"I don't want to take advantage of you.'' His voice sounded rough and uneven in his ears.
"You haven't done anything L didn't want you to do," she pointed out shyly.
"Well, one of us needs to hang on to some sanity here."
She nodded solemnly. "All right. I'll let you be the sane one." Because her hands were still behind his back, she had no trouble pulling him closer, fitting against his chest as though she had been designed to be there. Her mouth quickly attached to his once again, this time with more bravery, as she mimicked his earlier moves.
First she allowed her tongue to outline the shape of his mouth before she nudged his lips apart and touched his tongue with hers.
Zeke wrapped his uninjured arm around her, slipping his hand beneath the hem of her pajama top. He traced each vertebra as they climbed steadily to the base of her neck. Then slowly and with infinite deliberation he circled her rib cage until his hand rested just beneath her breasts.
She could not hide her reaction to this new intimacy, but neither did she pull away from him. Initially he had meant to tease her by exposing his knowledge of her naive assumption that what they were indulging in was a harmless pastime. But when he brushed against the full-bodied warmth of her breast, he forgot about his Original intent.
Her breast fit into his palm like a luscious fruit ripe for harvest. When he brushed his thumb against the crest, the tip bloomed into a hard button of temptation. Grimly Zeke fought his reaction and moved his hand to the other breast, evoking a similar response.
He had taken over the kiss, pulling her closer, setting the rhythm that he wanted to experience fully with her. She clung to him, meeting him thrust for thrust with her hot little tongue, teasing him, darting away before returning to taunt him, while her heated breasts pushed against his chest.
He eased the thin fabric from between them until she lay against his bare chest. He lightly rubbed his upper body against her aroused breasts, bringing them close enough for the tips to be stimulated by his slow, swaying movement.
Once again he reluctantly ended the kiss, but instead of apologizing, he pushed the garment aside until his lips could soothe and appease her aroused breasts.
His touch, instead of soothing, seemed to set off an exploding inferno. She whimpered, clutching him to her, and he realized... too late... what he had done.
Angie had never been aroused before. Her innocent little game had backfired on her. Zeke had known better than to continue their love play. As much as he wanted to, he had no intention of completing what they had started.
He also knew that he couldn't leave her in such a vulnerable state.
Carefully he lowered her to the blanket, shielding her with his body while he tenderly touched her where he knew the inferno was located. He cupped his hand over the nest of curls at the apex of her thighs, fervently hoping he could bring her to a satisfying conclusion to their reckless and dangerous situation.
Past restraint, she was acting on instinct alone. She lifted her hips, pressing against his hand. Gently he eased his finger into her fully aroused flesh, giving her a chance to grow accustomed to his invasion before he set a rhythm that brought her to a groaning climax within minutes.
When he felt her beginning to peak he covered her mouth with his own, effectively muffling her cry as she surged upward against him, straining... reaching... then finding the release she had been innocently searching for.
He continued to place tiny kisses on her face while he held her firmly against him.
She shook with reaction, her breath coming in soft pants until she began to get her breath once again.
Long minutes passed before she lay quietly. Eventually she raised her eyelids as though they were almost too heavy to lift and peered up at him.
"I never knew..." she began, then seemed lost for words.
"It's okay."
"But I didn't mean..." Once again she seemed at a loss.
"I know you didn't. It really is okay. Why don't you try to get some sleep now, all right?"
"But what about you? You didn't... I mean, you weren't..."
He couldn't hide his amusement while she vainly searched for words.
"It was much safer this way. You were experimenting. I didn't want the experience to destroy your faith in people, men in particular."
She stared up at him quizzically, her eyes full of questions. He sat up, turning away from her. Glancing over his shoulder, he said, "Go to sleep. I'll be back in a few minutes."
"But where are you going?"
"Just outside. Now get some sleep." He edged away from her, then stood and moved silently over to the door. Quietly he opened the door and slipped outside. His last glimpse of Angie was of her pulling the blanket over her shoulders, effectively outlining the sweet curve of her waist, hip and thigh.
He clenched his teeth to stop from groaning out loud.
Zeke knew he had done some stupid things in his lifetime, but his actions over the past hour were by far the most illogical, irrational and potentially disastrous of his career.
The pain he was experiencing in his lower body was only the beginning of what could prove to be a major catastrophe.
He never before had allowed himself to be distracted while on an assignment. It was an easy way to get himself killed.
He stood in the small clearing and stared up at the stars, praying for wisdom and for help. He would need both to successfully conclude this assignment now that he had gotten a sample of the way Angela De la Garza felt in his arms.
Chapter 5
The first thing Angie saw when she opened her eyes was Zeke asleep beside her. She raised up on her elbow and looked around.
Pale light filtered through a nearby window. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was after seven. Quietly she got up and went outside.
Sunlight peeked over the trees. It was going to be another clear day. She stretched, then followed the path around the cabin to answer nature's call.
When she returned she paused in front of the cabin, unwilling to face Zeke at the moment. Somehow she had to come to grips with her behavior the night before.
She had thrown herself at him, wanting him to hold her, to kiss her, to make love to her.
