Page 50

Her hands slid up to my shoulders, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt as she pulled me closer.

My pulse hammered as her soft, warm body pressed against mine, so close it was all I could feel.

Heat surged through me, and my cock hardened against the borrowed shorts, making me all too aware that I had nothing else on beneath them.

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to slow down before the heat of the moment took over completely.

I pulled back, breaking the kiss, and rested my forehead against hers.

“Tory,” I said, my voice low and rough. “You have no idea how much I want you right now.”

Her lips curved into a small, teasing smile. “Oh, I think I have some idea.”

A quiet laugh escaped me as I brushed a strand of hair from her face. “Not here,” I said firmly. “You deserve more than a rushed moment. I want to take my time with you.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she dropped her gaze, but not before I caught the shy, almost mischievous smile tugging at her lips.

“Hopefully I won’t have to wait too long,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper .

“Me neither,” I said, letting out a slow breath. “You’re killing me.”

I shifted slightly, running a hand over my shorts, trying to calm the relentless thump in my groin.

She bit her lip, clearly noticing, then giggled.

“Shall we go to bed then?” She paused, her smile turning playful. “You know . . . to sleep.”

“Come here, you.” I pulled her close and kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the way her lips softened against mine, the way her fingers curled into my hair. When I pulled back, I rested my chin lightly against her temple. “I’m going to enjoy getting to know you, Tory. All of you .”

I eased back before my thoughts of Tory’s naked body beneath me tipped me over the edge of no return.

“Good. Because I feel the same.” Her smile softened, and her eyes flickered with something deeper, something vulnerable and open. “Jaxson, do you wonder if what we’ve been through is messing with our emotions? I mean, I’ve read that life-and-death situations can?—”

I cut her off, cupping her face in my hands. Her skin felt warm beneath my palms, and I tilted her head up so she couldn’t look anywhere but at me.

“Tory, you’re overthinking this,” I said, stealing Whisper’s comment as I held her gaze with mine. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more certain about anything in my life.”

Her eyes searched mine, and whatever doubt had been lingering there melted away. She let out a small, shaky breath, her lips parting slightly as if she wanted to say something. Instead, she just nodded, resting her hands on my chest.

Our attraction wasn’t just about the heat of the moment or the adrenaline from everything we’d been through.

This was real, and I couldn’t wait to explore it more.

I guided her to lie down with me, and she curled into my side as if she’d always belonged there.

I shifted us until we were spooning, her back pressed to my chest, and I wrapped an arm over her, pulling her close.

Our fingers laced together, and I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing the glorious scent that was uniquely hers .

Neither of us said anything. The silence wasn’t awkward. It was easy, comfortable, like words would have only gotten in the way.

“Do you do this with all your teammates?” She giggled.

I tightened my arm around her. “Only the ones crazy enough to crash their plane into a croc-infested swamp.”

She laughed softly, and the sound vibrated against me in a way that made my chest ache. “Good to know I’m special.”

“Special doesn’t even cover it.”

She tilted her head just enough to glance back at me, her eyes half-closed, her expression soft and unguarded. She looked so damn beautiful it made my throat tighten.

“I’m so lucky you rescued me.” Then she scrunched her nose like she was embarrassed. “Not just because I probably would’ve died if you hadn’t shown up, but . . . because it was you.”

“And Onyx,” I added, trying to lighten the moment, even though my chest felt like it might burst.

“Yeah,” she said, rolling back slightly. “And Onyx.”

Her palm brushed over the back of my hand, and she threaded her fingers into mine. “I’m glad you checked in on me.”

“Me too. Though I was a bit worried you might peg a shoe at me for waking you up.”

She giggled. “I threw out my only shoe.”

I chuckled. “Go to sleep.”

She wriggled back, making us even closer, and my cock twinged like it was getting ready for some action. As I tried to block my throbbing dick out of my mind, her breathing slowed as her body relaxed against mine.

For the first time in days, hell, maybe years, I felt something I hadn’t even realized I’d lost: peace.

But with her warmth pressed against me and her scent lingering in the air like a quiet promise, my damn cock was reminding me that it hadn’t had any attention in a long time.

Tory was pushing all the right buttons; buttons I wanted to press.

She nudged back closer, wedging her ass against my groin, and my heart skipped a couple of beats. Hot damn, this was a bad idea.

