“Not to be harsh,” he continued, “but it’s the obvious question.”
She stumbled and he took her gloved hand. Keeping a tight grip, she shuffled along next to him, trying to make out the roots and rocks that conspired to trip her up.
“I wish I knew,” she said. “I’m not even sure why they took us hostage. They could’ve avoided all this trouble by pointing us in the direction of our hotel and calling it a day.” She hesitated and took a deep breath. “I originally thought maybe they wanted us for…” She winced, unable to make herself say it.
“But they left you alone?”
“I don’t know about Megan”—God, she hoped they’d left Megan alone—“but no one touched me.”
“Good.” His voice was like flint. “Maybe you saw something incriminating and they wanted to check that you weren’t undercover law enforcement or something before they took drastic measures.”
She shrugged despite the dark. “There were armed guards, a few white nationalist tattoos, a makeshift gun range. Worrisome, but not necessarily illegal.”
“Unless JJ didn’t want anyone to be able to place him there.”
“I guess, though I don’t know who would’ve asked us about it later. It’s not like we’d have had anything to report if we’d simply gotten lost and been helped back to the trail.”
He frowned. “Do you think maybe they wanted ransom? You said Megan was making bank with her new business.”
“But how would they know that?”
“True.” He sighed. “Maybe they just hoped one of you came from a wealthy family.”
“Maybe.” She shuddered and prayed again that Megan was alive and unharmed. “Or they wanted to take us somewhere away from the compound so our bodies wouldn’t lead back to them. Stage an accident or something.” How surreal to be discussing her possible murder so casually.
“Jesus.” Despite starting the conversation, Todd didn’t sound any more pleased by the topic.
They crested a small hill, and a scatter of lights came into view, about a quarter mile below them, partially hidden in the forest.
“Is that it?” Todd asked, whipping out a pair of binoculars from his seemingly bottomless bag.
She squinted. Maybe it was time for a new contact lens prescription. “I think so.”
“Law enforcement not affiliated with this group wouldn’t have any reason to suspect we’d come here, but JJ had to figure that you—or someone working on your behalf—might return for Megan.” Todd held the binoculars to his face.
“There were guards last time, but I don’t know how many.”
“I don’t see a large presence from this angle, but we’ll approach with caution.”
The path narrowed and they walked single file, Lindsey holding a strap on his backpack to stay on track. Not nearly as warm or comforting as his hand.
Five minutes later, he stopped short and she barely missed slamming into him. “Hold up.”
“What is it?”
He let out a frustrated sigh and clasped his hands on top of his head. “Trail’s out.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
SHIT ON A stick. Todd stared at the dark crumble of dirt where the trail had been before a small landslide sent it down the mountain.
“No,” Lindsey said from behind him. “No.”
“I’m sorry.” He turned to face her, tucking his gloves into his pocket before placing his hands on her cheeks. His warm fingers met cool skin and he tried to will some of his heat into her. “We’ll have to find another way around, but it’s too dark to do that safely.”
The red glow from his headlight glinted in her eyes as she gazed at him with a look that made his stomach bottom out. “This is the part where you tell me we have to wait until morning, isn’t it?”
“If I knew another way…” He dropped his hands, and urged her to turn around. It was either that or kiss her. “There was a promising spot about a quarter mile back. We can set up camp there and start looking for a new route at first light.”
She heaved a long sigh. “Okay.”
Backtracking slowly, they finally reached the small ring of aspens glowing gold among the pines in the faint moonlight. As he’d hoped, the trees hid a small patch of sparse grass that would be perfect for making camp out of sight.
Within minutes, he and Lindsey had raised and staked the tent, and they now crouched before the small stove where he heated water to add to the packaged meals he’d bought at the store. A fire this close to the compound seemed ill advised, so they huddled close with a blanket across their shoulders.
“Under other circumstances, this would be fun,” Lindsey said. “I’d never camped before, but you make it seem easy.”
