Still crouched in front of her, he raised his head and flashed a set of teeth in the dimming light. Damn, youre onto me.
His mouth was smiling, trying to make light of what wasnt a light situation at all, but his gaze didnt even make the attempt. His eyes were dark, bleak and full of concern.
For her.
Oh, damn. He was still her greatest fantasy. You know, Ive seen hypothermia in people whove been out in far less than weve been.
Straightening, he slid his hands up and down her arms. Does this mean you will crawl into bed with me?
Maybe. For the greater good and all. She reached for his sweatshirt, lifting it past his mouth-watering abs, pushing the material up until he took over, tugging it off. Her breath caught at his bare torso, hard and rippled with sinew. We need to follow the rules regarding hypothermia, she said softly, her fingers running over the tattoo along his biceps.
Rules? he asked a little unsteadily.
You have to take off everything.
Far be it for me to break the rules. Lending a helping hand, he made quick work of the T-shirt and tugged down her pants, leaving her in only her bra and panties as he kicked off his own shoes. Christ, you are beautiful.
And with him looking at her like that, she felt it, but suddenly, without the clothes, she got even colder, and her shivering became violent and involuntary.
Jason saw the change and immediately the sense of play left his face. He pulled her to him. Okay, now were getting serious. Warming you up, and then sleep. Sleep before anything.
I just dont think I can.
He scooped her up. Sure you can. Itll be dark in a few minutes. He set her on the bed. With the power out, itll be pitch-black. We cant do anything more until daylight anyway. He yanked down the covers and nudged her onto the mattress.
K-kay, she said through her chattering teeth. But only for a few minutes.
A few hours, he corrected, stripping off his pants, getting into the bed with her, tugging the blankets over both of them. Then he pulled her in, deliciously warm and strong. Sleep, he commanded.
She opened her mouth to tell him she didnt follow orders, but he felt so toasty that she sighed instead, and snuggled in.
And, shockingly, slept.
10
CECE WAS DOING her damnedest to pretend she was anywhere else other than in the storm of the century, in the back of a strangers Hummer.
In labor.
On a beach, she muttered to herself. In the South Pacific. Its hot and dry and theres a cute cabana boy serving me a fruity drink-
She broke off at the choked laugh from the man in the drivers seat taking her through the craziness toward the hospital.
Hunter. He of the tall, dark and quietly strong persuasion, with the badass tude.
Im pretending Im not here, she told him.
Good. Keep pretending. And when this is over, Ill get you that fruity drink.
No can do. Im done with badasses. No offense intended.
None taken.
Oh, and on my beach, Im not as fat as a whale. Just so you know.
He met her gaze in the rearview mirror. Are you seriously comparing yourself to a whale?
Well, look at me.
I am. I have been. I just see a pretty woman, scared half to death and trying to be strong.
Her breath caught. And then again as the familiar tightening began. Oh, God. Oh, shit, she gasped as another contraction took her, tunneling to her very core. She tried to ride through the pain, but the storm swirling outside the windows scared her. What if they couldnt get to the hospital?
She could see Hunters broad shoulders, flexing as he shifted the Hummer. They were wide shoulders, strong and capable. God, she hoped he was capable.
And, damn, but this contraction was different.
Harder.
Close your eyes, he directed from the front seat. Youre on that beach, Cece. Youre warm. Hot even, in your favorite bathing suit. And your favorite people are with you. Who are your favorite people?
She was writhing on the seat, dying, and he wanted her to discuss her favorite people. Anyone not talking to me in the middle of a contraction.
Im trying to distract you.
Id rather you do something more useful-like have this baby for me.
Yeah, no can do, sorry.
No, Im the sorry one. Im sorry my parents died when I was a teen, which made me angry and stupid. Im sorry that all the men I wasted my time dating in that stupidity only wanted in my pants, and I let them because thats how I measured my worth-by how many men wanted me. Im sorry youre just the poor schmuck who had the misfortune of finding the preggo chick. The really pissy preggo chick.
He said nothing to that and, into the awkward silence, as her contraction eased, she bit her lower lip and fought tears. God, she was so tired of herself. Im just sorry, she whispered.
Contraction over?
Yes. She sighed. And also the pity party for one, though I might backslide at the next contraction.
Fair enough. And for what its worth, anyone who doesnt value you is the stupid one.
She was quiet a moment. Youre different.
I thought I was just another badass.
Okay, Im sorry about that, too. You look like my usual asshole type, but since youre still here, youre already so much more.