He had obliged her. Now she had to be able to look him in the eye without blushing.
She had wanted to experience life, hadn't she? She had been eager to discover what she had been missing. She had picked a man of the world who knew how to please a woman.
Now she knew.
Now she needed to forget.
She was an adult. There was no reason to let him see her embarrassment at her forwardness. In a few days she would be home with her uncle. There was nothing to be gained from having regrets. If she were honest with herself, she would admit to having no regrets whatsoever.
Zeke Daniels had taught her about her own sensuality. She had discovered a new aspect of herself. She would need to come to terms with her new knowledge.
Mentally bracing herself, she entered the cabin once again.
❧
Zeke shifted, rolling over onto his shoulder, which immediately protested his weight. He groaned and opened his eyes. The space next to him was empty.
With a muffled oath he sat up.. Where was Angie? The other end of the room lay in shadows. Maria must still be asleep. Zeke tossed his blanket aside and moved to the door. He jerked open the door and came face-to-face with Angie.
Only then did he realize how panicked he'd been by her disappearance. He allowed the door to shut behind him and leaned against the jamb.
"I didn't know what to think when I found you gone," he admitted. He rubbed his hand over his bare chest, only now remembering that he hadn't bothered to look for his shirt.
She nodded toward the path that wound behind the cabin. "I'll certainly appreciate indoor plumbing after this adventure."
He reached out and slid his hand around her nape, massaging the delicate muscles. "Did you sleep all right?" His thoughts asked a diff
erent question.
"Yes. And you?" Her eyes were filled with shadows.
He straightened, pulling her against him so that he could wrap his arms around her. After a brief pause she slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him back. They stood there in silence, absorbed with their sensory perceptions.
Finally he spoke, his voice husky. "I know I should apologize for last night. I could make excuses, blame my actions on Maria's tea, or I could be honest and admit that I've spent the last several weeks dreaming about making love to you."
She lifted her head so that she could see his face. "Weeks?" she repeated.
"From the time I first saw your picture sitting on Lorenzo's desk."
"Oh." She rested her head on his chest once more, unable to think of anything else to say.
"I don't want to complicate my life." His statement made a great deal of sense. "However, I think it's too late to avoid it."
When she looked up at him again, he lowered his head until his lips touched hers. Her newly awakened body responded with joy and she went up on tiptoe, leaning against him, her body dissolving into tingling bubbles of pleasure.
What was happening between them was a conscious choice for both of them. Sanity and safety lay
in erecting a wall between them, and Zeke knew better than most the consequences of what was happening.
He should have known before he met her at the airport that her coming to visit her uncle at this time would be his downfall.. .personally and professionally.
A sound from within the cabin caused him to release his tight hold. He felt Angie's knees sag and quickly placed his hands around her waist. "Are you okay?" he murmured, his voice rumbling deep in his chest.
Her smile when she looked up at him was radiant. "If I'm dreaming, please don't wake me up."
"I think Maria is stirring," he said, regret in his voice.
"I'll go see if I can help her with breakfast." Angie disappeared behind the door, while Zeke followed the trail around the cabin.
During the next several hours, Angie worked beside Maria, visiting with her, while Zeke did what he could to help with any repairs he could find around her home. They waited for Maria's son, each with concern for the outcome.
Zeke didn't want to spend another night at the cabin with Angie.
Angie no longer cared if Maria's son ever appeared.
Maria hoped her guests would not be inconvenienced by an additional night in the wilderness.
When she heard the familiar rattle of her son's truck, Maria smiled delightedly. "Ah, Julio is here. I'll go explain your problem."
Zeke and Angie followed her out of the cabin at a slower pace. The man climbing from the truck embraced his mother and listened as she excitedly talked and gestured to the two of them. He glanced up at them standing on her porch and smiled while he patiently heard her story.
When he joined them on the porch, he held out his hand. "Hello. I'm Julio Cerventes. My "mother has been explaining that you need a ride to town."
Zeke took the proffered hand. "Zeke Daniels... and this is Angela De la Garza. How far are we from town?"
Julio tilted his head in thought. "About three hours for one large enough to have phone service."
"I'd be glad to pay you for your trouble."
"I don't need payment, but if you'd like to replace the gasoline necessary to take you, I'd appreciate it."
He turned to his mother and began to question her about her health, whether she needed anything from town, and what he could do for her. She answered his questions and gave him a list for the store. Julio turned back to Zeke. "We need to get started if you want to go today."
Without a word, Angie went into the house and gathered their things, replacing them in the duffel bag. She thanked Maria for her hospitality. Zeke attempted to give Maria money, which she vehemently refused, and within minutes they were in the truck, heading down the mountainside once more.
The road Julio took was not the one they had landed on. When Zeke asked about that road, Julio explained that it connected one side of the mountain range with the other and few of the local inhabitants had reason to travel on it. Zeke realized that they would have been in dire straits if they hadn't found Maria's cabin.
Angie sat between them. In order to give Julio room to work the floor shift, she leaned against Zeke. To accommodate her, he placed his arm behind her on the seat. Before long, he noticed she had fallen asleep.
