“Relax.” She gave him a light but intimate kiss. “My life was messed up. I know. I did some therapy, got myself through college, and now I live with my issues. I like my life. I love my job. And when I can finish this new building, even you will be impressed.”
“Even me, huh?” He returned to lightly stroking her arm with his fingertips.
They passed into an easy silence once more. Jenna listened to the sounds of the wild. She felt a hundred percent safe lying naked under a thin blanket out in the open with Josh. Go figure.
When she was almost dozing, Josh said, “I went to military school.”
“Ech. Really?” she said, rousing herself. Pillow talk wasn’t quite done, it seemed. “Well, you broke a couple rules tonight, so obviously you’re a flunky.”
“I became a flunky after I did my time in the service. When I was in school, I was your complete opposite. I was top of my class, always did what people told me, always followed the rules…I was my dad’s wet dream.”
“So what happened?”
“A lot happened.” Josh’s hand dropped to her side.
“What made you get out?”
“Unspeakable horrors.” He leaned his face toward her, but didn’t kiss her. Instead, the silence descended, thick and heavy.
Jenna didn’t want to push. If he wasn’t going to spill, it had to be worse than what she’d already told him about her life. She understood—she had some bad stories of her own. They might never see each other again after the end of the week, but they still had a few days to go. Intimacy had a price, and she didn’t have that much currency to spare.
“Do you mind me calling you Josh?” she asked.
He tensed again before his exhale fluttered her eyelashes. “Yes and no. I would rather people think my name is Chuck. It keeps them at a distance.”
“Charlie, you mean.” She got another squeeze for that one. “In private?”
“Yes and no. I haven’t been called Josh for a good few years except by my best buddy and my family. But…I like it on your lips. Hard to begrudge you using my real name when you purr it so softly as you come.”
“I wasn’t aware I was purring. I thought I was screaming.”
“That was right before you purred. I think you must have blacked out at that point.”
“I don’t want to break up the party, but what time is it?”
“Time to hear you purr my name one last time before I tuck you into bed.”
He rolled her under him and kissed her deeply. This time there was no torturous hanging before the deep dive. This time he held her close, going slowly but steadily up a gentle rise and into a rush of pleasure both of them were expecting. It was sweet and civilized and was a good, safe end to a tumultuous night of sharing and vulnerability.
She was half dead when he gently guided her and her ripped garments into her tent. Erika snorted and turned over, but was largely undisturbed. Jenna was asleep before she could hear Josh get in to his own tent. She wished she could have slept with him—that feeling of safety was hard to give up—but she fell asleep so fast it didn’t matter in the end anyway.
The next morning the whole camp was abuzz when she finally opened her eyes and groaned. She was pleasantly sore and fantastically sexed up, but still…there was the sore part. Her lady parts had taken a beating last night.
At least with her feet all mangled, no one would suspect the other reason she was walking so stiffly.
She got dressed and staggered out of the tent. Breakfast was in full swing, with people collecting plates and chatting as they ate. As she had burned a lot of calories last night, she decided she’d treat herself to all the fixin’s.
Warmth infused her chest as she remembered Josh talking about her body. And her confidence around him. It would be a hard thing to give up when the week ended.
He stood on the other side of the camp, talking to Karen.
A surge of anger washed over her. Jenna clenched her jaw and turned, shoving away the misguided blast of jealousy. The emotion was as stupid as it was foreign. Josh wasn’t hers; she had no claim on him, and neither did she want one.
Not to mention that she didn’t get jealous! That wasn’t her bag.
She went over to the buffet and got her breakfast before joining Erika on a log. It was a bad idea—the log was hard. She gingerly squirmed to get more comfortable.
“Mornin’,” Jenna said as she speared some eggs.
“Good morning. You slept in—” Erika looked at her and narrowed her eyes. “Okay…we didn’t have sex, right?”
“What?”
Ada came and sat on the ground in front of them, forming a triangle. Ada had officially gone native if she was sitting in the dirt and not caring. They all needed a shower so badly it wasn’t funny anymore.
