“Don’t touch her!” Blake roared.
The man jumped, looking over at him in shock.
Did he really think she’d been out here in the rainforest all alone?
Blake didn’t wait for the asshole to drop his knife. The guy stumbled backwards, and Blake took the shot, shooting him right between the eyes. He was already dead as he fell to the ground, and adrenaline and rage tore through Blake.
“Clarissa,” he said urgently, rushing the last few feet to her. He reached down and helped her to her feet, being rougher than he intended in his haste.
She sobbed and fell into his arms, her face against his chest. Not even caring about the dead man lying there, Blake lifted her into his arms, scanning the forest for any other threats as he carried her away. Clarissa clung to him, crying and practically hysterical. This was what he’d expected last night—a panicked, terrified woman. She’d held it together this far during her ordeal, but right now?
He held her tighter to his chest, storming back to the large trees they’d been under.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he murmured, slowly sinking to the ground with her still in his arms. His backpack was on. His weapon was gripped in one hand. And he swore he’d never fucking let her go.
Clarissa shook as he held her, and he moved his lips against her temple, tightening his arms after he’d eased his weapon to the ground. “You’re safe now. I never should have let you go off alone. Never. I swear I won’t let you out of my sight again.”
There were leaves in her hair, and her clothing was muddy from when the man had pushed her down, but Blake didn’t care if he ended up completely covered in mud as he held her. That man had dared to touch her. Hurt her.
If anyone so much as looked at her right now, he’d rip them apart with his bare hands.
Blake kissed her temple again, soothing her as her body began to shake less and less. He didn’t know how long they sat there, but eventually her cries lessened. Her body relaxed into his, and he ran a hand over her blonde hair. Blake loved the feel of Clarissa in his arms. Of her scent and warmth. There was something so damn right about it—about holding her.
Even if it had taken killing a man for it to happen, the reality of how right she felt in his arms left him awestruck.
Her body tucked against his like it was made to be there. Like he was meant to hold her.
Clarissa finally looked up at him after several more minutes had passed, her cheeks still damp with her tears. “Are you okay?” he asked in a low voice.
“I was too scared to even scream at first,” she tearfully said. “I was walking back to you, and suddenly he grabbed me, dragging me away.”
He wiped a stray tear sliding down her cheek.
“You did fine,” he said gently. “It was my fault for letting you go off alone, for not coming for you sooner.”
“I should’ve run, yelled, anything.” She shook her head, her body trembling as she again leaned against his chest. Blake ran his hands over her back, trying to soothe her. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and never let her go.
“You did everything right,” he said, his lips at her temple. “When I saw you—” He cut off, his voice choked.
She nestled further against him and clutched his shirt, holding onto him tightly. “You saved me.”
Blake clenched his jaw, stiffening. “He touched you. He hurt you.”
Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him, lifting her delicate hand to his cheek. He looked at her in surprise. No doubt his stubble was rough against her skin, but he held her gaze.
“You saved me, Blake.”
He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. Seeing her harmed had gutted him. He wasn’t cut out for stuff like that. He was strong and assertive, no doubt. Calculating in battle. But seeing the woman he cared about hurt?
He lifted his hand to hers, letting his fingers run over her gently. She was fragile. Beautiful. He wanted to touch and caress her, take away any lingering fear she had. Their eyes locked for a moment, and then he was ducking down. Kissing her.
Clarissa whimpered but submitted to him, relaxing in his arms as he claimed her with his mouth.
She was his. It didn’t matter that they’d just met yesterday, that they were stranded out here alone, that she’d nearly been harmed for a second time.
He needed to kiss her like he needed his next breath.
And she was soft. Welcoming. Desperate as she clung tightly to him.
Blake felt himself harden as she shifted slightly on his lap. If he was stronger, he would stop. He’d pull away, pull her to her feet, and head off for the river. Establish communication with his men.
He needed this though. He needed to touch her and feel her, to make sure she was really okay.
He kissed her again, deeper, savoring her sweet taste. She was so damn good and innocent. She deserved a man better than him, a guy who could be everything she deserved. That wouldn’t stop him though. She was clinging to him like he was everything she’d ever wanted, kissing him like she’d never stop.
And hell if nothing had ever felt more right.
Chapter 16
CLARISSA GASPED AS Blake kissed her again. His lips were soft, but he was strong and warm and real. She felt his arousal stiffen beneath her, but at the moment, she was extremely turned on herself. She’d gone from feeling frightened to desperate in a matter of minutes.
Maybe it was the adrenaline pumping through her or some sort of hero complex she didn’t realize she’d had, but right now?
She was desperate to be as close to Blake as possible.
His large hands moved over her back, holding her tightly to him. Blake was muscular and strong, but she knew he’d never hurt her. The stubble on his jaw scraped against her skin as he kissed her again, and it felt real and raw and amazing. His mouth moved down her neck as his hands twined in her hair. She gasped and clung to him, her chest heaving.
“God, I’m covered in mud,” she murmured, really noticing for the first time.
