Harlequin Intrigue, Box Set 1 of 2 (27 page)

“This smells incredible.” He took a large spoonful of the stew, which was full of potatoes, carrots and chunks of meat. “Wow, that's amazing. Best beef stew I think I've ever had. What's the brand?”

“Brand? You think this came from a can?”

He paused with the next spoonful halfway to his mouth and eyed it suspiciously. “It didn't?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

He put the spoon back in his bowl, untouched. “Did you catch, skin and cook a rabbit while I was gone?”

She laughed. “No. Buddy gave us some stew his wife made. It's Grade A, Uncle Sam-inspected, one hundred percent pure beef. Relax.”

He grinned and quickly emptied his bowl, and a second one after that. Faye showed him how to clean the dishes without water and tightly store them and the empty plasticware that the stew had come in so that animals wouldn't smell it and be attracted to the food.

After turning on a small battery-operated lantern, Faye put the fire out. Jake had wanted to keep it lit to scare critters away. But Faye had insisted on dousing the flames to ensure they didn't accidentally start a marsh fire. He reluctantly agreed and helped her stow everything back in their packs, all ready for the morning. The only thing left was to go to bed.

The tiny tent would barely sleep one, let alone two. Jake didn't think he'd be able to get any sleep with Faye lying that close to him. And even if he did, he was worried he might be drawn to her in his sleep and do something he'd regret. Well,
regret
might be too strong a word. He'd love nothing more than to finish what he and Faye had started in the back room of her store earlier today. But it wasn't right, not when almost everything that came out of his mouth was a lie.

“We should probably take turns on watch,” he said, “just in case some animal wanders too close.”

She picked up the lantern and took his hand in hers. “That's what the nets and bells are for. Plus we'll zip up the tent. Don't worry. I'll protect you.” She tugged him toward the tent.

“I'm the one who'll protect you,” he grumbled but didn't argue anymore.

Even with the vents in the tent, it was too warm to get inside the sleeping bags. Jake lay on top of his. He kept his clothes on, both out of respect for Faye and to add an extra layer of protection between them if he reached for her in his sleep.

Faye had no such concerns. After taking off her boots and setting her knife and gun at the foot of the tent, she shimmied out of her tight jeans, leaving her in her lacy green top and—oh, God—matching lacy green thong. With a tiny lime-green bow.

His mouth watered at the thought of that delicate, little bow, of grasping it with his teeth and tugging it down, down, down. Realizing where he was staring, he forced his gaze up to meet hers. She smiled, a slow, lazy smile that promised things that made him almost whimper out loud.

No, she's off-limits. She doesn't know you're working for the FBI. It's not right to make love to her with so many lies between us, especially since there's no way we could ever be together once the truth comes out.

He shuddered and rolled over, scooting as far away from her tantalizing heat as possible. “Good night,” he rasped through his tight throat as he clutched his pillow to keep from reaching for her.

A deep sigh met his statement. “Good night.” The lantern went out, plunging the tent into darkness.

* * *

F
AYE
ROLLED
ONTO
her back and stared up at the complete blackness of the tent roof above her. The base of the dome-shaped tent was about seven feet long and four feet wide, and yet so far Jake had managed to keep his long, thickly muscled body from touching her in any way. Frustration was making her curl her nails into her palms.

She knew he wanted her. Just as he knew she wanted him. So what was the problem? Was he sleeping? She didn't think so. His breathing wasn't the deep and even breathing of someone off in dreamland. If anything, his breathing was too carefully controlled, as if he was trying not to think about her lying beside him.

Not sleeping together, or rather only
sleeping
together and doing nothing else, was probably the wisest choice. He didn't know about her past, that it was like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode if the Tuscaloosa police figured out where she was. And she didn't really know anything about him other than he was a police officer trying his hand at being a private investigator, trying to find the one person who could blow her world apart.

No, making love to the incredibly attractive, delicious-looking Jake Young made no sense whatsoever. But since when did chemistry between a man and a woman ever make sense? Right now, at this moment, all that mattered was that she was on fire for him. And she knew he was on fire for her. If everything went to hell in the morning, so be it. But, tonight, for the first time in thirteen months, she just wanted to feel, to enjoy having a man desire her and hold her in his arms. For once, she wanted to let her worries and fears melt away and live in the moment. She wanted this,
needed
this. And thanks to the condoms she'd discovered that Buddy had included in her backpack—she was completely prepared.

