Impulse Control (7 page)

“Right.” The one who’d laughed right in his face when he’d asked about Susannah. As if he needed a reminder that the only thing that would get Susie in a sleeping bag with him was the threat of hypothermia. She felt nearly as warm as he did now, but he didn’t see any reason to give her more room.

She turned her head. “Thanks.”

Her breath warmed his lips. If he leaned even a fraction, they’d be kissing. “You’re welcome.”

Her body relaxed into sleep by slow increments. He’d fallen asleep under every condition under the sun and moon in the military, but his blood pounded, keeping him awake. He was Army Reserve, a former Green Beret, twice voted the toughest man alive. He’d thought there was nothing she could dish out that he couldn’t take.
Except this perpetual hard-on. It’s going to kill me.

It was going to be a long night.

Chapter Four

Heat buzzed, settling in her breasts and between her thighs. God, it felt amazing to be warm. She stretched, wanting to spread the delicious comfort everywhere.
Best dream ever.
Strong arms embraced her, and firm lips touched hers. A moan rose in her throat, and her body got hotter, kindling fire in her veins. She scrambled closer, and her skin prickled with sweat. A tongue flashed against hers as she deepened the kiss. Her eyes drifted open.

She was on top of Donovan, kissing him, and he was asleep.

She gasped and jerked upright. His arms tightened, holding her in place, and his sharp gaze swept the dim tent.

“Let go of me,” she said.

“Still dark. Not quite morning yet. Pipe down.” He pressed her head to his chest.

She struggled up onto one arm and hissed in his ear. “You kissed me.”

“You kissed me. Go back to sleep and do it again.” His voice was a barely heard rumble, and it sent a hot shock through her.

“Do you always kiss people in your sleep?”

“I do when they’re in my bed.” He shifted his hips, making her aware of his erection. Every muscle in her body locked, and he groaned. “You’re not going back to sleep, are you?”

He bumped her arm out from under her and rolled. In seconds she was pinned beneath him. She hadn’t expected the humiliation to start so early today.

Last night, all she’d wanted was to get warm, and his body had been an inferno, pouring out heat. Once he’d pressed himself up behind her, he could have been the devil himself and she would have welcomed him in her bed. If he hadn’t wrapped his arms around her, she probably would have turned around and plastered herself to him like a lizard to a hot rock. In her need for warmth, she hadn’t given a thought to what it would be like to wake up with him.

Now her brain had thawed, and she was aware of more than his body temperature. His chest beneath the thin thermal underwear was broad. His shoulders were twice as wide as hers and packed with dense muscle. She’d seen him on television; she knew he had an incredible body, but being this close to him brought it home in a whole new way. He was solid everywhere, taut, tense, like the mountain beneath them. The weight of his lower body pressed hers into the ground, and his erection throbbed. Her body answered, pelvis tilting to perfect their fit, thighs widening, and core tingling and heating. There was no way to disguise her body’s welcome, so she closed her eyes, not wanting to see the triumph in his gaze.

She didn’t know him. She didn’t like him. Why did touching him sweep every thought from her head until the only the thing left was the urge to get closer? She wanted to squeeze his bulging biceps and sweep her hands along the hard curve from his chest to his waist. She ached to yank their shirts up and feel skin against skin, to wiggle into his mind-melting warmth for the sheer pleasure of physical contact. She jammed her hands beneath her butt to keep from reaching for him.

“Please get off me.” Her voice shook so hard she could barely get the words out.

Instantly he rolled to the side. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just…I don’t…” She could still taste him in her mouth, and the ache between her legs made her feel wildly off-kilter. She wanted him back on top of her so badly it was terrifying. What the hell was wrong with her?

“Hang on.” He turned her to face away from him and spooned her again. “This better?”

“Yes.” It was amazing, but the hot contentment she felt at his touch was causing her anxiety in the first place.

“I’m sorry if I upset you. Despite what I said, I don’t wake up with a beautiful woman in my bed every morning. I was just fooling around.”

“I’m not upset.” He thought she was beautiful? More likely, every woman he woke up with was beautiful.

“Glad to hear it.” His arm tightened around her waist, and he pressed a slow trail of kisses down the back of her neck toward her shoulder.

Her breath left her mouth in a raw pant. “What are you doing?”

