Page 9 of Twins for the Secret Prince (Even More Babies #8)

EVA

“ T his is not happening,” Eva said, pulling away.

“It feels like it’s happening to me,” Pete said.

“No. I mean, we can’t let it happen.”

“Why not?”

“Pete, you’re not a new recruit. You know what the rules are. Co-fraternization will get us both punished. Maybe even kicked out of the military altogether.”

“No one is going to know that we’re co-fraternizing . Look at where we are — in the middle of nowhere.”

“Pete, it’s wrong. We can’t do this.” Eva walked away from him and held her hands over the fire.

“I want to tell you something,” Pete said, joining her.

“Earlier, after you’d rescued me and had gone to get firewood, I could have sworn you were lying next to me.

You were warming me with your body. It felt wonderful because it warmed me from the inside out, but mostly because it was you .

You’re incredibly beautiful, Eva, and I’m very attracted to you. ”

“But that’s just the thing — we can’t act on our attraction. It’s against the rules.”

“So you’re attracted to me, too!” Pete said triumphantly.

“No! That’s not what I meant.”

“Oh yes it was. Come on now, be honest. You like me!”

“Pete, I can say, hand on heart, that I don’t like you. You’re arrogant and annoying.”

“Okay, that might be true, but you’re into me.”

Eva snorted, then quickly covered her nose with her hand. “Seriously, how old are you? We’re not teenagers.”

“In some ways I’m still a teenager, if you know what I mean.”

“Stop it!”

An owl called from a tree somewhere on the ledge just above them, making them both jump. The shock of it made them laugh, breaking through the tension that had been building between them. A moment later, a wolf howled somewhere far off in the distance.

“The creatures of the night are coming to life,” Pete said.

“We’d better get some sleep. We’ll set out at first light to find our way back to the others.”

“Here, you lie down here right next to the fire, and I’ll get behind you,” Pete said. “You deserve to get closest to the fire since you built it.”

Eva looked at him disapprovingly. “Nice try, but no way. Your dream is not about to come true.”

“Come on, Eva, trust me. Our body heat will keep each other warm. I’ll agree to your no co-fraternization terms.”

“Damn straight you will,” Eva said gruffly, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

“Do I have to worry about those wolves paying us a visit in the night?”

“I doubt it,” Eva said. “It’s not exactly an easy spot to access. They’ll be looking for more easy prey.” She had a sudden thought of her squad and hoped they were having a less dramatic and eventful time during their first night in the wilderness.

Pete’s arm came to rest on her hip. “Don’t worry, I’m not trying anything,” he said. “It’s just nice to elevate my arm at night. Old shoulder injury.”

Eva resisted the urge to make a jibe. “What happened?”

“I dislocated it during combat training. It took two days to see a medic. She reset it, but it never really healed properly.”

“The hip that you’re using as an armrest?” Eva said. “Some genius on my squad when I was a new recruit tackled me during a game of football. All two hundred and fifty pounds of him fell right on my hip. Fractured it in two places.”

“Ouch. Double ouch. Is it painful?”

“Only when it rains. Or when rain is forecast. Or when it has rained.”

“So today must be a killer.”

“Well, jumping in the river helped. Freezing cold water is a good numbing agent, as it turns out.”

“But then having to haul an ignorant knucklehead out of the water probably didn’t help so much.”

“No, but at least the knucklehead knows he’s a knucklehead.”

“He really does.”

“Let’s get some sleep now. Good night, knucklehead.”

“Good night, Eva. Sweet dreams.”

“I’d say the same, but I don’t want you dreaming about anything you shouldn’t be. Keep your dreams… sanitary.”

Eva felt his body shudder with laughter they were so close together. “Sanitary? I’m not sure what you’ve been doing, but it doesn’t sound like you were doing it right.”

“Oh, I was doing it right. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Great. Now that’s all I’m going to be able to think about. That and hoping we’re not lying here like helpless wolf bait.”

Eva tried her best not to laugh, but suppressing it only made her body shake and convulse more, and after a minute, she was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face.

“Was it wolf bait?” Pete asked. “I knew that wasn’t a very romantic image the second I said it.”

Eva couldn’t answer. She wiped at the tears on her cheeks as her stomach tensed with laughter. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so hard. It was a wonderful, freeing sensation, like the first few sips of champagne.

“I guess at least if we can’t fraternize together, we can laugh together,” Pete said. Eva felt the low rumble of his voice against her back and knew he must have moved closer to her.

“Pete, are you smelling my hair?”

“Yes, and I’m happy to report it smells like river mud combined with acrid wood smoke.”

“You really do know how to charm a woman,” Eva said, holding back her laughter.

“That’s the point. I’m actively trying to be un charming. It’s not easy, but I’ve got to keep at it because of the co-fraternization rule.”

“Will you stop saying co-fraternization?”

“Okay. I think I’ll just stop talking now.”

“Good idea,” Eva said. She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but she liked feeling the warmth of his body against her back. With the fire warming the front of her, it was almost like she was the toasty filling inside a heat sandwich.

She didn’t realize she’d said the words aloud until Pete said, “Meat sandwich? Are you hallucinating about food?”

“Shh, go to sleep,” Eva said softly.

She was lying in that pleasant state just before sleep, where all of the rough edges of the day become blurred, and dreams edge nearer.

She imagined she felt soft lips against the back of her neck as a hand rubbed up and down the side of her thigh.

It moved to the front of her thigh and continued its caress there.

As it moved further up her thigh, Eva drew in a sharp breath.

Suddenly she was wide awake again and aware that this was really happening. “What are you doing?” she asked sharply.

