didn’t have any to tell him how much she needed him. How much she needed to have him want her this much.
Her message translated because Sawyer growled low and long as he devoured her mouth. He yanked her up and her body nearly exploded from the full contact.
Myla rubbed against him causing another growl. A heady rush of power shot through her and she repeated the movement.
Sawyer retaliated by easing his hands under her butt and lifting her so her legs wound around his hips. Myla shuddered and tightened around him.
Then he settled her on the kitchen table and let his hands go to work.
He cupped her head and leaned in to kiss her, while his other hand trailed down her leg.
Her left leg.
Panic shuddered through her, battling with the lusty haze. This was real. He was touching her. Not only was she letting him, she was pushing him. Demanding his touches. And he was going to touch her leg.
Sawyer kept his hands moving, one stroking up and down her jean-clad leg. He eased his lips back just enough to speak. “You keep thinking that hard, you’re going to hurt something, Myla.” His eyes bored into hers. Deadly serious. “You can change your mind at any time. You’re in charge here.”
In charge.
That made her smile. She doubted this man let anyone truly take charge of him. But she didn’t pretend to misunderstand. The decision was hers. He’d respect it. Respect her.
“I like the sound of that.”
***
SAWYER grinned at the surprise and the desire in Myla’s voice. She wanted to be in charge and he was prepared to enjoy every minute of it.
He’d been so sure she’d run and if hadn’t smelled like something dead and buried, he’d have never taken the risk of showering and giving her time to escape.
Seeing her in the light of his sled, full of anticipation and nerves had gone a long way to healing the scars from the disasters of the last few days.
A quick online search as he’d stripped for the shower showed dozens of listings for Myla Esperanza articles. The titles he’d checked were all about adventures. It was enough for now.
Now he wanted to devour her. Virgin or not.
Myla leaned in and up, brushed her lips softly over his. “Kiss me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He swallowed her laugh and tasted her again. Somewhere between sweet and sultry. Addictive. He doubted he’d ever get his fill of her taste.
Sawyer pushed the thought aside and concentrated on lowering Myla’s stress level and increasing her pleasure. She was worried about her leg. The first time he’d touched it, she’d recoiled. He wanted that worry gone, so he kept touching her through her jeans. He could tell the leg was thinner, weaker but that was something he’d already guessed. Nothing major.
Although it was to her.
Sawyer slid his hand beneath her hair and caressed the back of her neck. She melted a little more and her breasts touched his chest. He wanted the layers gone.
Running his hand down her leg again, Sawyer concentrated on making her melt even more. Their tongues dueled and she pulled him closer. When his fingers reached beneath the hem of her jeans, she tensed.
He pulled back. “You’re beautiful, Myla. All of you. It’s just a leg.”
“But it’s—“
Sawyer silenced her protest with another kiss and let his hand explore a little further. When he reached her calf, the weakest part of her, he spoke again. “You’re strong. You let nothing hold you back.”
Her eyes widened and her lips parted, so he had to taste her again.
“You’re gorgeous and I want nothing more than to see you. All of you.”
Tears flashed in her eyes but she shook them away and swallowed hard. “You’re a pretty amazing man, Sawyer Banks. I want to see all of you too.”
Triumph zipped through his veins and he dropped his head to taste the skin covering the pulse pounding in her neck, enjoying its sudden kick and her soft gasp.
He considered moving to the hot tub but it would take too long to heat up. They’d save that for round two.
Keeping the hand on her leg moving and exploring, Sawyer reached with the other to tease the skin beneath her shirt.
“Holy shit, Myla, you’re freezing.” He’d forgotten she’d been outside without a jacket or gloves. “I’ll get you a blanket.”
She laughed and pulled him closer. “I kind of like this blanket.”
God, she slayed him.
Sawyer reached down and hooked her legs around his waist. “Hold on. Let’s get you warm.”
When he lifted her off the table, she squeezed him with her thighs and he nearly threw her back down and took her right there.
His need to ensure her comfort overrode his own needs and he hurried them down the hall toward the bedroom. When she ran her tongue over his chest, he took a deep breath. Focus. He was a SEAL. He could make it to the damn bed.
Feeling like he’d survived BUD/S training all over again, he tumbled her onto the duvet and followed her down. Her softness gave beneath him until he felt like they’d already become one.
Her hips arched up into his groin and he buried his face into her hair to give himself a moment. Except the damn hair smelled like her. And it was spread over his bed in all its wild and untamed glory.
Myla shoved him up enough so that her hands could start on his chest again. Made him want to flex every muscle he had as the fire in her eyes flamed with every touch and kiss.
Hooyah.
He wanted his own turn to look. “You’re wearing too many clothes, Myla.”
Her eyes sparkled and she cocked an eyebrow. “Maybe you should do something about that.”
Sawyer grinned down at her. “Bossy, huh?”
When worry crept into her eyes, he laughed and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I like it.” He felt the shiver through his lips as he nibbled. “Slow or fast, Myla? Remember, you’re in charge.”
His teeth pulled on her ear lobe and she gasped out a moan.
“You want me to rip everything off? Start at the bottom? The top?” Her fingers curled into his biceps. “Maybe with my teeth? That way I can touch everything with my tongue.”
When she whimpered, his body hardened to granite. “And I do mean everything.”
Myla breathed out his name and arched into him.
“Let’s go with that, then.”
Sawyer ran his hands through her hair, brought some strands to his lips. “This hair has been driving me crazy from the first moment I saw you in that ditch.”
Her hazel eyes warmed like the sun easing over the horizon and for a long minute, their eyes did all the touching. Passion built in the silence until he could feel it pulsing in the air. This woman who’d been driving him bat-shit crazy with desire for days continued to do it by doing absolutely nothing but breathe.