“As long as you’re not upset…”

His fingers splayed across her belly, and she tensed, sucking it in. Dismay and arousal twisted through her. When his hand moved away from her stomach, she relaxed, both relieved and embarrassed. She didn’t want him fondling her bigger-than-it-used-to-be belly, but for a split second she’d hoped he wouldn’t stop touching her.
Wishful thinking.
She couldn’t expect a man built like a god to be impressed with a body that had maybe seen the gym a dozen times this year.

He pressed his mouth to her ear. “I was up half the night trying to figure out how to look good on film today, but you know what I was really thinking about?”

His lips traveled back up her neck, and it was impossible to think at all. “I have no idea.”

“How I could get your thermals off and see you in tiger-striped fleece.” He pressed closer behind her. “We’re supposed to hike to the summit, but I’d spend the day in the tent if I have a shot at getting your clothes off.”

Was he serious? She couldn’t tell. But she did know one thing. “I’d rather hike through hell than have you see me naked.”

His mouth left her neck so fast she felt the breeze. “Says the woman who just had her tongue down my throat. Are you sure about that? I could take you for a walk on the wild side you’d never forget.”

The only sound was her breath, moving in and out of her lungs faster than it should. His words were blunt and thrilling, but what if this were another ploy to keep her off-balance? “I have no doubt you believe you could back up that outrageous claim, but no thank you. I’d prefer to keep things between us on a professional level.”

“I don’t blame you. If I were you, I’d want to keep the upper hand, too. You made me look like an idiot yesterday.” His voice was thoughtful. She twisted so she could see his expression. His pale blue eyes held humor and a tinge of regret. He looked perfectly serious. Uncertainty made her heart skip a beat.

She shook her head. “What are you talking about? I’m the one who looked like an idiot.”

“Nope. You’re the one who packed all the right stuff for the trip, didn’t bitch when I made you change, and nearly exhausted yourself being too tough for your own good. Then you made me a fantastic dinner and took the high road when I didn’t thank you. You are going to look like a rock star in this segment.”

Surprise ballooned in her chest. “Hardly. I fumbled around on those snowshoes, nearly keeled over, ran around like a chicken with my head cut off making dinner while you rested—”

“You didn’t actually believe me about energy conservation last night, did you? What else was I going to say? You win? Not in my nature.” His hand moved restlessly over her hip and thigh, skated up her arm, and then followed the same path again. Her skin burned in his wake. “Not to mention you did so well on the snowshoes I bet half the women in America will buy a pair and give them a try. You made it look easy.”

“I did?”

“Hell yes. How are your legs feeling? Mine were hamburger after my first time.”

She’d been so focused on what was happening between them, she hadn’t noticed. She moved her leg and groaned as pain gripped her thigh. She flexed her foot to keep her calf from cramping. “Frying hamburger.”

He reached down to massage the front of her right thigh, rubbing up and down in a rhythmic, squeezing motion. The pain eased. His hand moved behind her knee and his fingers found tender places in her hamstring and soothed them, too. When he scooted lower in the sleeping bag and rubbed circles on her cramping calf with his thumb, the muscles unknotted, and she moaned in relief.

He started on the other calf and began to work his way back up. When he reached the front of her left leg, she rolled onto her back so he could reach the top of her thigh, and her eyes slid shut. At least half of her had come undone under his strong fingers, and when his hand brushed her waist, even the parts of her he hadn’t touched unwound. His finger traced the top edge of her panties through her thermal underwear, and liquid heat pooled between her thighs.

She opened her eyes.

His smile was wicked. “Just a peek? My imagination was killing me all day yesterday.”

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze from her mind. His hands felt like they belonged on her body. Had he somehow hypnotized her with his touch? There was no way she was taking off her clothes. The unfamiliar pulse of arousal through her body couldn’t make her completely forget reality. “Imagination is a beautiful thing.”

“Not as beautiful as you.”

A painful laugh shook her. “If tiger-striped fleece is your kink, buy some for one of your supermodel girlfriends, and have a good time. My body has a fourteen-month-old baby belly and a whopping big cesarean scar.” He didn’t look nearly as deterred as she had expected, so she added, “And stretch marks. Let’s not forget about them. Stick to your imagination. It’s way better.”

“I don’t believe you.” Laughter crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Prove it.”

She snorted. “I’m not falling for that one.”

“How about you show me yours, and I’ll show you mine? Scars, that is. If you’re worried about physical flaws, I’ve got you beat. I’m a mess—I’ve got scars all over. Show me your worst, and I’ll top it.” His eyes dared her, and the smug grin on his face said he thought she wasn’t brave enough to do it. Either that, or he thought she was playing coy and a little more encouragement on his part would turn her into a wild and willing stripper.

