Unleash the Passion

by Karen Kelley

  What the fuck was a brick wall doing in the middle of the river?

  I blinked a couple of times. Okay, maybe not a brick wall, but definitely a hard body. I put my hands out to regain my balance. My hands on Nash’s naked chest probably was something else I hadn’t thought through. Damn, all those firm, solid muscles beneath my hands. I looked up and met his heated gaze. The fantasies that I’d been having were suddenly coming true.

  Dammit, he was doing it again. Messing with my head. Now I was pissed off.

  “It’s...uh...cold,’ I stuttered. Oh yeah, that was telling him off.

  It was also a lie, since I was pretty sure the temperature of the water had risen quite a few degrees. He didn’t move. Didn’t say anything. I raised my chin in challenge. “What, did I do something you don’t approve of?”

  He slowly shook his head. “That’s the problem, you’re surprising the hell out of me.”

  I frowned. “Then why are you here?”

  “Because I’ve wanted to kiss that sassy mouth of yours since the first moment I saw you.”

  His words sent trembles over my body. “That’s not a good idea,” I told him, but my words lacked conviction.

  His forehead wrinkled. “That’s what I keep telling myself, but I can’t think of one good reason why I shouldn’t.”

  My mouth went dry. “There are lots of reasons,” but my words stumbled out. They didn’t sound at all as firm as I had intended.

  “Name one,” he said, his words gravelly with need.

  My forehead creased in thought. Of course there were lots of reasons. Why the hell couldn’t I think of one?

  “That’s what I thought.” He pulled me into his arms, pressing my body against his hard flesh as he lowered his mouth to mine.

  I couldn’t breathe, and I damn sure couldn’t think of a reason not to kiss him. My arms circled his neck, bringing my body against his erection. I needed this. I needed him.

  His tongue sparred with mine. I scraped my teeth across his tongue. Even with the kiss, there was a battle of wills being fought between us. He slipped his hand between us and into the top of my bathing suit. He fondled my breast, brushing across the pebbled nipple. I drew in a sharp breath. Yes, this was what I wanted, what I dreamed about last night. I needed to feel him inside me. I ached to feel him inside me.

  When he ended the kiss, we were both breathing hard. It was all I could do to stand, in fact, I leaned against him for support. No man had ever kissed me like Nash just had.

  “We can have some privacy farther down,” he murmured close to my ear.

  Yes, we needed privacy. I wanted to strip out of my clothes and have him plunge inside my wet and willing body. I wanted him to fuck my brains out. I wanted...

  What the hell was I doing? I pushed against his chest. He immediately moved back. “No, I don’t want privacy. I don’t want anything from you at all.” I was being manipulated again. Just as Eric had manipulated me. “What? Wham, bam, thank you ma’am? Go downstream and get a quickie? I don’t think so.”

  He frowned. “You know it would be more than a quickie. Hell, you want this as much as I do.”

  My laugh was bitter. “I admit, I haven’t had sex in a while, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to jump in bed, or anywhere else, with you after one freaking kiss.” I went around him, sloshing toward the bank. I grabbed my towel and my shorts, and strode toward my tent.

  Once inside, I dug the shampoo bottle out of my swimsuit, and quickly towel dried my hair before pulling a comb through it. My skin should’ve felt cold, but it didn’t. Nash was right. I did want him as much as he wanted me, but I hadn’t come out here to get laid. I wanted to clear my head, but he was making it damned hard.

  I shimmied out of my suit, then pulled on a sleep shirt that came down to just above my knees, and stepped out of my tent with my wet bathing suit. Rachel and I had set up a makeshift clothesline earlier. I pinned my suit to it, then turned to go back inside my tent.

  My gaze collided with his. I couldn’t move as his eyes trailed over me, leaving a fiery heat in their wake. When his gaze connected with mine again, the spell was broken, and I hurried back inside my tent. My breathing was ragged. He knew I wanted him. Was it just a matter of time before I succumbed to my desires?