“It’s hard to get through PJ training without learning a few useful skills.” He tried to ignore the tingles running up and down his arm where it touched hers. “But my mom also took us a few times growing up. You’ve really never been?”
She shrugged. “My parents prefer sailing. I used to get horribly seasick, but they just kept bringing me along and I eventually outgrew it.”
As if he needed another reminder how different their worlds were. Or how strong Lindsey was. “And you can sail too?” He filled a pouch with water and handed it to her, along with a metal spoon from his small utensil set.
“Oh, yeah. No one gets to slack off on the boat. Plus, it was a safety thing.” She stirred the pasta with marinara and blew gently on it. “I love being on the water. I was never a surfer type, but sailing is amazing. The wind in your face, the fresh air and sunshine, the dolphins playing alongside the boat.” She stared absently at her food. “Have you ever tried it?”
He shook his head. “No, but it sounds great.”
“Well, if you’re ever in LA, I’ll take you.”
“I’d love that.” More than he cared to admit. He could imagine her in a bikini, hair windblown, her gorgeous body drenched in sunlight as she gave him a sexy, carefree smile. He scowled at his penne. Wishful thinking.
He suddenly wanted an excuse to take her to Oklahoma City. To show her Bricktown and the canal, stroll through the Paseo, check out the Cowboy Hall of Fame—or whatever its official name was these days—visit the Memorial.
They ate their food in silence, breaths mingling in the space between them. He’d removed his headlamp once the moon appeared between the low clouds, and the orb’s cool light gave her face an ethereal glow.
Behind them, the tent rippled noisily in the wind. The tent they’d be sharing again soon.
He swallowed hard.
Last night he hadn’t known her yet. Not really. He’d been drawn to her pretty face, her strong curves—her need—but had known little of her mind.
Tonight felt different. He might only know a sliver of the whole Lindsey, but he liked that sliver. A lot.
“How old are you?” she asked, startling him out of his thoughts.
“Thirty-four. You?”
She finished chewing and dabbed at her lips with slender fingers. “Thirty-two.”
“A baby.”
Her little puff of laughter warmed him, but she sobered quickly. “You ever been married?” She placed her empty dinner packet into one of the zip-top freezer bags he kept for carting out food trash, not meeting his gaze.
“No. Never even come close.”
She looked at him, her eyes bright and warm and curious.
“Not that I have anything against marriage, or even a family.” He finished the last bite of his food and sealed up their trash. “I guess I haven’t met the right person yet.”
Or maybe he’d just met her.
Whoa. The butterflies in his stomach took flight. As a kid, he’d sometimes watched old Love Boat reruns on TV and wondered how people could fall in love over the course of a single cruise. Suddenly, those stories didn’t seem so far-fetched.
Not that he was in love with Lindsey. Not yet.
Never, if he was smart.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, he
r voice breathy on the little white cloud of air that escaped her lips.
“Because I want to kiss you.” So much for smart.
She inhaled sharply. “But I thought...”
He sighed and lifted his hand to stroke her cheek. “What makes sense and what I want are not necessarily the same thing.”
Her eyes widened slightly and she skimmed her fingers along the hair on his jawline, a touch he felt clear to his toes.
She was quickly becoming his own personal opioid.
“Our timing is rotten,” he said. “I don’t want to take advantage.”
“Maybe I do.”
His breath caught in his throat. He closed his eyes, heart racing as she leaned in and pressed her lips lightly to his.
Using what he considered medal-worthy restraint to keep from devouring her on the spot, he let her set the pace. Let her coax his mouth open with her soft tongue, let her slip inside and strike sparks across his nerves as she delved deep, let her unzip his jacket and slide her cold hands up his suddenly blazing hot torso.
Something icy and wet hit his nose.
Lindsey jerked back and looked up.
The dark night swirled with fat white tufts of snow.
