Various States of Undress (12 page)

“So should I.” She gazed at him. “But instead, I feel guilty for being miserable.”

He nodded, tightening his arms over his chest. “That’s the way I feel too.”

Suddenly, all Carolina wanted to do was to hold him. Let him hold her. Refuse to participate in the rest of the world, and just be with Jake. She took a step forward, but hesitated.

“For what it’s worth, I don’t feel a bit guilty for being with you. And I’m nowhere near miserable.” She forced a smile to her lips.

He didn’t smile back. “We only have a week. And you and I getting involved is wrong on so many levels.”

“Maybe.” She crossed the kitchen and laid a hand on his arm. “But maybe not.”

He stared at her, alarmed, and she wished her words back immediately. What else could he possibly think but that she was angling for him to be her . . . her what? Sex slave? Friend with benefits? They weren’t really even friends. They were a hell of a lot more than that—on a visceral level. But as far as the rest of the world was concerned, they weren’t anything close to being friends.

She closed her eyes. “I didn’t mean that we just—you know—spend time in bed. I meant that we ought to really get to know each other. We probably have things in common.”

He shook his head. “I don’t see how that would be a good idea.”

She didn’t either. It would be like running into a burning building. But she also knew that whatever this thing was between them, it was too good to ignore. For the first time in her life she felt right with a man, and it would kill her to throw it away. She folded her arms. “I only—”

Turning around suddenly, he laced his hands behind his head. “You’re not wrong,” he answered. “I . . . I am a lot happier around you. But there’s too much at stake.”

“For you, you mean.”

He shook his head. “For both of us.”

“All I’m asking is to be your friend. And to enjoy the week with you. Isn’t that what you intended after . . .” She gestured toward the bedroom.

“I’m not sure what I intended, but it’s too late to pretend it didn’t happen.” He dropped his hands. “I don’t
want
to pretend that. I need time to think about what happens beyond that.”

“So do I.” Carolina nodded at him.

She did need time to think before something else crazy came out of her mouth. The best plan of action? Ignore all the confusion in her head. Just feel. Just be happy. She smiled at him, her gaze sweeping over his chest and then lower. “You know what I want right now, though?”

“The same thing I want?”

“Affirmative.” Reaching down, she gathered the hem of her ratty gown and pulled it over her head in one motion. Less than a second later, she sucked in a breath as the air in the drafty cabin smacked into her sensitive skin. Oh, God. Bad move. She beamed at him, clenching her teeth to keep them from chattering.

Jake stared at her for a second, his nostrils flaring. “Stay right there.” Vaulting over the back of the sofa, he grabbed his phone from the coffee table and dialed. “Checking in,” he announced calmly. “Care Bear secure.”

Carolina shuddered and folded her arms around her middle. “Hurry,” she whispered and then giggled at Jake’s boggle-eyed gaze on her pushed-up breasts.

“Affirmative,” he said calmly. “We’re all clear. Uh-huh. Evans . . .”

Carolina jogged on the cold tile. “Tell her I said ’bye.”

“Evans,” Jake repeated firmly. “We have enough groceries. We have enough wood. The generator is fine and there’s enough propane in the tank to power it for a month. Okay?”

Carolina grinned at him and crooked her finger, thrilled when he began to walk toward her. Well, walk wasn’t the right word.
Prowl
would be more like it. God.

“Talk to you later, Evans,” Jake said. Then he clicked off the phone and slid it into the pocket of his pants. A second later, his hot mouth crushed down onto hers, his arms lifted her up and she forgot to breathe.

When she finally remembered, she found the back of her knees pressed against the side of the bed and she gasped for air. “Jake. You don’t have to carry me every time.”

He chuckled, the sound deep and wicked. “But you love it.”

“I
do
love it.” She sighed and let him press her into the soft mattress.

Chapter Eight

T
WO DAYS LATER—
T
HURSDAY—
C
AROLINA
was still on the mattress, but this time she was fully clothed and sitting cross-legged against the pillows. Wincing at the tenderness in her thighs, she leaned forward and moved her heaping pile of Monopoly money to the side so she could stretch her legs.