  No, I vowed not to be manipulated by another man. I planned to stick to my promise. I glanced down at my shirt. My nipples were so hard they were practically poking a hole through the material. I rolled my eyes heavenward. Okay yes, I wanted him really bad, but I would stay strong.

  I pulled the covers back and crawled into bed. Staying strong really sucked sometimes. I didn’t think Nash was like Eric, but then I hadn’t thought Eric was like Eric. As I lay in bed, I thought about the first time I’d seen my ex. We’d been on the same hike. Almost the whole time he’d joked and cut up with me, but he never tried anything. I liked him. When we returned back to civilization, Eric asked me out, and I said yes.

  We both shared the same interests. We both loved the outdoors. Everything about Eric was perfect. Now, when I looked back on it, I realized how evasive he was about his work. We went out to eat, it was no big deal that he’d left his credit cards at home. My parents had left me a very wealthy woman, so I had plenty of money, and my business was doing great. I never minded paying, and never thought anything about it.

  Aunt Carol said I was moving way too fast, but I was in love and didn’t want to listen to her. She insisted we sign a pre-nup. I thought it was ridiculous, but Eric didn’t seem to mind. That’s when I knew it was definitely love.

  I just didn’t know how much of my money he would seduce away from me. If I hadn’t caught him in bed with another woman, I would probably still be buying him all the fancy toys that he wanted.

  I would not be manipulated again, no matter how much I wanted Nash. I refused to fall victim to his charms. I would not be his one night stand.

  * * *

  The next morning I slowly came awake. Something was different, but what?

  Then it hit me. Warmth spread over my body. I shoved the covers away, and sat on the side of my bed. I’d been so tempted to let him lead me downstream. That would’ve been a big mistake.

  I quickly went through my morning routine, then dressed. Thanks to the person who invented wet wipes. Shorts, t-shirt under my button-up shirt so I could remove it when the temperatures got warmer, and hiking boots. I’d fallen into a routine. Meet Rachel, find our bathroom, wash up, then coffee.

  Chris and Scotty were already sitting around the campfire drinking theirs. They both worked at Yellowstone. I loved hearing their stories. My parents took me there once when I was a child. I remembered the beautiful waterfalls and hiking in the mountains. The antelope and the buffalo. The buffalo used to scare the hell out of me. They looked so prehistoric and huge. As I got older, I kind of took a liking to them. Maybe I would go back next year.

  “Have Jess and Ethan already gone?” I asked. “I noticed their tents were down.”

  “They left about a half hour ago,” Nash said as he came up behind me, walked past, and went straight to the coffeepot.

  I studied him since he was more intent on pouring a cup of coffee than anything else. Shorts, t-shirt, hiking boots. That seemed to be the uniform of the day for everyone. Except for one thing, he looked a hell of a lot better in his clothes than anyone else did in theirs.

  His gaze suddenly met mine. I knew he was thinking about last night. I’d been thinking about the same thing, so I couldn’t fault him for that. I forced myself to concentrate on what Rachel was saying, and whatever spell he’d cast on me was broken. At least, for the moment.

  “We’ll leave in thirty minutes,” Nash said.

  More than enough time. Still, I finished my coffee, and headed back to take down my tent. As soon as I pushed back the flap, I heard a distinct rattle, and froze.

  Chapter 8

  Makenna

  I’d lived in Texas all my life, so I knew about rattlesnakes. I’d just never come
across one. Now I was staring at a rattler curled on the floor of my tent.

  “Are you okay?” Rachel asked as she started toward me.

  I slowly brought my hand up, warning her back. I knew if the snake was startled, it would strike. A rattlesnake’s venom could be lethal, especially this far from the nearest hospital. I wasn’t ready to die.

  Apparently, Rachel guessed that something wasn’t right. A few minutes passed before I heard heavier footsteps. The snake rattled another warning. I cautiously glanced toward Nash and Rachel. Don was right behind them. He’d grabbed a big stick.

  “I’m going to grab you,” Nash spoke softly.

  “Too risky,” I whispered. The idiot was going to get himself bitten.