She sat up and made quick work of her braid, finger-combing her tresses until they hung past her hips to the tent floor. She remembered the way Jake had plunged his fingers into her hair this morning when he'd kissed her. He liked her hair, and she would ruthlessly take advantage of that.

Next she shimmied out of her thong. Just the whisper of the material against her as she pulled it off was almost too much for her nerve endings to take. The way Jake had stared at the bow on her panties had made her clench with need and anticipation. That same need rose up in her now as she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the foot of the tent. Her necklace followed. Lastly she unhooked her bra and added it to the pile of discarded clothes.

Shoot, the condoms. Where were they? In her jeans. In her wishful thinking earlier when he'd left camp for his “walk” she'd slid three of the foil packets in her pocket. She scrambled to the end of the tent to find where she'd put her jeans.

“Faye? Is something wrong?” Jake called out.

She found the foil packets and clutched them in her hands. “Not anymore. Or at least, not for long.”

“What? Did you hear something outside the tent?”

She could hear him moving behind her. She turned around just as the lantern light clicked on.

He was sitting up, the light in his hand. His jaw dropped open, his eyes widened, and he went still as a statue.

Faye looked down at the shiny foil packets clutched in her right hand. There was no way he couldn't see them, or not know what they were. She was completely naked, her breasts jutting out, her hair hanging down around her hips. What did someone say in a situation like this?

She cleared her throat and smiled. “Um, surprise?”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Faye stared at Jake, just three feet away, waiting. His eyes swept down her body, lingering on her breasts, the apex between her thighs. But he didn't move. She wasn't even sure he was breathing.

“Jake.
Say
something.”

“Can't,” he choked.

“Then
do
something. I'm starting to feel a little silly here.”

His eyes finally rose. “You're absolutely exquisite,” he whispered, his voice ragged, raw.

Her belly tightened at his words. “I'm still feeling silly since I'm the only one here without any clothes. I'd appreciate it if you'd take your clothes off. I've got something else for you to wear.”

He frowned. “What do you want me to wear?”

She held up one of the condom packets.

He visibly shuddered. But he still didn't move to take her.

“Jake?”

“You don't know me,” he whispered, for some reason looking completely miserable.

“I know what I need to know,” she said. “You're strong, smart, protective even when you don't need to be. You're a great listener even though I probably bored you to death on the canoe trip.”

He shook his head. “You weren't boring.”

“I want you, Jake. Don't make me beg.”

“I'm going to hell for this.”

“Take me with you.”

He reached for her and lifted her onto his lap, straddling him. He sank his fingers into her hair and shook his head in wonder. “I've never seen a more beautiful woman.”

She sank against him, her breasts flattening against his chest as she wrapped her arms behind his neck. “You say the sweetest things.”

He crushed her to him, devouring her in an openmouthed frenzy as if he was dying and she was his only hope of salvation. Their kiss this morning had been mild compared with the heat they generated now. His lips moved against hers, stoking her desire higher and higher, making her moan deep in her throat. She could kiss him forever and never get enough. He was like a master craftsman plying his trade, wrenching every ounce of pleasure her body was capable of feeling, and then bringing her up another level until she thought she'd go out of her mind for wanting him. Her entire body pulsed with need, an ache of longing so deep she thought she'd die if he didn't make love to her right then.

She wrenched her lips from his and reached down between them, desperate to feel him. She whimpered at the feel of him through his clothes. “Take. These. Off,” she demanded.

He swallowed, hard, and gently set her down on the sleeping bag. He unbuttoned his jeans but he was moving much too slowly. She shoved him down onto his back and went to work on his zipper, then yanked his pants down his legs, shucking them off and tossing them behind her.

He laughed, then sucked in a deep breath when she shoved her hands beneath his boxers. She stroked his velvety soft skin, reveling in his hardness. She bent down and kissed him, tasted him.

A guttural curse escaped his clenched teeth. He grabbed her and pulled her up his body and captured her lips with his. When he finally broke the kiss they were both struggling to catch their breath. He yanked off his shirt and went to work on the Velcro straps of his bullet-resistant vest.

Faye blinked in surprise. “Why are you wearing that?”