Jake, lying across the foot of the bed, glared at her and shook his head. “I don’t see how you’re winning. You’re completely disorganized.” He straightened the slim rows of money in front of him.

She smiled patronizingly at him. “I just go by instinct. I play from the heart.”

“If you had a heart you wouldn’t have swallowed up my hotels like a piranha,” he grumbled.

“I like being on top.” She chuckled.

He shook his head again, but this time it was with a teasing smile. “I know you do.”

“You love it.” She ran her fingers through her hair, still damp from a shower.

He winked at her and shook the dice in his hand. “I’d be a fool not to. But let’s just see if
I
can get on top.”

She sighed. “That sounds appealing, but couldn’t we take a break? I need some fresh air.”

“No.” He rolled the dice between his fingers and peered down at the board.

“Come on! It’s not snowing at the moment. It’s just cold.”

“That may be, but it’s warm in here.” Jake looked up, his gaze matching his words.

Her stomach flipped over in response, and she licked her bottom lip. It had been less than an hour since they’d been locked in each other’s arms. How could he want her again so soon? And why was she even contemplating it, since they’d spent so much time in so many different positions that she ached in too many places to count? At least two days in bed with him hadn’t left her heart aching. She hadn’t had time to examine her feelings, and that was a welcome relief.

But despite the soreness in her body, she gazed back at his amazing green eyes and fresh desire began to unwind between her thighs. She slid the Monopoly board to the side. “Game over.”

“Game just starting,” he murmured, rolling to his knees.

She leaned back against the pillows and let her head fall back as Jake’s hands trailed up her thighs. He parted them.

She winced.

He stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m a little sore,” she admitted.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He sat back on his heels, frowning. “A little while ago—”

“A little while ago, I could barely think. That thing you did with your tongue . . .” She shivered and reached up to trail her palm down his jaw. “I want you.”

“No.”

“What?”

“No way. I’m not going to make lo . . . going to . . . I wouldn’t be able to take any pleasure knowing you were in pain. I’m not a sadist, for God’s sake.” He glanced away from her and got off the bed.

She looked at his turned back. Had he almost said
make love
? He had. Her stomach flipped over again and she sat up, her mind already beginning to analyze his comment. Was he developing feelings for her? Did he . . .

Shut up
, she told herself.
Don’t think. Just feel
.

“You’re not a sadist. What we both need is a break from this damn cabin. Look out the window.”

Jake complied, pulling back the curtain and raising the blinds. “I’m looking.”

“Is there a blizzard?”

“No. But it’s really windy.”

She rolled her eyes at his back. “Hardly life-threatening conditions.”

He sighed. “Fine, but it’s going to be dark soon. We’ll go out for twenty minutes.”

“We can’t build a snowman in twenty minutes!”

He turned around. “Who said anything about building a snowman?”

“You just heard me, didn’t you? Let’s go.” She hopped off the bed and darted into the living room for her boots.

Jake stomped after her. “We go when I say we go,” he muttered. But he dug through his duffel quickly, and within a couple of minutes, he was dressed for the weather. Well . . . overdressed.

“Come on, Abominable Snow-Jake.” She grinned at him and wound a scarf around her neck. “If you don’t want to build a snowman, we can at least have a snowball fight. I’ll beat you, of course.”

He grinned back. “Oh, honey.”

“Honey?”

“You have no idea what I’m capable of with a projectable missile.”

She blinked. “You
do
realize what you just said, right?”

He grimaced. “Oh, that.”

She patted the front of his snow pants. “Yeah. That. What were you talking about?”

“Baseball.” He swatted at her hand, which had been starting to grope, and walked to the alarm pad by the front door to key in the security code. “Wait there.”

She waited, but couldn’t resist asking. “Baseball?”

He nodded and glanced over his shoulder. “I played all through college—pitched for the University of Texas.”

“Oh, wow. And I’m assuming you were pretty good?”

He shrugged. “My senior year I was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals.”

“But you didn’t sign?” Her eyes widened.

“Nope. Missouri’s too cold.” His answer was flippant, and he laughed as he gave it. The warning to leave the subject alone couldn’t have been clearer.

“Okay,” She returned his laugh and he nodded, turning back to the door, tugging on the knob. It opened with a crackling noise. Standing to the side, he peered out for a long moment and then nodded again. “All clear.”