She laughed and opened her mouth to catch the flakes on her tongue, holding out her hands with a look of wonder. “It’s snowing!”
He grinned, taken in by her childlike response. “You’ve never seen it before?”
“Only on the ground up at Big Bear or on the mountains from town. Never falling from the sky.” She stared up at the storm. “It’s mesmerizing.”
She was mesmerizing.
“Here.” He handed over the gloves she’d abandoned to eat dinner, pulled her back against him, and reclined against his pack.
She sighed into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder as he wrapped the blanket over them, shielding all but their faces against the soft, icy torrent.
If only he could protect her from every storm.
They gazed into the swirling heavens until she turned to him, shivering. “Thank you,” she breathed against his neck.
“For what?” he asked softly, afraid to break the spell.
“Giving me this moment.”
He chuckled. “I can do a lot of things, but I can’t make it snow on command.”
She smiled and gave him a whisper of a kiss. “I’m freezing. Come to bed and warm me up?”
Lindsey didn’t know where the bold request had come from, but she wasn’t going to take it back, not for anything. Not when Todd’s eyes blazed like blue fire at the suggestion. Not when she could still feel the tingle of their kiss on her lips and ached to feel his mouth on her everywhere.
Snow spiraled around them as they rose, the thick flakes slowly turning the ground white. As fascinated as she was by her first snowfall, she was cold. And craving more of Todd. Their time together could be limited and she didn’t want to waste a minute. Didn’t she deserve one good thing out of this ordeal? A positive memory to stamp out the horror?
Tomorrow they might find Megan, get her to safety, and go their separate ways.
Or, they might be killed.
Lindsey’s chest constricted. Part of her wished she’d never met Todd so he wouldn’t be here, in danger. Part of her wanted to show him how much he’d come to matter in such a short time.
After cleaning up from dinner, they brushed their teeth. Todd demonstrated how to mix a little water in her mouth then spray the toothpaste waste over the grass to avoid leaving a large pile of sweet bubbles that might attract, or even harm, animals. She laughed, feeling silly, and he grinned, wiping stray paste from the corner of her mouth with his thumb.
Her stomach bottomed out.
He hesitated, his gaze on her lips, and she couldn’t catch a breath.
“One more thing,” he said, his voice hoarse as he stepped away.
He placed their food, toothpaste tube, and sealed-up trash in what looked like an oversized opaque jar and set it about five yards from the tent.
“You don’t hang it over a tree limb?” She’d seen the paw prints the length of her shoe, but had managed to avoid any bear sightings so far.
“With a bear canister, you don’t need to.” He returned to her side and unzipped the tent, ushering her in. “It’s safer for people and bears. A little harder to carry, but easier to deal with in general. Plus, a lot of parks require them now.”
“Oh.” She climbed in and lay down, anticipation making her stomach flip-flop.
He removed the holster from his waistband and curled up with her under the sleeping bag. His breath was hot on her neck, the furnace of his body easing her shivers. His arm lay carefully over her own, warm and alive, and maddeningly still.
Had he misunderstood her thinly veiled suggestion? She had felt bold, but maybe he’d taken her request for him to warm her up literally. He was always so careful not to overstep, not to presume she wanted anything from him until she asked. It was part of the reason she trusted him. But it also required her to be more direct about her desires.
Nerves rippled through her stomach.
Which would be worse, the mortification if she’d misread his interest, or the regret over squandering this chance?
Regret. No contest.
Taking a deep breath in the dark, she slid her arm free and placed her hand over the top of his, guiding his fingers to her left breast.
He inhaled sharply, his fingers flexing as if involuntarily. “Are you sure?” he whispered.
She’d never been more sure of anything in her life. “Yes.”
Todd kissed the side of her neck, coaxing every nerve to life as he gently kneaded her aching breasts. He slipped his hand beneath her top, palm rough against her sensitive skin.
She moaned as fire filled her belly and she arched, pressing her hips back, rubbing against his growing erection.