Their eyes met in the mirror again, and it was the oddest thing, but she couldnt look away. You asked about my favorite people. Its my sister, she admitted, since hed given her so much and shed given him nothing but trouble. She gripped her belly and tried to rub out the pain. Lizzys all I have.
What about the babys father?
Hes not interested in being a dad. Or a boyfriend. Or anything, not with me anyway.
Hunter didnt say anything for a long moment, and when he spoke, she got the impression it was difficult for him to speak evenly. His loss then. Hang on. The Hummer jerked and spun, and she let out a surprised cry, bracing herself for a crash, but instead they came to a sudden, rather easy stop. What is it? What happened?
Roads getting tough.
She had a feeling that was the understatement of the century, but another contraction hit, and it felt as if she was being ripped apart like a wishbone. She cried out, then screamed, and when she opened her eyes, Hunter was unhooking his seat belt.
Roads washed out.
She stared into his face, panting. Oh, God, oh, God, Im going to have this baby in a Hummer.
He climbed into the backseat with her and reached for her hand. Ill go for help.
No! You cant leave me.
Look, you dont want me to have to- He shot a glance at her protruding belly, then just below, and shed have sworn he actually blushed. Ill run.
She might have laughed at the fact that he clearly didnt want to deliver her baby any more than she wanted him to, but panic had taken hold of her. Still, looking into his steady gaze, a resignation came over her, even a peace. Hunter?
He shifted closer, squishing his big body farther into the tiny floor space, pulling her in for a hug. Yeah?
She waited until hed surrounded her with his arms, because she was a weak woman and his arms were so very comforting. Its too late to run for help, she whispered, and, accepting that sometimes Karma had to have the last laugh-like putting her in this situation with him, a man who looked like her usual guy but wasnt anything even close-she buried her face into the crook of his neck and held on.
WHEN JASON WOKE UP, it was pitch-dark. He didnt need the light to appreciate several facts. One, that they hadnt found Cece meant shed evacuated, which in turn meant he had no reason to immediately get out of bed.
And twothe warm, nearly naked woman sleeping in his arms. She was snuggled in against him, her back to his chest, legs entwined, her hands holding one of his between her breasts. His arm, the one she was using as a pillow, was numb, and if he wasnt mistaken, she might have even been drooling on his biceps. Smiling, he dipped his head to the crook of her neck.
Still asleep, she hummed in pleasure and wriggled her butt, which caused a predictable reaction in him.
Mmm, she murmured in her sleep.
Yeah. Mmm. He loved how she made him feel, and he kissed the back of her neck, then an inch lower, making his way to her shoulder, nudging the covers out of the way as he went. She was hot, and sweet, and still sleepy enough to drop some of her guardedness. That, or somewhere along the way, through all of the crazy long hours theyd spent together, shed come to trust him.
Hed take that, because for some reason, this woman mattered. Having her trust him mattered. He could hear the storm still beating the hell out of the building, but also knew there was nothing they could do about it, about anything, until daylight.
Right now, right here, it was just them. Lizzy.
Mmm, she said again with a soft sigh, still out cold.
He shifted to get even closer, and so did she, and her silk-covered breast filled his hand. Her nipple hardened through her bra against his palm, and she made that mmm again, and then-
Went utterly still.
Jase? she whispered.
There she was. Expecting someone else? He lightly sank his teeth into her shoulder, then kissed the spot.
Oh, God.
He really hoped that was oh, God, you feel so good and not an oh, God, this isnt happening, but then she sat straight up, cracking him in the chin as she did.
Ow, he said.
Is it morning?
No. Its only He peered at his watch. Two. Come here. Instead of waiting, he reached up, slid his arms around her sweet bod and tugged her back in.
Oh, she breathed, rocking her ass into him, wrenching a groan from his chest. Were not dressed.
We are not, he said.
The danger of hypothermia is gone, she whispered.
Yes, since Im hot as hell. He grazed his thumb over her nipple. And, God, Lizzy, so are you. So damn hot.
She turned her head and peered through the dark up at him. She didnt shove him away or try to move. She reached up and touched his face, open to him in a way she hadnt shown before now.
Not realizing how much hed needed that from her, he let out a breath and felt the last of his blood drain from his brain, heading south for the winter.
We slept together, she murmured.
There was a blue glow to the night, washing over her face, casting them in contrasting shadows even as it highlighted the shine of her eyes, the curve of a breast, the arch of her hips. He skimmed his hand down her side, over her thigh and back up again, stopping short of her panties, letting just the tips of his fingers play beneath the silky material. Hed once felt things for her that he didnt understand. He still felt those things, only he understood them now, not that that made them any less terrifying. Not slept slept.