Blake stilled, lightly kissing her jaw before meeting her gaze with a penetrating stare.
“He never should’ve touched you, Clarissa.”
“I got mud all over you,” she said softly.
Her admission seemed to bring them both back to reality. They were sitting out here kissing like lovers or something. They needed to get moving before more trouble came their way.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice gruff.
She flushed under his heated gaze, feeling her nipples tighten. He looked down and briefly ran his fingers lightly over one breast, sending shivers racing down her spine. “I could touch you for hours, sweetheart. Kiss you and claim you as mine.”
“But we have to go,” she finished, smiling shyly at him.
He kissed her again, briefly, then helped her to stand. “We do. And I shouldn’t be pawing at you out here like some sort of animal.”
“Think we can clean up at the stream before we keep going?” she asked.
Blake nodded, grabbing his weapon. Fear once again licked through her. They’d gotten caught up in the heat of the moment, but there were real dangers out there. They headed for the water, walking across the damp grass and leaves, and Clarissa looked in disdain at the mud on her clothing. “Can you hand me my other shirt? I’m going to try to rinse this one out.”
“Sure thing,” he said, unzipping his bag.
He handed it to her, their fingers briefly brushing against one another. “You need any help?” he asked, his voice deep.
“Um.” Her hand went to the hem of her camisole, and she realized it would be hard to remove without the use of her other arm.
“I’ll be careful of your wrist,” he assured her. “And tempting as it is, I won’t do anything else, just help you change.”
She flushed again, and his eyes heated. “Hell sweetheart. I love the way you blush around me.”
“Blake,” she protested, feeling even more embarrassed.
He briefly set
his weapon down again, walking back over to her. Although she could see the hunger in his eyes, she knew this wasn’t something sexual. He was helping her to change so they could move on.
His fingers at the edge of her camisole made her tremble in anticipation though. And the way his powerful body hovered over hers was arousing. She could feel the sparks and chemistry between them. Blake kept his word though, carefully lifting her top.
She heard his slight intake of breath as her breasts were exposed—she was wearing a plain white bra, but she knew as much as him that he could see everything. Her shirt had been damp, and her nipples pressed against the thin cotton bra.
Blake didn’t linger though, just cleared his throat and helped her to slip on the button-down shirt. She winced as it went over her wrist, and he cursed. He fumbled with the buttons on her top, and she smiled. Blake seemed a bit nervous himself right now. A guy like him was probably used to undressing a woman—not buttoning the shirt of one.
He grabbed her camisole and walked to the stream, ducking down to rinse it out.
“Be careful,” she said.
He looked back at her.
“There’s piranhas in the rainforest. They’re more likely to be in the river than this small stream, but....”
“Got it,” he said, suddenly all business.
He wrung out her top, crossing back to her. “Do you need anything else, or should we head for the river?”
“The river. I just want to go home,” she murmured softly.
He clenched his jaw, nodding, then ducked and kissed the top of her head. The unexpected gesture sent warmth coursing through her. Blake was sweet and caring. He’d never admit as much, she was certain, but underneath that gruff exterior, she could tell that he cared about her.
“I’ll get you home, sweetheart. I promise I’ll get you home.”
IF BLAKE HAD SEEMED protective of her before, he was even more so now. When they’d finally resumed walking toward the river, he’d barely let her leave his side. He was constantly scanning the area for threats, his jaw clenched. He held his weapon ready in case they saw anyone.
Maybe having him act this way should’ve unnerved her, but she was thankful he was being cautious.
“Look, up ahead!” she cried out after they’d walked another hour.
“I hear it,” he said, breaking into a grin.
The sound of the river grew louder as they got closer, and Clarissa practically jumped in excitement. “Oh my God, I thought we’d never get here!”
“The weather looks good, too. I should get a clear signal, and we’ll be on our way.” They hurried the last bit of the way to the river, and then after a brief glance around to make sure they were alone, Blake was rummaging through his bag to get the satellite phone. He gave her the thumbs up as he got a signal, and then he was talking to his team.
The next few minutes were surreal. One moment she was standing there talking to Blake, stuck in the rainforest, and the next, she heard a helicopter.
“How’d they get here so quickly?” she asked in amazement.
Blake chuckled. “We’re not that far from base, just in the middle of the damn rainforest. Hell. We could’ve walked back on the highway if I thought it was remotely safe.”
“Are they going to land here?” she asked, looking around.
“No, there’s not enough room. They’ll drop a line down. I’ll put you in a harness and strap you in, and after they bring you up, I’ll come along, too.”
“God,” she said, feeling nervous all over again.
“You’re not afraid of heights, are you?”
“No, but I might be after this.”
Blake chuckled as the sound of the helicopter got louder and louder. “Damn, this headset is still not working. I was hoping when they got closer, I could talk to the team.”
Blake signaled to them as the helicopter hovered up above. Butterflies filled her stomach, and she tried to calm her frayed nerves.