“Lindsey.” He urged her to face him.
She rolled over, leaning into his touch, and kissed him hard. Burrowing her hands under his T-shirt, she skimmed them over the smooth muscles and the coarse hair that sprinkled his sculpted chest and gathered more thickly beneath his belly button. His skin was magic, impossible not to touch.
He cupped her bottom, pressing her close and groaned as their tongues tangled, a competition for who could incite the most pleasure.
Hot now, she wanted to tear off their clothing, but the space was tight, not built to share. She made a frustrated noise.
“What’s wrong?” Todd asked, a thread of amusement in his deep voice.
“Too many clothes.”
He laughed and relinquished his hold on her butt to give her room to move. “Better?”
“Yes.” Free, she sat up and wrestled off her jacket and shirt.
Next to her, he followed suit, his pale skin barely visible in the dark cave of the tent. He lay on his back and reached for her, guiding her to straddle his thighs as he tugged the sleeping bag over her shoulders. Levering up, he closed his mouth around one nipple, teasing the other with his devious fingers.
Her body floated on the increasing high, pleasure surging as he learned what she liked from every twist, every shudder, every breathy exhalation. Lindsey rocked her core against his erection. Had she ever felt this wanton, this desirable, this free to take what she wanted?
He straightened and kissed her, one arm cradling her shoulders as his tongue and his touch coaxed her ever higher, letting her ride him to her heart’s content.
“You’re incredible,” he whispered.
Was she though? Or did he say those kinds of things to every woman in his bed?
She came crashing back into her brain, unable to turn off her thoughts long enough to enjoy the most amazing man she’d ever met. What was wrong with her? She shivered, the air suddenly frosty on her bare skin. Why was she sabotaging this? She wanted him, no expectations, no promises. Everyone said things they didn’t mean during sex. It was part of the fantasy. She knew that.
Just pretend it’s real.
“Hey.” He looked up at her, a ghost in the dark. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “Nothing, I…”
His hands dropped to his side. “We can stop.”
“Is that what you want?”
He scoffed. “If you’re paying attention at all, I’m pretty sure you can tell it’s not. But I will, if that’s what you need, if you’re not ready. No guilt, Lindsey.”
God, where had this man been all of her life? She just needed to get out of her own head and enjoy herself. Was that too much to ask? Come on, brain. Let me have some fun before I die. “I don’t want to stop. I just sometimes have trouble turning off my thoughts.”
“Challenge accepted.”
She laughed.
“Come here,” he said, laying them both gently on the hard ground and covering them with the sleeping bag before wrapping his arms around her. “In spite of the circumstances, I can honestly say that there’s nowhere on Earth I’d rather be at this moment, and no one I’d rather be with.” He pressed his lips to her forehead. “You’ve done everything you can for today. And you survived it. That’s worth celebrating.” He kissed her mouth and she could feel his grin. “Not that we need an excuse.”
She sighed as he trailed soft kisses along the sensitive skin from her neck to her shoulder. Her body melted against him, the fire within rekindling, her thoughts scattering like sea spray.
He deftly unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, slipping his fingers into her panties. She settled her knee on his hard thigh and thrust her hips forward in encouragement, letting loose an animal sound when he stroked her bare flesh.
Tracing lower, he slid a finger inside her, then out, caressing, torturing, pleading. Then, two fingers.
Their harsh breaths killed the silence and she fumbled with his pants, desperate to touch him, to have him inside her.
He ceased suckling at her breast long enough to say, “Condom’s in my back pocket.”
So he had understood her awkward come-on after all. Thank God for his preparedness.
He didn’t let up with his mouth or fingers and she lost her train of thought for several manic heartbeats before locating the small foil wrapper. She tore it open, trying to be careful not to damage the condom in the dim light of their toasty cocoon.
Blind Trust: A Military Romantic Suspense (Men of Steele Book 6) Page 8
