I fell.”
She was stranded. Tucked away in a cozy, warm cabin with the sexiest man she’d ever seen. This felt like a fantasy. A dream. But he was here and real—far too potent to vanish when she blinked her eyes.
Needing to assess the situation, she threw off the blankets and climbed out of the bed. In a few strides, she crossed to the door and pulled it open. A blast of cold hit her bare legs. Though the snow had stopped, a drift came all the way up to the cabin’s door and trickled inside. They were in the forest at the edge of a clearing. She saw no sign of other houses. No lights. No roads. Nothing but complete isolation.
Luke came up behind her and shoved the door closed. “You’re here for the night.”
When she looked up into his face, she didn’t want to leave. Wearing only his T-shirt, she should have been cold. Instead, a glowing heat churned through her veins. Strange. She was light-headed, oddly disconnected.
He touched her forehead. “You’re hot.”
“So are you,” she said. “If we rub together, maybe we’ll start a forest fire.”
A smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “I meant to say that you might have a fever.”
“But I don’t feel sick. Not really sick.” But not herself. Her common sense seemed to have vanished, whisked away by the swirling snows on the mountain. She’d been transported to a magical place where normal concerns and hesitations did not apply.
Reaching out, she placed her palm flat against his chest. Through his army fatigues, she felt the steady, strong beating of his heart. The rhythm echoed through her and synchronized perfectly with her own pulse—two hearts beating as one. She was a part of him. Inseparable and needing a deeper connection.
She tilted her chin up. Her lips parted.
When he kissed her, he took his time. She tasted whiskey on his mouth. Slowly, he deepened the kiss.
His arms surrounded her, supporting her. His body pressed against hers. She seemed to rise off the floor, floating on a cloud. A spiral of tingling sensation unfurled and spread from her head to her heart to every intimate part of her.
When his lips left hers, she gazed up at his ruggedly handsome face. Her vision went hazy. Her headache became a steady pulse. Throbbing, but not painful.
She couldn’t believe this was really happening. A strong, gorgeous man had appeared from nowhere to sweep her into his arms and rescue her from certain death. He was her knight in shining ski gear.
Though she barely had the strength to stand, she knew his strong arms would never let her fall. Dazed and in shock, she abandoned herself to this swirling fantasy.
Chapter Two
Shana stumbled off balance. Her back rested against the cabin wall. The cold from outside crept through the logs and chilled her spine, contrasting the fire that burned inside her—an intense heat generated by his kiss.
“Shana,” he whispered, “are you all right?”
She wanted to say yes, but her head was spinning and her knees were weak. “I need to sit down.”
He guided her the few paces to the narrow bed and helped tuck her bare legs under the covers.
Stretched out on the bed, she looked up at him. So handsome. So gentle. This man had saved her life. He was her real-live hero, and he kissed like an expert.
She wanted more kisses, a lot more. This was crazy. Making love to a total stranger? Shana knew better. Years of working in the field, mostly with men, had taught her self-control. But she wasn’t at a job site. This cabin, tucked away in the mountains, was a different reality. Regular rules and restrictions did not apply.
When he started to rise from the bed, she sat up and caught hold of his arm. “Don’t go.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Do you need something?”
You. I need you. She wanted him to stay close beside her, to kiss her again.
“This doesn’t seem fair,” she said. “I’m nearly naked, and you’re wearing all those clothes.”
She raised her arm and stroked the bristly stubble on his jaw. With a fingertip, she traced a line from his mouth to his chin and down his throat. Aware that her behavior was utterly inappropriate, she began to unbutton his shirt. The effort took all her concentration. Her fingers lacked dexterity.
“Shana, I don’t think this is—”
“Don’t think.” Never before had she been so bold. She must be delirious. “I want this shirt off.”
“Let me.”
He unfastened the buttons and slipped off his shirt, then he pulled his T-shirt over his head. His arms and shoulders were lean yet muscular. A sprinkle of dark hair coated his chest. Below his collarbone, she saw a ragged scar. The suturing had been rushed, clumsy. Another scar crossed his rib cage.
She ran her thumb across the mark on his chest. “What happened?”
“The war happened.”
He’d been injured in battle. He really was a hero. That fact jolted her back toward reality, reminding her that there was a real world outside this cabin. “I’m sorry, Luke.”
“Don’t cry for me. I survived.”
He wasn’t being macho. Just stating a fact.
She held the dog tags that hung around his neck. “Name, rank and serial number,” she said. “Blood type O negative. You’re a universal donor.”
“That’s right.”
“What does the P stand for?”
“Protestant.”
“Or maybe,” she said, “the P stands for Perfect.”
“If you knew me better, you wouldn’t say that.”
“What’s your fatal flaw?”
“Right now? I’m thinking how good it would be to make love to you.”
She nodded, and her brain rattled painfully. She winced. Though she desperately wanted to stay alert, her eyelids drooped. “Making love,” she murmured. “Not a problem.”
“You need to rest. You’re already half-unconscious. I won’t take advantage of you.”
“Rest.” That sounded good. “Sleep.”
He leaned her back, laid her down on the pillow. Though she still had the urge to make love, her body was limp. So tired.
As she closed her eyes, she felt Luke lightly kiss her forehead. He was moving away from her. Yet, in her mind, she could feel his strong arms wrapped tightly around her. The heat of his body permeated her flesh.
She might be dreaming, but this was the most realistic fantasy