“All right, it looks like Troy’s coming down. I’ll hook you up to the harness, and you’ll go up together. He’ll help you inside and then drop the line down to me.”
A huge guy was lowered down on the rope, just dangling from the helicopter, dressed in the same gear as Blake. There was an extra harness, which she realized was meant for her. Jesus. Could she really do this? Get tied to a rope again and be pulled up?
“It’s okay,” Blake assured her, noticing the fear in her eyes. He practically had to shout above the noise of the helicopter. “Troy will help you, and I’ll be right up afterward.”
Troy landed on the ground, towering above her, and Blake grabbed the harness, expertly putting it on Clarissa. He tightened the straps, and she shivered as his large hands moved over her, hating that she was about to leave him. Even if it was only for a moment, he’d been with her every step of the way so far. And right now? She was frightened out of her mind.
Blake leaned over and quickly kissed her forehead, the touch of his lips burning into her skin. She looked at him in surprise.
Kissing her earlier was one thing, when she was scared and they were alone.
But this? Kissing her in front of his teammates before she was rescued? This was a claiming. Blake had claimed her as his and wanted everyone to know it.
Troy grinned at her as he signaled to the other men, and then they were being pulled upward, the ground moving farther and farther away. She cried out and clung to the harness.
“You doing okay?” Troy shouted.
“I’m positively terrified.”
He glanced up at his teammates before looking back at her. “Don’t worry, we’re almost there. You’re doing awesome. Blake would probably kick my ass if I let anything happen to you.”
She caught the amused expression on his face as heat washed over her. What had they thought happened between them?
She didn’t have time to wonder, because a moment later, strong arms were hauling her inside. She and Troy were unhooked from the rope, and a moment later, it was going down again. A huge guy guided her over to the far side of the helicopter as she shook. The adrenaline, the exhilaration—it was too much.
She sank to the ground, shaking, and he gripped her good wrist, checking her pulse. He was talking to the other men over the headsets. She understood why they were so important—it was hard to hear over all the noise.
A moment later, Blake appeared in the opening. He dropped his weapon and backpack and strode over to her, even as the helicopter began moving away. “You did it,” he said, crouching down beside her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, and he stood up and turned as another guy handed him a new headset. Putting it on, he began talking to his teammates, mostly ignoring her. Not that she blamed him. He’d been out of communication with them and needed updates on their mission.
She watched him talking rapidly to his men, gesturing, and she wondered what all they were discussing. The large guy beside her was mostly quiet, and she looked in awe out the window as the rainforest disappeared behind them.
Goodness.
She never expected to see it from above like this, and it truly was amazing. They flew for a few minutes, and then she could see some sort of military base in the distance. There were planes and vehicles on the ground, people moving around. Nerves fluttered through her. They wouldn’t just forget about her, would they?
Now that Blake was back with his team, getting updates, he had work to do. Should she contact the embassy? Go try to get her wrist splinted? No doubt she’d need an actual doctor when they were home.
How was she getting home? Would she really fly with Blake and these men?
The helicopter began to descend, and Blake crossed back to her. Relief washed over her as he sank down to her side. Just having his large frame next to her calmed her. But was she only feeling like that because she’d depended on him for so much the past few days?
A minute later, the rotors were slowing, and Blake helped her up and grabbed his own gear. The other guys jumped
off, with Blake carefully helping her down.
They walked out onto the helipad, and she looked around in wonder.
Before she knew it, a woman from the American embassy was rushing over to greet her. There appeared to be a doctor or nurse with her as well, and they began hustling her away from the helicopter as she turned to look for Blake.
“I’ll come see you shortly,” he called out, looking at her with those dark eyes. “I need to debrief with my team.”
“Okay,” she said hesitantly.
The woman from the embassy was already asking her questions, all business as they walked away. Blake was talking to his teammates, and she already felt lost again. Forgotten. Not that it was his job to babysit her every step of the way, but she’d felt close to him earlier. He’d kissed her for God’s sake. Now they were out of the jungle, and life was already beginning to return back to normal.
Chapter 17
BLAKE MOVED AWAY WITH his men, cursing. He’d wanted to make sure Clarissa was okay. He knew she was scared and didn’t have anything with her but the clothes on her back. He needed to check in with his CO though and get the SITREP from his men.
He’d gotten Clarissa here safely, which had after all been his goal. Now she had a doctor and someone from State here to help her. They’d get her situated while he got to work.
Why did it bother him so much that she’d been hustled away?
He cared about her, he realized. He wanted to see that her needs were met, that she was safe, and then introduce her to his team. There’d be time for that later he supposed, but damn. After not leaving her side for hours, he felt her loss acutely.
Not that he was about to admit that to his teammates.
“She was a looker,” Grayson joked as they headed toward the airplane hangar. “Don’t think we all missed those puppy-dog eyes she gave you.”
Troy chortled. “It’s not just her that’s head-over-heels. Our boy Raptor here kissed her before I hauled her up to the helo.”
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