Carolina followed him, breathing deeply when she stepped onto the snow-packed porch. “Oh, thank God. The air in the cabin is as dry as a bone.”

Next to her, Jake stood motionless, his eyes darting around the clearing. “How about we go see your friend, Regina?”

“Jake. You don’t want to see her. You just want me behind bulletproof glass,” Carolina said with a sigh. “So . . . no. We’ll be safe if we stay near the porch here, right?”

After a moment, he nodded. “Okay. But stay close to me.”

That wouldn’t be a problem. Even with the huge expanse of the snowy valley and the mountains soaring all around, she didn’t want to be anywhere far from him. He was like an addiction. He was . . . she shook herself. “Let’s see that throwing arm.”

He glanced at her and then stomped down the steps. At the bottom, he waded through knee-deep snow and then awkwardly scooped up a handful in his Michelin-man gloves.

“Just watch.”

She stayed on the porch. “I’m watching.”

Rolling the snow into a ball, Jake pointed to a lopsided old bird feeder sitting on the top of a rusted pole. It was on the edge of the property. “I’m going to hit that.”

“No, you’re not.” She laughed.

“Yeah?” In one quick motion, he wound up and sent the snowball sailing. It smacked into the bird feeder, which rocked for a few seconds and then flopped sideways, swinging in the breeze.

“Oh, shit,” Jake muttered.

“
Shit
,” she echoed. Her breath swirled in front of her, and she waved the cloud away before picking her way down the steps. “I stand corrected.”

“I didn’t mean to vandalize the presidential bird house.” He glanced at her, his eyes wide with dismay.

She burst out laughing. “That old thing was here when my dad bought the place. I doubt he’s ever given it a glance.” She elbowed him. “Do it again. Knock it off the pole.”

“Hell, no.”

“Chicken.”

Jake scooped up another snowball. “I’ll stick to things I can’t destroy.” He pointed at a fencepost beyond the bird feeder. “That.” He let loose another lightning-fast throw and hit the top of the post squarely.

“Good one. But I’m still going to call you a chicken.” She grabbed him around the middle.

Jake pried her hands away. “You think so?” He grinned and made another snowball. “I’d run if I were you.”

She took the challenge, running, or rather—wading, scooping up snow as she went. Mushing it into a ball, she turned sideways and lobbed it at him. It hit him in the face.

“Oh! I didn’t mean—”

“I see how you are. This is war.” He shook the snow from his nose and advanced on her, a snowball in each hand.

“You have an unfair advantage,” she protested, grabbing more snow.

“So? You started it.” He chuckled, a cloud of breath obscuring his face for a moment.

She threw, and this time, the snowball landed near his crotch.

“Oh!” She repeated. “My aim is terrible. I was going for your—”

A snowball exploded onto her stomach and she screeched. “Damn, Jake. Could you throw that any harder?”

“Of course.” He laughed again. “But I’m not a show off.”

“Really? Not even a little bit?”

“Okay, a little bit.” He dropped his snowball and walked toward her, holding out his arms.

She waded into them, wrapping her arms around his back, smiling up at his handsome face. “You sure you don’t want to obliterate that bird feeder?”

“Oh, I do. But there are other things I’d like to do a lot more.” His head dipped down.

“Like what?” she whispered.

“Like this.” He angled his lips across hers and kissed her.

He’d kissed her countless times, but still, a thrill shot up her spine and she melted into him. Let her mouth open to his heat, let herself crave more.
More
. As much of him as she could get.

Take it while you can. You only have four more days.

Carolina ignored the voice in her head and slid her hands up over his shoulders. When his tongue slid into her mouth, she stumbled backward. He caught her, tightening his hold, deepening the kiss.

But a second later, he ripped his lips away and shoved her to the ground, squatting in front of her, drawing his gun. “Don’t move.”

She gasped, her gaze darting around the clearing. “What—”

Before she could finish her question, Jake relaxed. “It’s just Regina.”

“Where?” Carolina peered around his bulky coat. “Oh.”

Standing in front of her tiny cabin, the older woman waved and then trundled forward on snow shoes. “What are you two up to?” she called out.