“Jenna you are glowing,” Ada said with a smile.
“I know, isn’t she?” Erika said. “I had the weirdest dream that I heard her having a screaming orgasm. I thought I was going lesbo. Then here she is, looking extremely well sexed. Have I gone lesbo? Did we have sex and I don’t remember? I had a few glasses of wine, so…”
“Would you guys shut up?” Jenna said as she stuffed food in her face.
“Since when do you cram food into yourself?” Erika asked suspiciously. “What’s going on?”
“Gang, gather round,” Josh said from a few yards away.
Butterflies fluttered up Jenna’s belly as she looked at that handsome face. Josh looked more relaxed today; his broad shoulders hung a bit lower and his face looked softer.
She wondered if he had scratches down that big, broad back of his. He should; she’d worked hard to put them there.
His eyes hit hers and a rush of memory sent warmth through her. She wanted more of him. She wanted to see his face in the light as he lost control and looked at her imploringly, like he needed a lifeline. Needed her.
“I was asked to make an announcement of a…difficult nature,” Josh said, his eyes sparking. “If you are planning on engaging in acts of a sexual nature, please do so quietly and in the confines of your private tent. We would rather not have a repeat of last night’s forays, as it kept some of the guests awake. Any questions?”
Jenna felt her face turn red. Thankfully Josh avoided her gaze. He’d been wrong about being able to make noise. Obviously.
Erika’s head turned toward her slowly. A giant, shit-eating grin had her lips turned up like the Cheshire Cat. She waited for the group to break up before she said, “You filthy slut. Spill. I want all the gory details.”
Jenna did her best Scarlett O’Hara impersonation as she said, “I have no idea as to what you are referrin’.”
“Yes you do, ho-bag! How did it happen?”
Jenna had always shared everything with Erika. She gushed and told her all the important parts of the night before, though this time she held back on some things. Like how she’d completely fallen under Josh’s spell, and how much she’d told him about her life.
When she was done, Erika shook her head with an evil grin. “Well, you finally got properly laid, my darling. Welcome to the dark side. Feel better?”
“Like I have a magic cooch, yeah.”
A manly throat-clear sounded behind them. They both looked guiltily at Josh.
“I need to see to your feet,” he said to Jenna.
Jenna’s limbs combusted and a sparkler set off in her stomach. “Oh. Where? Here?”
“Wherever you would be comfortable.”
“Uh, maybe a camping chair, if you don’t mind?”
“Not at all.”
“Oh yeah,” Erika said, standing. “It’s obvious. You two better cut the manners or everyone’s gonna know you’re doing the nasty…”
Josh grinned at Jenna, who fell a little bit in love with those twinkling eyes and that handsome face. A smile really brought out the best in him. Something must have really gone wrong in his life for him to be so serious and brooding all the time.
“Have you been fired?” Jenna a
sked quietly as Nurse Josh got to work.
“Apparently there are some screamers in group Purple. Everyone assumed they left their tent for an expedition into the great outdoors.”
“Phew. You clearly didn’t take my range into account.”
“Jenna.” Josh looked serious. Bad news was coming, she could tell. “That can’t happen again. I really could get fired for that. I have a good thing going here. I don’t want to be cut loose just yet.”
“Okay.” Jenna’s heart fell before she reminded herself she didn’t have a heart, and her excuse for one was blackened and decayed—easily ignored. They wouldn’t have had a future, anyway. She would’ve liked to be with him again—a few times a day, in fact—but it wasn’t meant to be. No biggie.
“I’m sorry,” Josh said, his expression morose. “I didn’t plan for that to happen. I wasn’t going for a one-night stand or anything.”
Jenna laughed. “Shut up. Save the heartfelt rejection for a different gal.”
“I am not rejecting you, Jenna. Please believe that.” His eyes were serious. So intent.