“Keeping you warm with friction. Do you want me to stop?” Pete’s voice was full of longing.

Eva’s head and heart battled each other until finally she said softly, “No.”

Pete groaned into her neck as his hands began to caress her thighs again, then her lower belly, her arms and finally, her breasts. They both moaned as he cupped them and kneaded them gently.

Eva moved her body around slightly, and their lips met. Pete’s mouth was warm against hers, kissing her deeply as he continued to caress her body. When she thought she couldn’t take any more waiting, Eva placed her hand on top of his and began to move it lower, between her legs.

Pete’s hand worked on her sweet spot, rubbing it gently as she moved her hips back and forth in pleasure.

Eva unzipped her trousers, pulling them down to give him access to her naked skin.

Pete probed her with his long, elegant fingers until Eva was wild with desire and the need to have him inside her.

She pulled her trousers and underwear off completely and pushed Pete onto his back before undoing his trousers as well. “Let me help,” he groaned.

They kissed again as Eva mounted him, resting on her knees to delay the moment of penetration. When she couldn’t wait any longer, she grabbed him by the base of the shaft and took his full length inside her as she ground her hips into him.

It only took seconds for her to reach orgasm, tipping her head back and releasing a loud cry of pleasure into the night sky. She kept moving her hips until Pete came, then collapsed on his chest, panting.

“Wow, I’ll bet the wolves were envious of the sound you just made,” he said, stroking her back.

Eva laughed. “I hope so. They’ll be in no doubt as to who the alpha is around here.”

“Absolutely none.”

Leaning down to kiss him, Eva pulled back and looked into his eyes. “I’ve got to say, Pete, you’ve grown on me. I didn’t really like you when we first met.”

“Really? I had no idea.” He sounded serious, but Eva could feel the corners of his mouth curl up beneath hers.

“I mean, actually, right up until a few minutes ago, I wasn’t that keen on you. I think it reached a peak today when you disobeyed me about jumping in the river.”

“I’m never going to live that down,” Pete groaned.

“Nor should you. Let that be a lesson to you — never disobey me again.”

“Yes, sergeant!”

“I’d like to order you to do something right now, but I’m pretty sure you’re going to get sick from exposure or some serious butt-cheek chafing if I don’t let you get up off that cold rock.”

“Yes, sergeant,” Pete said, sitting up. As he did so, he swung his arms around her, cupping her buttocks as he supported her weight. He stood up, still holding her tight and they kissed, naked torsos pressed together, as an owl chorus rang out in the night sky.

“This is really romantic,” Eva said softly.

“Kind of makes you happy we got caught in that landslide after all, doesn’t it?” Pete said as he nipped at her lips gently with his teeth.

“I guess this never would have happened if we hadn’t.”

“I don’t know. I like to think you would have slipped into my leaf hut, naked in the moonlight, to declare your undying passion for me.”

“Dream on. More likely you would have ambushed me, naked, in my leaf hut.”

“I can’t believe what this talk of both of us naked in leaf huts is doing to me.”

“I know. I can feel what it’s doing to you.”

Still carrying Eva, Pete walked over to one side of the rocky ledge and leaned his body back against it. “Ready for your orders, sergeant,” he said huskily.

“I think you know exactly what to do,” Eva said as she kissed his neck.

He pushed into her, gently at first and then deeper and faster, responding to Eva’s moans. Her hands dug into his shoulders, and she wrapped her thighs more tightly around him, pulling as much of him inside her as possible.

The sounds they made — guttural, urgent, animalistic — blended with the noises of the wild things in the woods beyond.

Eva tipped her head back, letting the light rain soak her face.

She felt ripples of pleasure build in her belly and then, slowly, spread to every corner of her body.

She didn’t hold back her cries of pleasure, which set Pete off, and then he, too, was announcing his ecstasy to the night sky.

They both took a minute to catch their breath, and then Pete said, “My legs are like jelly. I’m going to carry you back to the fire.”

They dressed in the warm glow of the fire and then wrapped their arms around each other, kissing tenderly.

“How do you feel?” Pete asked.

“Wonderful. Exhausted. Like I could sleep for days.”

“Not too cold?” He kissed her again and added, “I’m still worried that you caught a chill earlier because of me.”

Eva grinned. “I did catch a chill because of you. But I’m feeling much warmer now. From the inside out, you could say.”

They curled up together next to the fire, and Pete pulled Eva into his arms. “I’m so glad I got posted to your base,” he said happily.

“Me too,” Eva said, her eyes heavy.

“Eva,” he said, his voice soft and uncertain, “I just want you to know this isn’t something I do. I mean, I don’t make a habit of it.”

“What, spoon in front of fires with women you’ve just met?”

“Yes, exactly that. And all of the nice bits that happened before this.”

“Thank you for telling me that. And ditto.”

“That’s nice to know.” He was quiet for a few seconds and then added, “It must be terrible, being a woman in the military. You see the very worst in men, I’m sure.”

Unhappy images flashed through Eva’s mind of all of the times she’d faced unwelcome advances and worse. “I don’t know how different it is out there in civilian-world, but yes, constantly being outnumbered by men is difficult.”

“I don’t want you to think that my actions tonight were me trying to take advantage of the fact that we’re alone together. You’re sexy, and absolutely beautiful. Your body is a work of art.”

“Yours is pretty fine too, Pete.”

“I know,” he said, feigning seriousness, before breaking out in laughter. He bent to kiss her cheek. “Now get some sleep, Eva. You saved my life today. I’m never going to forget that.”

“Better not,” Eva said, smiling before falling into a deep, blissful sleep.