He looked at his vest, as if surprised himself, and shrugged. “Habit. I always wear it when I'm working a case.” He quickly discarded the rest of his clothes then pulled her against him, skin against skin, softness against hardness as he worshipped every inch of her body with his mouth.

She was about to beg for mercy when he finally settled himself on top of her at her entrance.

“Wait, wait,” she cried out.

He shuddered and stilled against her. “Please don't say you changed your mind,” he begged.

“What? No, no. Hell, no.” She giggled and grabbed one of the foil packets. After rolling the condom onto him, she gave him one long, exquisite stroke. “Now,” she said. “Now, Jake.”

But he didn't take her. Instead, he kissed her again as his hands slid all over her body, stroking, kneading, feathering across her skin until she thought she would die from the pleasure of it. Every nerve ending in her body seemed to be at a fever pitch, ready to explode.

She tore her mouth from his and reached down between them to position him again. “If you don't do it now,” she whispered against his lips, “I'm going to shoot you.”

He laughed and surged forward, thrusting inside her. She threw her head back in ecstasy at the feel of him stretching and filling her. She scored her nails down his back and lightly bit his shoulder as he plunged into her, harder and faster. She matched his rhythm, wrapping her legs around him and trying to pull him in deeper.

Every movement of him inside her, every stroke of his hands against her between their bodies, every touch of his lips against her skin sent her higher, and higher until she didn't think she could possibly go higher. And then he took her there, up, up, up, whispering in her ear, telling her how he loved her body and what else he wanted to do with her as he shuddered and plunged into her over and over again.

Her climax washed over her in an explosion of feeling that had her screaming his name and sinking her nails into his shoulders. He rode her through her climax, drawing it out, sending her up and over the edge even as the last waves of her first climax were still rippling through her. She screamed again. He tightened inside her and this time he followed her, clasping her against his body as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed through both of them. They collapsed back against the sleeping bags in an exhausted but thoroughly sated, boneless tangle of arms and legs.

Faye lay there, her breaths rattling out of her as her heart struggled to stop racing and calm down to a natural rhythm again. Sweat slicked her skin and beaded between her breasts, slowly running down her belly. Behind her, Jake's labored breaths came quick and fast like hers and she could feel his heart pounding against her back.

“Wow,” she finally managed. “I've never, ever...”

“Me, neither.” His voice was husky and deeper than usual, sending a delightful shiver straight to her core.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her tighter against him, spooning his body to hers. She loved the feel of his lightly furred chest against her back. In fact, she loved everything about him. Plus, he was a Sagittarius and she was a Libra. Had fate brought them together? She automatically reached for the purple velvet pouch on her necklace before remembering she'd taken it off.

His fingers lightly stroked her belly, warming her all over, making her feel cherished, and for the first time in her life...
loved
. Loved? She stiffened at that ridiculous thought. No one could care about someone that deeply when they were practically strangers.

His arm tightened. “What's wrong?”

“I just...we don't even know each other, and here we are...”

His deep sigh sounded near her ear. “I know. You're right. I shouldn't have—”

“Oh yes, you should have. No take backs. No regrets. That's not what I'm saying.”

“Then what
are
you saying?”

“I want to know more about you. I'd like to know more about the man who just blew my mind.”

He laughed, his hot breath washing against her neck. He trailed his fingertips up to that same, sensitive spot and stroked her skin, making her shiver. He pressed a quick kiss to her there.

“What is it that you want to know?”

“Where are you from? Do you have a family?” She sucked in a breath. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

He scooted back and gently rolled her over so she was flat on her back looking up at him. His eyes were dark, his expression intent.

“If I was in a relationship with someone, what we just did wouldn't have happened.” He gently smoothed her hair back from her face. “I grew up in North Florida, in Saint Augustine. I don't have any family, not anymore.”

She slid her hands up his chest, delighting in the way his muscles flexed beneath her hands and the way the crisp hairs tickled her fingers. “Not anymore?”

“My parents died a long time ago. It was just me and my sister for years. But she's...gone now.”

His voice was flat, as if he was trying to mask his pain, but she saw it in the tension around his eyes, and the lines of concentration on his brow. She cupped his face and brought him down closer so she could kiss the worry lines away.

“I'm sorry for your loss,” she whispered. “What happened?”