  “Get ready.” He nodded to Don, who moved behind the tent. “Now!”

  Don beat on the ground behind the tent, so he could draw the rattler’s attention. Nash ran at me, grabbing me around the waist and whirling the both of us away from the tent. We landed hard on the ground, but he took the brunt of the fall. He held me tight, most of his body covering me, as the snake slithered out of the tent and toward the rocks and away from the camp, apparently to find a quieter place to rest.

  “Are you okay? It didn’t get you, did it?” His gaze searched my face. Sweat beaded his forehead.

  “I’m fine.” I frowned. “Maybe a little bruised now.” My body began to tremble. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Damn, he smelled good. Like the wood smoke from the campfire and coffee. It was enough to take my mind off what had just happened.

  “Sorry about knocking you to the ground. That was the only thing I knew to do.”

  The heat of his body surrounded me in warmth. I had a feeling Nash would be more dangerous than the snake.

  I felt a little calmer now. “Are we going to stay like this, or are we going to hike?” I didn’t make a move to get up. Maybe because I didn’t really want to. I hadn’t felt this protected in a long time.

  He suddenly grinned, as if he knew I didn’t really want to move. What was it about his smile that made me want to raise my lips to his? The man had a damned sexy smile.

  “I wouldn’t mind.”

  “The ground is hard,” I casually commented.

  He sighed. “Unfortunately, that’s not the only thing.”

  I couldn’t help it. I started to laugh.

  He raised an eyebrow. “I saved the lady’s life, and what does she do? Laugh at me.”

  “Are you okay?” There was fear in Rachel’s words.

  I looked around Nash. “I’m fine.”

  Nash came to his feet, then held out his hand. I took it and stood. My legs were still shaking from the shock of having a snake in my tent, so I was glad for the hand up.

  “I’m fine, too. In case anyone was wondering,” Nash told everyone who had gathered nearer, now that the snake was gone. When people started asking, he held up his hands. “I’m okay. In fact, I always go around saving damsels in distress, so I’m quite used to it.”

  “Damn, I should’ve brought my high-top, rubber boots,” Don said. “It’s getting a little deep.” He frowned as if he’d just thought of something. “I was the one who scared the snake away. I deserve a little credit”

  There was a lot of good-natured ribbing, until I opened the flap on my tent once more. Nash brought his arm up to keep me from going inside, then reached for the stick Don still held. Don handed it to him. Nash looked at me. “Better safe than sorry.” He beat the stick on the floor a few times, then pushed on my bed. If another snake had been inside, it would’ve made itself known. Still, he reached in and grabbed my bed, then dragged it out.

  Everyone else went about getting their own things packed away while Nash continued getting my stuff ready. I glared at him. Not that he noticed. He’d already deflated the floor of my tent and brought my backpack out. “Excuse me, I can take my own tent down,” I told him with more than a little irritation.

  He straightened. “Do you always argue this much?”

  I raised my chin. “I wasn’t arguing, just stating fact.”

  He studied me for a moment. “Do you know how sexy you look when your stubborn streak comes out?”

  My mouth opened, then snapped shut as I tried to think of something smart-assed to say.

  “Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. You’ll think of something later.” He turned and went to his own tent and began taking it down.

  “Later will be too late,” I mumbled. I spun around and began taking down my tent. By the time I had everything loaded in my backpack, I had cooled down just a bit. Yes, he’d saved me from a rattlesnake bite and possibly certain death. I should be more grateful. That still didn’t make him any less of a dick.

  But a damned sexy dick. That thought brought up a vision of him stepping out of the water completely naked. I shook my head to clear it of the image, but mentally filed it away to look at later. Nope, there was no way in hell I could ever unsee that, and quite frankly, I didn’t want to.

  He definitely had a better build than Eric. Not that Eric had been ugly or anything. No, quite the opposite, he was very handsome. He had blond hair with golden highlights. Professionally streaked, of course. I just thought he’d spent a lot time in the sun. After all, we’d met outdoors on a hike. He had a great build and an expensive gym membership. A nice tan, yes, but it was from a tanning booth. Eric was a pretty boy.