He wished he could be so relaxed around her. The scent of her floral shampoo tantalized him. He dropped his hand onto her shoulder, just to be able to touch her.
The sun was setting by the time they reached the settlement Julio had mentioned. The place was smaller than Zeke had envisioned, but Julio assured him there was telephone service to the area.
Zeke insisted on buying Julio dinner, filling his gas tank and giving him money to help with his mother's purchases. By the time they waved Julio off, night had fallen.
The only place renting rooms was a cantina on the edge of town. Zeke didn't like the idea of having Angie stay there, but there was little choice. When he asked to speak to the proprietor, the bartender pointed out an overweight man with greasy hair. Zeke took Angie's hand and walked over to the man.
"I understand you rent out rooms here?"
The man looked up from the cards he held in his hand. He glanced at Zeke then his gaze darted to Angie. The smile he gave her caused her to shiver. "Perhaps so. It would depend, of course, on how many you need and for how long." One of his front teeth was missing, which didn't dim his smile at Angie. She took a step closer to Zeke.
"My wife and I would like a room for the night. We would also like to use a phone if there's one available here."
At the word wife the proprietor's smile disappeared. "We have a room for you. The phone is at the front desk." He pointed to a wide doorway.
"Thanks." Zeke kept his grip on Angie's hand and escorted her into the other room, which served as the entry to the upstairs rooms. A young man nodded. "You wish a room?" "Yes."
"We have special two-hour rates, if you like." "I'm sure you do. However, my wife and I will be staying the night. I also need to arrange transportation out of here tomorrow. Would it be possible to use your phone?"
"Certainly. We do not have phones in the room, but you may use this one."
After he paid for their room, he called Lorenzo. The phone rang only once before it was picked up. "Yes?"
"She's okay, boss. We ran into a little difficulty and I had to put the plane down on the side of a mountain . We just reached civilization.''
"Thank God! All I could think about was how much Angela had wanted to come home and how hard I tried to convince her not to come. Is she there? May I speak with her?"
Zeke handed the phone over to Angie without comment. She looked at him in surprise, then placed the phone to her ear.
"Hello, Tio? We're all right. Didn't you believe Zeke when he told you?"
"Angela! Ah, my sweet angel, I have been distraught. I have not slept since I learned your plane was missing. I am so very sorry for yelling at you. I was upset, you see. It has nothing to do with you. I love you, little angel."
"I love you, too, Tio. Zeke is taking very good care of me."
"Good, good. I'm glad he's there with you. Let me speak with him, all right?"
"We'll see you soon, Tio. Get a good night's rest, please. Hopefully we'll be home by tomorrow." She handed the phone back to Zeke.
Before he could speak, Lorenzo said, "Tell me where you are. Do you need someone to come get you?"
Zeke described their location and continued, "It would save considerable time if you could find someone to fly in and pick us up, but I'm not sure about landing strips."
"Tell me how to find you. I'll send a private helicopter. Was my Angela frightened when the plane went down?"
"She has the courage of ten men, Lorenzo. You should be proud of her."
"Oh, I am. I am."
"She's going to n
eed all the courage she can muster to take to the air again. This hasn't been a very positive experience for her."
"Once I get her home, I'm not going to let her out of my sight!"
"I can understand that reaction."
"What about my plane. Can it be salvaged?"
"I think so, but you're going to need to send something to have it towed in. One of the wings is gone. We clipped something after we were on the ground."
"But no one was hurt?"
"No. I just bruised my shoulder a little."
"I'll have someone there to pick you up as soon after daylight tomorrow as possible. Get some rest tonight."
"I intend to. G'bye, Lorenzo."
Zeke put down the phone and turned away from the desk, a room key in his hand. With his hand at the small of her back, he silently guided Angie up the stairs.
She waited until they were inside the small room with a single bed, a wooden table and a chair before she repeated, "Your wife?"
Zeke's shoulder ached and he wasn't looking forward to the night ahead of him. "You're welcome to take your chances in a room alone, but the clientele of a place like this doesn't pay much attention to locked doors, not to mention the proprietor of the place. He was looking at you like a starving dog looks at a juicy steak."
She hugged her elbows and looked around the room.
He almost smiled. "Not much like the hotel room in Mexico City. I don't think we'd have much luck with room service, even if there was a phone." He walked over to the window and looked out. The room was probably the most quiet of the group. It faced away from the street. He could see a straggling line of houses listlessly climbing the hill.
When he turned back to face her, Angie sat on the edge of the small wooden chair.
"The one thing you don't have to worry about, Princess, is my taking advantage of this situation. You can have the bed and I'll—"
"No! I'm not a child. There's no reason why we can't share the bed."
"Don't kid yourself. There's an excellent reason. I don't have the energy or the willpower to leave you tonight if things get overheated... and I can't imagine sharing a bed with you and not having things get overheated." He walked over to the table where he had set the duffel bag. "I'm going to see if this place has a shower I can use. There's a sink over there if you'd like to wash up. I wouldn't suggest your showering tonight." He opened the door and paused, looking back. "I'm taking the key with me. Don't open the door for anyone, do you understand?"
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