I’m not going to get any sleep with her sexy body tucked up against me.

Moonlight seeped through the curtain edges, outlining her body, and revealing the curve of her waist and swell of her hip. I longed to see her face clearly and her gorgeous lips that I’d been wanting to kiss all day.

She shifted again, and I couldn’t pretend I was content just lying here, pretending the heat between us didn’t exist. My restraint was a thread fraying at the edges, and with her curves pressed against me, warm and soft and real, I couldn’t resist her body anymore.

I slid my arm over her waist, slow and careful, curling my hand beneath the swell of her breast. The quiet moan she released was breathy and sweet, so goddamn sexy my body seemed to sizzle.

Her fingers trailed up my forearm, slow and deliberate, a silent answer to the question I hadn’t dared to ask aloud. She wanted this. She wanted me .

I leaned in, my breath brushing her ear.

“You sure?” I whispered.

She nodded, her cheek brushing the pillow. “Yes. Please.”

Her tone was tender and aching and beautifully desperate.

That one word— please —hit me like an oath.

I slid my hand higher, cupping her breast through the thin fabric of her tank.

She didn’t have a bra on . . . and that discovery had my cock pounding like a jackhammer.

Her boobs were glorious . . . full, warm, and fucking perfect.

She arched into my touch with a soft whimper, and I had to bite down a groan.

“Shh,” I whispered in her ear.

We had to be quiet. People were outside the door.

I pulled her hair aside to kiss the back of her neck, dragging my lips down the curve of her shoulder.

A breath escaped her lips, and her body tensed before melting against me.

I teased her nipple with my thumb, circling the peak, and she let out a quiet, desperate sound that made it damn near impossible to keep my head straight.

Her hips rolled back into me, and my cock throbbed in response, hard and insistent against the curve of her ass.

“Tory,” I said, my voice low and rough, full of everything I couldn’t put into words.

She turned halfway, just enough to meet my mouth when I leaned in. The kiss was slow at first, deepening as her hand tangled in my hair and pulled me closer. I pressed my body against hers, letting her feel exactly what she was doing to me.

Her thighs parted slightly, an unspoken invitation that sent a jolt of heat through me. I slid my hand down, tracing the curve of her hip, brushing the bare skin just above the waistband of her shorts. The soft fabric clung to her as a delicious heat radiated from her body.

When her hips shifted toward my touch, I slipped my hand beneath the waistband, my palm gliding over the curve of her thigh as I fed my hand between her legs.

My heart thundered and my cock throbbed as my fingers traced her folds, teasing lightly as I explored her, learning the way her body responded.

She was already wet. Hot, slick, and aching.

Her breath caught, a soft gasp spilling from her lips as her head fell back against my shoulder. Her body trembled beneath my touch, her thighs parting wider, wordlessly urging me on.

I stroked her slowly, deliberately, feeling her grow even wetter as I circled her sensitive flesh with my fingertips. Her hips moved with my hand, unguarded and perfect, like she couldn’t stop herself even if she wanted to.

“God, Tory,” I murmured against her ear, my voice thick with want.

She moaned softly, her hands clutching at my forearm, not to stop me, but to hold me there, grounded in the moment as her body melted into mine.

I kissed the curve of her jaw, trailing down her throat, tasting the salt of her skin as I stroked her. My movements were slow and deliberate, each touch building her higher, her breath coming faster and more uneven.

Her body tensed against me, her thighs trembling slightly as the tension inside her coiled tighter and tighter. Her nails dug into my arm, her grip growing desperate.

She’s close.

“Jaxson,” she whispered, yet her tone was laced with need.

Her release crashed through her in waves as her body shuddered against mine.

Her breath hitched, her back arched, and thinking she might cry out, I captured her lips in a deep, urgent kiss, swallowing the gasp that threatened to escape.

Her moan vibrated against my mouth, soft and muffled, and I kissed her harder, keeping her quiet as her body trembled in my arms.

I didn’t stop stroking her, drawing out every last ripple of pleasure as she clung to me, her body pliant and boneless in the aftermath. Her breathing slowly steadied, her lips parting against mine as I softened the kiss.

When I finally pulled back, her forehead rested against mine as her hot breaths mingled with mine.

I brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “You’re absolutely perfect.”