making her shiver, tasting of sweet chocolate. His exploration of her was intense and focused, as if this kiss would tell him all he needed to know.
What, she wondered, did he want to know about her? He knew that she was scared to death. That she’d lost her bearings and felt as if there were constant earthquakes tearing up the very ground beneath her feet. He knew she was willing, that she wanted him, that more than that, she needed him, even though the need itself confused her and made her ashamed.
His hand moved from her shoulder to the small of her back. He pulled her closer so her body and his were tight together. His erection, hard and thick, pressed against her stomach, and she remembered the feel of it in her hand.
She wanted more. To feel him between her lips, on her tongue. Inside her, pushing and urgent.
He pulled back.
She took a deep breath, then found his hand, pulling him along as she headed for the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, she closed out everything else, too. No stalker, no microchips, no warriors. Just the two of them.
“I should wait outside,” he said.
“Not gonna happen.”
He smiled. Not that half smile, either, but a wide, devilish grin. “And what is gonna happen?”
“I’m gonna take off all my clothes,” she said.
“Oh?”
“And so are you.”
“We did that last night.”
“That was for comfort.”
“And this?”
“Don’t think so much.” She backed up until she was closer to the shower. Then she pulled her T-shirt off. She’d worn one of her Wonderbras which made her look bigger than she was. It was pink and lacy, and he certainly seemed to like what he saw.
He stared as he pulled his own shirt over his head and tossed it behind him.
It was her turn to be mesmerized. She had to give it to the U.S. Army. They knew how to make their men hot as hell. Yeah, she’d seen him last night, but not for long enough, and not just standing there, letting her stare with abandon.
She toed off her sneakers and her socks, which wasn’t terribly easy, at least not while trying to look sexy. But then, he had to crouch down to get his shoes off.
While he was down there, she figured she’d make it worth his while. She undid her jeans, and pushed them down and off.
He looked up. Got really still. She, wearing her mind-snapping thong, moved in close. Boone just looked for a long moment, his lips slightly parted, then his hands came up to the side of her panties and he pulled them down. He wasn’t in a hurry.
She heard him moan as the panties dropped to the floor. At first she thought he was going to ignore her and glom on to the thong, but he wasn’t much interested in anything but her.
His hands moved up her outer thighs as he looked up at her face. “You’re a dangerous woman,” he said.
“Me?”
He nodded.
“I can’t even hit the target.”
“Don’t kid yourself.” He rose, his hands still on her hips. “You’ve got one hell of an arsenal.”
“I’d feel a lot better if I could shoot straight.”
“You’ll learn. I’ll teach you.”
“That’s actually not what I want to learn right now.”
He kissed her again. Slow, deep. Thorough.
She used the opportunity to undo his jeans and push them down as far as she could without stopping the kiss. Boone took over. She felt him kick away his pants to join his shirt.
It was her turn to break away. She opened the shower door and turned on the water. As she did that he undid the hooks of her bra. It ended up on the pile, and they were both, finally, naked.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered, nuzzling behind her ear.
“You think so?”
“I do.”
She turned into his chest, at once liking that he was so tall, and wishing she didn’t have to look up so high to see his face. “You’re not bad yourself.”
With his hands on her shoulders he held her steady, looked at her with serious eyes. “I shouldn’t do this.”
“You think he can get in here? Into this room without you knowing about it?”
“No. But you can make me lose my concentration.”
“I can? Wow, I had no idea.”
“Just thinking about you in that little thong of yours…”
“I meant to ask you about that. Panty fetish?”
“Nope. Not that I’ve noticed. Before today, that is.”
“Ah, so it’s my panties that had you so rapt.”
He nodded. “Guess so.”
“I don’t understand why you’re not taken. I really don’t. You’re gorgeous, you’re smart. You’ve got that whole dark and dangerous thing going.”
“I told you. I can’t. Things are complicated.”
“You know what’s not complicated?”
“What?”
She kissed him again, only this time, she moved her hand down, fisting his hot erection. “Let’s get clean so we can get dirty,” she said, her mouth a scant inch from his. “Show me what you like. Teach me how to please you.”
“You already are,” he said, reaching behind her so he could open the shower door wide enough for both of them to get in.
The water was perfect and it hit them from three sides. Of course, the nozzles were adjusted to her height, but Boone didn’t seem to mind. He touched her back with both hands, rubbed her chest with his, the water and the heat making everything slick.
She reached for the soap, but he stopped her with his teeth on her neck. It was a very effective move, stilling her instantly. He growled as he held her there, his left hand moving down her stomach, between her legs.
He didn’t need the shower or the soap to make her wet and slick down there. His finger was large, blunt but practiced, as he explored her. First finding her clit, then sliding back until he pushed in, filling her so well she rose on her toes.
Now he held her with that finger, which was powerful motivation not to move. When he looked at her, she could barely see the green of his eyes, they were so dark with his excitement.
She