“I’m verklempt ova here. Might shed a tear.” Jenna fanned herself in an impersonation of an old woman from Long Island. “Seriously, Josh, relax. I know the score. It’s good. I’ll let you do your work, you let me do mine. Easy.”
“Easy.” His voice was a hard growl.
Later in the day they finally reached the small lake Josh had talked about. As usual, Team Red made it there in great time, everyone smiling at the sparkling water nestled amid the hills and trees. At the first sight of water, all the girls squealed or clapped in delight. After putting Josh in charge of watching Dale while they changed, they all laughed and giggled as they jogged in. A moment later they were screeching as they jogged back out.
“It’s all muddy on the bottom.” Erika stuck her tongue out in disgust.
Ada was hopping around, trying to shake off a muddy weed.
“Is it worth it?” Mike stared at the water, indecision plain on his face.
Josh braced his hand against a tree and laughed in big body chuckles. Everyone stared for a moment, not used to an expression from him, let alone a merry one.
Erika recovered first. “You think it’s so funny, you get in.” Erika gestured at the lake. “Maybe all the leeches will attach themselves onto you and leave us alone.”
Still chuckling, Josh straightened up and took off his shirt, revealing that glorious body, enhanced by the placement of those tattoos, cutting through his muscle like lickable signs.
All three women gasped.
“You filthy slut, getting to see that naked,” Erika muttered.
“Where you going, Lewis?” Ada called with her hand on her chest.
Lewis stopped a short distance away, his hands on his hips, looking uncomfortable. Josh had a bigger, more powerful body than he did. And now everyone had evidence of it.
“There goes his pissing contest,” Jenna said softly to Erika.
“That went bye-bye on the first day—where have you been?” Erika waved it away. “I wish we would’ve brought floaties.”
“You can barely carry what you have,” Josh said, his smile entrancing. He took a running start, which looked like an Olympic athlete’s easy lope, and hit the water in an artful dive. Once underwater, he stayed under for so long, everyone, including Lewis, started getting antsy. When he finally resurfaced, he was at the other bank.
“Wow, he sure can swim,” Ada said, hand still on her heart, as if she was doing the pledge of allegiance.
“Get in, girls—I can smell you from here,” Josh yelled. His words echoed across the water before he dove back under.
“He’s like a Labrador.” Erika watched the spot he’d disappeared for a while before looking back at the water. “He dove. That was a good idea. A few steps and then float.”
Jenna, beside her friend, took two steps and paused, the mud squishing up between her toes. “Ugh, this is so gross.”
“Do this—” Erika fell forward like an invalid and half dunked her face. “Ah-buh, ugh. Ugh.”
Jenna started laughing. “Are those words?”
“Ugghh.” Erika’s head bobbed in the water as Josh resurfaced ten feet away. “Uh, Ranger Bob, ohh. Huh.”
Jenna laughed harder, stepping carefully and grimacing as gooey mud squelched over the side of her foot. “Use your words.”
“There.” Erika bobbed out further, the water at her chin. “Made it.”
Still laughing, Jenna bent down, making similar sounds to those Erika had as the cold crept up her stomach. She pushed out and then doggy-paddled until she was far enough out that she wouldn’t touch the bottom. Once close to Erika, she rolled over onto her back and floated. The sun soaked into her skin, and the stress Josh hadn’t sexed out of her drifted away.
Erika said something Jenna didn’t catch. She’d slightly turned her head in question when she was suddenly and forcefully ripped under. Water enveloped her. She struggled and thrashed before feeling a body she instantly knew was Josh’s. He let her go, and she kicked him in his stomach as hard as the water would allow.
After she surfaced, he followed her up with a huge smile. He literally took her breath away he was so handsome. All the harshness, all the angles, everything that was already striking, was somehow softened and enhanced. His charisma shone through.
“Christ, Josh, you must have women jumping on your back to screw you. You’re a freaking hunk,” Jenna said, bobbing in the water haphazardly.
“Josh?” Erika said next to her.