  I glanced toward Nash, who was taking down his tent. There was a big difference between the two men. There was nothing soft about Nash. His hands were rough, but the good kind of rough that told a woman a real man held her.

  When I realized what I was doing, I rolled my eyes heavenward. I had no idea why I was comparing them. They were as different as night and day, but it didn’t really matter. I didn’t want a man in my life right now. It wasn’t to say that I wouldn’t want one eventually, just not right now.

  When we were ready to leave, Nash took the lead, and Don the rear. No one really spoke that much as we began to cross the rough terrain. We weren’t the first to come this way, but it wasn’t a well-traveled trail either. Anyone going this route had to be an experienced hiker.

  The longer we hiked, the more intense the incline became, and the slower we had to go, but it was worth it. The scenery was stunning. Rolling hills dotted with trees. Snow-capped mountains rising in the background. Amazing, snow in August. Of course, the mountain peak was probably at least fifteen thousand feet. I drew in a deep breath, breathing in the crisp clean air. There was something about pushing your body to its limits. It was an adrenaline rush.

  I already knew that I wanted to expand our business to Colorado. Sure, I loved Texas. We had piney woods, the plains, the desert, the ocean, the hill country, but we didn’t have majestic mountains. I was a lot like my parents, always looking for new adventures. I smiled. It made life more interesting. Everyone should have adventures of their own, no matter if they were physically fit or just looking for a different kind of excitement. A simple walk in the park could be a new adventure. This was what made me feel alive.

  Nash didn’t stop to see if we were okay. It would’ve been an insult. We were all experienced hikers, and even though we were pushing our bodies right now, we were used to this kind of exertion.

  I think we were all ready for a break, though, when he did stop. I noticed his gaze swept over the group as he silently checked to see how everyone was holding up. I arched my eyebrow, daring him to ask me if I was fine. A smile played around his lips. He knew exactly what I was thinking.

  I slipped off my backpack, then reached inside for my water. I took a long drink. Staying hydrated was critical. That, and nutrition. Like the others, I carried protein bars. We ate, letting the beauty of the area fill us with a peace that couldn’t be felt when you were surrounded by towering buildings and concrete sidewalks.

  Then we were off again. We walked up a steep, rocky incline for quite some distance, then made our way down the other side, weaving between granite crevices that were
taller than a lot of buildings.

  It was a good thing I wasn’t claustrophobic, because some of the spaces were snug, but we all made it through the narrow corridors. Water had once washed through, creating the passageways and smoothing the rock. I’d been through a few in different states that were truly works of art. These were just as awe inspiring, with their variations of color, from deep red to pale yellow. I ran my hand down the side, as if I could feel the essence of those who had come before me. I became one with the land, soaking up its beauty.

  We reached our stopping point for the day and stood staring at the breathtaking beauty of what lay before us. We were surrounded by lush green vegetation and a towering waterfall that emptied into a pool of water and continued on downstream. It was magnificent.

  “How did you find this place?” Rachel asked.

  “Don and I were hiking one day, and we decided to do some exploring. I don’t think many people know about it.” Nash removed his backpack. “I figured it would be a good place to stay the night. I thought everyone would enjoy its beauty.”

  I think we all agreed with that.

  We went about setting up our tents. By then, it was late afternoon, but everyone had the same idea, and put on their swimsuits. The water was just too inviting. We all went as a group, but it almost felt as if Nash and I were the only two people there. His gaze kept straying to mine, and mine to his.

  I stepped into the water. Again, it was cold, but it felt refreshing after a long hike. When I dove down and came back up, Nash was in front of me.

  “Want to check out the waterfall? At one time or another, someone carved out steps.”

  For some reason I couldn’t talk, so I just nodded. His aura had a way of surrounding me, stealing my breath. I swam behind him and when he stopped, I stopped. I studied the stone in front of me, but I didn’t see the steps he’d talked about. When he smiled, my insides turned to mush.

  “They’re almost hidden,” he told me.