She arched one brow. “Did I mention I cook for a living, and I hate going to the gym? This body is soft in ways I doubt you’ve ever seen.”

His intent gaze sent a shimmer of heat through her belly. “I’ve got hard covered, sweetheart. I like soft.” His hand curled around her hip. “Show me.”

She stared up at him, stunned by her response to a few simple words, and then nodded slowly. She was going to show him all right, and then he’d stop this nonsense. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her thermal underwear and shoved it down to her knees. She reached for the bottom edge of her top, forcing him to dodge her elbow in the close confines of the sleeping bag, as she raised it over her head. It got caught, and she struggled until he pulled her free. She brought her arms back down to her sides and dragged her gaze to his face.

He was looking at her breasts, and her body burned as if his gaze were a torch. Without taking his eyes from her, he reached for the zipper of the sleeping bag. Cold air rushed in.

“Hey,” she protested, shivering.

“Just for a minute.” He scooted away from her and kneeled outside the bag. His gaze slid over her exposed body for endless, freezing moments until he finally said, “All right. I’m ready to see that big, scary scar now.” He made a “bring it on” motion with his fingers.

She sucked in a breath. This wasn’t bad enough? She searched his face for a clue to his thoughts, but his expression gave nothing away. A mixture of resignation and determination urged her on. She’d come this far; she couldn’t quit now.

She inched her fleece panties down to expose the six-inch red line across her pelvis.

His gaze dropped to her belly, and she held her breath.

He shrugged. “Not impressed.”

“What?” she spluttered.

He crawled toward her and shoved his thermals down over one hip. “Check this out. Rope burn. Lost my grip and it ripped right through my gear.” The angry-looking scar was raised and thick. “Beat that.”

She couldn’t take her eyes off the sculpted hollow of his buttock. When she finally managed to shift her gaze, he turned and she caught a glimpse of the sweet spot where his muscles tied in to his hip. She licked her lips, shocked by the desire to taste that curve.

She shook her head in denial.

“Conceding so fast, Susie? I guess you know I’ve got you beat. Look at this.” When she opened her eyes, he thrust one leg out in front of him and yanked his pants up to his knee. A jagged scar crawled up the entire length of his calf. “I think I left a pound of flesh on that sharp rock, but I got out of the water before blood drew the sharks.”

She winced. “That looks like it hurt.”

“Hell yes. Your turn. Let’s see those epic stretch marks.”

She turned her face to the side. “This isn’t a fair fight. Your scars make you look tough. Mine…it’s different for women.”

“Bullshit. Don’t turn chicken on me now, Susie.”

She glared at him. Obviously he wasn’t going to be satisfied until he’d seen every part she wanted to hide. This had already gone too far, but she knew exactly how to wipe that smart-ass grin off his face. She reached under her arm and dragged her sports bra down to expose the side of her breast where she’d been horrified to discover faint purple lines after she’d weaned Billy. “You asked for it.”

His mouth fell open, and he made a strangled sound of surprise.

She covered herself, instantly mortified, and rolled over to hide her face against the side of the sleeping bag. As soon as the cool air hit her back, she realized her mistake. She knew exactly what her butt and the backs of her thighs looked like.

She froze as he slid into the bag behind her.

“Now I’m impressed.” Humor rippled through his voice. “I need a better look.”

“Stop it. Just stop it. I can’t believe I let you goad me into doing that. You bring out the absolute worst in me.” She huddled against the side of the bag, trying not to touch him. It was impossible.

“I’d argue you showed me your best…but I still win. I think I’ve seen just about everything you’ve got, and I have at least a half dozen more impressive scars. Want to see them?”

She kind of did. “No.”

“I don’t believe you.” He turned her to face him and clamped his thigh over her hip, so she couldn’t wiggle away. “If you didn’t want to see me, you’d be out of the tent already. If you didn’t want to touch me, you’d have gone to the ranger station last night instead of crawling in bed with me. If you didn’t want to show me your body, you wouldn’t have taken off your clothes.” His hand cupped her breast. “Admit it.”

She jerked in surprise but didn’t pull away. Was he right? His thumb found her nipple, rubbing it to a hard peak, and tingles spread from her breast to her belly, then lower. It felt incredible. An embarrassing whimper escaped her lips.