Josh froze, alarm in his face. Jenna whipped toward Erika with a finger out—which was awkward, because she wasn’t a good enough swimmer to tread water with only one hand.
She bobbed, dunking half her face, forced to lower the hand into the water. “I swear, pfft, Erika, if you repeat that, I will tell about that teacher your sophomore year.” She blew water out of her mouth.
“You wouldn’t.”
“That’s how serious I am about this.”
Erika put her hands in the air, which caused her to sink. She came back up sputtering. Josh chuckled.
“I swear,” Erika said seriously. “I do not know, nor do I care, about the pet names you call each other, even if one of those names is Tonka.”
“You are such a bitch,” Jenna spat, and attempted to dunk Erika. Erika tried to swim away, and they both almost drowned themselves without actually touching the other.
“Have you two ever swum before? I’m starting to get worried,” Josh said with his mouth barely above water. He was so at home in the water it looked effortless.
Erika swam away toward the shore, but paused. She bobbed as she turned around and swam back. It looked like a cross between a breast stroke and a doggy paddle. Josh didn’t stop chuckling.
“It looks like the boys went around the bend—”
“There’s no mud over there,” Josh said.
Erika stopped talking long enough to stare at him. “I would’ve liked to have known that. Anyway, I plan on joining them and taking Ada with me. I will then keep everyone there by starting a big argument, just in case you two have things to…discuss.”
Chapter Twenty
Josh’s face was closed down as Erika left the water, stomped around through a clump of trees, and disappeared. They floated, silently, not looking at each other.
Finally Jenna said, “Well, this is awkward.”
“Tonka?” Josh asked with a grin.
“I was dared to put a Tonka truck somewhere…private, then go get an x-ray.”
“And you did it.”
“Of course. You should have seen the look on the doctor’s face.”
“Wasn’t that in a movie?”
“Jackass, yeah. But I did it first.”
“Something to be proud of.” Josh laughed. After a pause he said, “You really aren’t a great swimmer.”
“I’m swimming,” Jenna said. “Look at me. I’m above water.”
“You look like a b
uoy. Here.” Josh reached under her. His large hand glanced by her butt, tickling. She giggled and squirmed. “Stop moving. Be…still.”
He cupped harder and then propped her up in the water like a submerged chair. “How are you not sinking?” Jenna asked.
“I’m treading water.”
“With only one hand?”
“With my feet. Here’s my other hand.” Josh raised the other hand in the air. Sure enough, he was still afloat. As was Jenna.
“Wow, where did you learn to do that?”
“In the Navy.”
“Talented.”
She felt the water flow past her as she was reeled in toward Josh’s body. She clutched his shoulders. His hand fell away.
“Oh God…” She snapped her mouth shut as she sank. Kicking, she tried to get back level.
He laughed. “Stop kicking. Stop…there, just hold on. Or wrap your legs around me like this.” He took a leg in each hand and wrapped it around his body. She was his new Speedo bathing suit.
“There,” he whispered.
“We are probably a little too close.”
“There are a million jobs out there. Who cares if I lose one of them?” His eyes were hooded, and a sizable erection pushed against her sex.
“You don’t need to lose your job for some sex, Josh. Be reasonable.”
“I wouldn’t lose it for some sex. I would lose it for you. It is an acceptable risk.”
“You’re talking crazy,” she murmured.
Josh reached between her legs and adjusted himself. She felt his powerful legs kicking as they dropped a bit lower in the water.
“Do you want me, Jenna?” Josh asked quietly. His voice had dropped an octave.
Her stomach dropped out and her sex swelled. She couldn’t speak through the lump of raw desire in her throat.
Josh’s fingers rubbed up the crease next to her bathing suit and then pulled it aside. He pushed away for a moment, and when he swung back, she felt his fingers again before his tip pushed firmly at her opening. His palm spread across her lower back before applying pressure. His manhood slowly worked into her body.
Unexpected Hero (Skyline Trilogy Book 1) Page 17