He rolled onto his back. She figured she'd asked him too sensitive, too personal a question. But then he reached for her and tucked her against his side, her breasts snugged up against his ribs. She sighed with contentment and rested her hand on his chest.

“She married my best friend,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “A couple of years later, there was a home invasion. She was killed.”

“Oh my gosh, I'm so, so sorry. What happened to her husband?”

“Rafe? He survived. He was knocked out, shot, but he made it. Shelby didn't.”

She traced the lines of his stomach muscles. “You blame him. Why?”

He shook his head. “No. I don't blame him. I did, for a long time. I let hate and resentment build up inside me to the point that I made some very bad decisions. It almost cost both of us our lives. And it took a very special person, his new wife—Darby—to eventually bring us back together. But even though he forgave me, I couldn't forgive myself. I needed a fresh start. So when an old college friend contacted me about starting a private investigation firm with him, I took leave from my police job to jump at the chance, see if it was worth giving up my law enforcement career for good. So here I am. What about you? Did you come from a large family?”

She stiffened, her hand going still on his stomach.

He put his fingers beneath her chin and turned her head to look at him. “I'm not asking as an investigator, Faye. I'm asking as the man who just made love to you, the man who genuinely wants to know more about the extraordinary woman that you are. If it makes you uncomfortable talking about family, tell me something else. But don't shut down. Don't push me away.”

She doubted there was any way for him to truly separate himself from his job, but the intimacy between them created by him sharing about his past had her wanting to share with him, as well. She carefully waded through the pieces of her life in her mind, picking out what she could share without giving up the secrets that could destroy her.

“I never had a family, not a real one. My parents died when I was too young to remember them. I was put in foster care, starting in Mobile. I was shuffled from family to family, place to place.”

“You were never adopted?”

“No. I've always been a bit...headstrong, and odd I suppose, compared to most people. I didn't fit in with the picture of the perfect daughter that families were looking for.”

He hugged her close and pressed a kiss on her forehead before lying flat again. “I'm sorry, Faye. That had to be so hard.”

“Early on it was, but in my later years, at the last foster home, I met...another girl, close to my age. We both loved animals and plants and exploring. We wanted to save the environment and educate people about the precious habitats around them. We became each other's confidantes, like real sisters.”

“What was her name?”

“Doesn't matter.”

He gave her a brief hug. “Okay. What happened to her? Is she okay? Do you still see each other?”

“After college, we went to work together, contracting out for major landscaping jobs. I used my education in plants and ecology to design the most amazing gardens. And she used her architecture background to add the hardscape. And yes, we do occasionally see each other, though not as often as I'd like.”

After a few moments of silence, he seemed to understand that she wasn't going to say anything else. She couldn't, not without telling him too much, not without endangering herself. He turned on his side, facing her. His mouth dipped down to her shoulder. He lightly sucked, sending heat flashing through her.

He kissed a trail across her collarbone before pulling her in for a deep, mind-numbing kiss that had her melting all over again. When he hardened against her, she broke the kiss, looking down in shock.

“Already? You can't possibly—” she started to say.

“With you, yes, I can,” he answered back.

She grinned. “Jake, remember the blue velvet pouch I put in the pocket of your jeans? Trust me when I say that you
really
want to get that.” She licked her lips, slowly, deliberately.

He dived for his jeans.

* * *

J
AKE
CAME
AWAKE
SLOWLY
, reluctantly. He didn't want to open his eyes and face the repercussions of last night. Making love to Faye had ranked up there with one of the most incredible experiences of his life. Especially after they'd opened that blue velvet pouch. He shuddered just thinking about it.

But even though making love to her had been practically life altering, it was also one of the dumbest mistakes he could have made. Nothing had changed to make it okay to use her in that way when she had no idea why he was really here. When they found Gillette, she was going to hate him. And he wouldn't blame her one bit.

Perhaps knowing that he could never hold her again was the real reason he lay on the sleeping bag resisting getting up. He could sense the sunlight, knew it was morning and that he needed to get on with the hunt for Gillette. But if he got up he'd have to let go of Faye. And doing that was harder, much harder, than it should have been.

He ran his hands over her silky hair and slid his fingers in it. Or at least, he tried to. Her hair felt silky, soft, but he couldn't distinguish the individual strands like last night. And her hair was...warm?