“You make me wild, Myla.”
She grinned and kissed his chin.
“Be sure about this. Really, really sure.”
Her fingers came up to trace his lips and she smiled a slow and sexy smile. “I’m sure. Really, really sure.” She brought her lips right up to his and whispered. “Show me what you got.” After a quick, hard kiss, she added, “Come on, Sawyer.”
Hearing his own phrase turned against him made him laugh and lust in equal measure. When their mouths crashed together, her laugh filled him up.
While their mouths were busy, he shifted his weight to lean on his side and traced the skin between the top of her jeans and her sweater. Soft. Silky.
Slowly, he inched up, grinning at Myla’s attempts to get him to move more quickly. “We’ve got all night, honey. No need to rush.”
Her breath exhaled in a groan. “There might be a little need.”
Impossible to resist this woman.
Sawyer moved his mouth to her neck while his hand continued its slow travel northward. Inch by delicious inch while Myla softened. And gave.
When he finally, finally ran his fingers over the lace of her bra, they groaned in unison, causing another eye lock, another smile.
He watched her as his hand traced the edges of the bra, then circled the lace, closer and closer to her nipple. Her breaths came in pants but she didn’t close her eyes, didn’t look away from him. She absorbed every move, every touch.
Sawyer’s body was hard and ready but he’d never felt such a need to give. To wait. To tease and entice. The anticipation might well kill him but her reactions were so open and honest, he didn’t speed up. Not when her eyes told such stories about the power of his touch. Not when her body promised such joy.
He teased her breasts through the lace until they were both trembling. Lifting her gently, he slid the sweater over her head and tossed it. Pale blue lace. Pretty. But it needed to go. Sensing his thoughts, Myla smiled and arched so he could unclasp the bra and touch her. He drew her nipple into his mouth and she nearly shot off the bed as she gasped.
Her hands latched into his hair, holding him close. Her responses were instantaneous and sensual. Fluid. Now that her guard was down and she'd stopped worrying, her body oozed sexuality. How had no man seen what an amazing woman she was? Undoing the button on her jeans, he eased down the zipper, exploring each newly exposed inch with his hands and then his tongue.
She started to tense as he slid the jeans down, continuing to touch and taste and savor. She shivered as he reached her thigh, made a half-hearted attempt to bat him away from her leg. Instead, he chuckled and intensified his efforts, slipping her jeans all the way off in a single tug. "It's just a leg, Myla. It's part of you, not something separate. You're beautiful. All of you."
And she was. Nothing hideous about her leg. Smaller than the other. Thinner. Weaker. Some scars. Nothing any soldier hadn’t seen many times over. He continued to murmur and soothe as he kissed and touched until every last bit of tension left her body.
Sawyer reached her toes and started back up, stoking the fire as he went. When he reached the apex of her thighs, he lifted his head to watch her. As his finger reached inside to stroke, she arched off the bed and let out a quivering sigh. Her reactions fascinated him as he discovered what she liked, what her body craved. When her hips shifted, he replaced his fingers with his tongue.
Paradise.
He'd found paradise.
He brought her right to the edge, enjoying the rush as she gasped his name. Instead of letting her go over, he slowed his touch, brought her down, and then back up. And again. Until she trembled from head to toe with need.
Watching her flushed skin and listening to her softly gasping for breath, he couldn't wait anymore. He brought her up, kept her hovering right there. Right there. "Come on, Myla. Come for me. Come on, honey." And she flew over the edge while gasping his name.
It was incredible. Amazing.
It wasn't enough.
As she was descending, he relentlessly pushed her back up and over. And again.
Myla kept panting out his name and as he slid up her body, she clutched at him, pulled him up. "Now, Sawyer. Now."
Now seemed like a hell of a good idea. He grabbed a condom from the nightstand, slipped it on, then thrust into her.
He felt the resistance of her body, even as he pushed through it.
Everything in Myla stilled and he forced himself to the same. He leaned down and kissed along her jaw. “You okay?”
She took a deep breath and then another. He held his lower body still as he waited. He didn’t have a clue what to do next. If she wanted to stop, he’d pull out.
He hoped she didn’t want to stop.
“I’m good.” She shifted her hips experimentally and Sawyer closed his eyes and steeled himself to immobility.
Another few wiggles tested every last trick he’d learned in training.
“Damn right you’re good.” His mutter had her giggling and he couldn’t stop his own grin.
He lowered his forehead to hers and waited while she adjusted.
It was only a few moments before she reached her hands to cup his jaw and tilt his head back. Her kiss was hot and affected him far more than he wanted to admit.
When she stopped to breathe, she whispered, “I know I’m not the experienced one here but shouldn’t we be moving?”
A laugh barked out of him. When else had he laughed during sex? “I’m letting your body get used to it. Trying to be gentle here, Myla.”
“Screw gentle.”
Another laugh. Sawyer kissed her and started moving. He kept the pace slow, not only because gentle was definitely the way to go but watching her was addictive.
Her eyelashes fluttered as if she wanted to see but was too overcome to keep them open. She sighed softly and moaned not so softly at every move he made.
When he leaned down to fuse their mouths together, she arched up into him, creating friction in all the right places.
In only moments, Myla’s body tensed and she rushed over the edge again. Sawyer kept moving, kept watching.
When her eyes finally fluttered open, they sparkled with something close to awe. Instead of letting her settle all the way to earth, he gave her a hard kiss and picked up the pace.
Her eyes widened and her grin lit up his world until she caught her breath as her body started to soar again.
When she went over the next edge, he let himself follow.