the problem isn’t that I don’t want you but that I do.” His mouth found hers.
Despite everything her brain told her about him hurting her again, her body told her to take what she could. She dropped her light and her hands clutched his waist. His tongue caressed the interior of her mouth and she join in the sweet battle. One of Chance’s hands slipped under her shirt and slid over her ribs to cup her breast.
He groaned.
A flash of awareness went through her. Her flesh tingled. Reveled in Chance’s touch. He took her nipple between two fingers and gently tugged.
Her womb contracted.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured against her lips. He pushed the shirt higher. The moist night air touched her skin seconds before Chance leaned her over his arm. She held on as his wet, warm mouth covered her nipple and sucked. His tongue circled and teased her. Blood flowed hot and heavy to her center, feeding the throbbing there.
She moaned. Chance stood her up and his mouth covered hers. His hands went to her hips and brought them against his. With a hand behind his neck, she held his lips to hers.
“Mr. Chance, I heard a noise.” Marco stood nearby.
Chance continued to hold her close as he said over his shoulder, “Everything is fine. Miss Ellen got lost. I’ll see her back.”
“Sí.” By the tone of Marco’s answer he saw through that lie.
With Marco gone, Chance tugged Ellen’s shirt back into place. “Let’s get you back to bed. We’ll talk about this later.”
Ellen’s heart flew. At least this time he wasn’t walking away mad, apologizing or denying that there was something between them.
He picked up her penlight then took her elbow, guiding her around the tent toward the truck. There he gave her a quick kiss and brushed her already sensitive breast with the knuckle of his index finger before he handed her the light and walked off into the darkness.
On shaky legs, Ellen climbed into the truck and into her sleeping bag. Her heart thumped as if she had been running and her center burned as she relived every second of the last few minutes before she finally drifted into a dream of Chance doing it all again.
Had he lost his mind? Chance walked the few paces to his tent. Ellen was driving him beyond reason. He’d always been a sensible adult, one who thought before he acted, yet when he was around Ellen he came unglued. She brushed against him and all he could think of was kissing her, having her. It had become worse when he’d discovered her bare breast. Heaven help him. He’d almost taken her behind the clinic tent. Worse, he still wanted to.
He had to get Ellen out of his system.
Chance slapped at his pants leg in frustration. They were both adults. She had more than proved that with her warm welcome when he’d kissed her. So why couldn’t they have a short and satisfying affair while she was here? He would make it clear there would be no ties when the time came for her to leave.
Maybe it was time to stop protecting her. If he didn’t do something soon, he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on his work. One thing he did know was that he would not be able to push her away any longer. No matter the reason, he wanted her beyond sanity. He would have her.
Come morning, he assigned Ellen to work with Michael as usual. If he’d assigned her to assist him after all this time the others would notice, especially Michael. He wasn’t ready to answer questions about his feelings for Ellen.
Throughout the day he would meet Ellen’s gaze and she would smile. Once they grabbed for a bandage at the same time. Their hands touched. By his body’s reaction he was reverting back to his youth. When they stopped for lunch he sat under a banana tree to eat and watched as Ellen and Karen walked to the truck that doubled as their bedroom. Even Ellen’s walk had him turned on.
Michael squatted on his heels beside him. He looked off toward the two women as well. With humor hanging on each word, he said, “I never thought I would have seen it. The untouchable Chance Freeman has fallen hard.”
Chance cut his eyes to him. “What does that mean?”
“You have it bad for Ellen.”
“You’re crazy.” Chance picked up a tiny stick and threw it.
“So it’s okay if I go after her?”
“You already said she wasn’t interested.”
“I haven’t given her the full court press,” Michael said with a smile.
“Leave it alone, Michael,” Chance growled.
“Then I suggest you do something about it.” Michael looked at the women again.
“You know, it’s none of your damn business.” Chance didn’t need pushing toward something he had every intention of taking care of himself.
Michael chuckled. “No, I guess it isn’t but it’s nice to see the cool, calm and collected Dr. Freeman squirm.” His grin grew larger. “I’ll see that the clinic is ready for this afternoon around two.”
Michael had been a friend for a number of years and had often listened into the early morning hours to Chance’s sad story of his poor choices where women were concerned. More than once they had handled issues having to do with the clinic together. If Michael wasn’t such a friend, he would’ve never gotten away with those remarks about Ellen.
The afternoon work went every bit as well as the morning had. It was dusk when a couple of gunshots rang out in the distance.
“What’s that?” Karen asked in alarm.
Michael, appearing unconcerned, continued to store equipment. “Drug dealers most likely. We’ve been lucky we haven’t heard more shots.”
Fifteen minutes later Chance stepped out of the clinic to see a boy of about twelve run into the clearing and stop. He gave the area a wide-eyed look as if searching for something. Ellen slowly approached him from the direction of the truck. She spoke to him.
Chance hurried toward them. As usual she wasn’t considering the danger. The boy could be luring her into the jungle. Kidnappings happened often for ransom in this area. She didn’t have to step beyond the clearing but a few paces before she wouldn’t be seen. Not wanting to spook the boy, Chance slowed as he joined them.
As he came closer the boy said something about his father being shot and asking for her to come help. Chance’s heart rate jumped. That had to have been the shots they’d heard. The boy’s father must be working with the drug traffickers or had crossed their path.
“Must come,” the boy cried. He stepped forward with his hand out as if he were going to take Ellen’s.
Chance stepped closer to Ellen and told the child, “You’ll need to bring him here.”
“Can’t. He no walk,” the boy said as he looked back toward the opening
