Out of the Dark by Geri Foster

that be terrible?” She turned her back to him and picked up her can of Coke.
    To her surprise, two strong arms wrapped around her waist and his mouth nuzzled her neck. Off balance, she fell backwards against a hot, bare chest, and Emi ly sucked in a nervous breath.
    While she tried not to faint, he whispered into her ear, “You keep tossing out threats like that Em, and you’re going to force me to show you just how good I am and I’m not talking about a damn quickie on a plane.”
    If she were a teapot, she’d be whistling loud enough to set off a fire alarm. His male scent accosted her, teased her, and taunted her feminine insides. Slowly Emily stepped away from him with the pretense of a sudden urge to change the channel on the television.
    “I’m not threatening you, Mac, I’m just letting you know, loud and clear, so there won’t be any misinterpretations on exactly how I feel.  No mixed signals, no subtle innuendos.”
    Suddenly Mac threw his head back and barked a laugh then pointed an ‘I got you’ finger at her. “I didn’t say anything about bed. You need to stop letting your imagination run so wild, Em.” He came closer, and put his palm against her cheek. With deliberate slowness he ran his thumb along her bottom lip, making her quiver. “But I can guarantee you I do my best work with a woman between me and the mattress.”
    Struggling to keep from swaying, Emily forced herself to stare at him without flinching. She’d been sweet-talked before, and it wasn’t going to happen again.
    Releasing her, he walked over to the bed. “I’ll take the side closest to the door, if you don’t mind.” He stopped then turned to her. “With your permission, of course.”
    She shrugged her shoulders. “Whatever.”
    As he pulled his personal things from his pockets and put them on the table, he unbuttoned his pants. Emily hoped her knees wouldn’t buckle as he slowly pushed his jeans down his narrow hips.
    ** *
    In his favor, Zoe had packed a set of clean clothes for him, but it would’ve been nice if she had found something for Em to wear. He made a mental note to stop somewhere so they could pick her up a change of clothes.
    The adrenalin had vanished, and Mac’s battered body screamed with every move. A muffled groan tumbled from his lips as he stepped into the tub, and beneath the showerhead. After a few deep breaths, he turned on the water and braced his hands against the tile.
    Relief rolled down his back like a mudslide as the hot water pulsated against his sore, stiff, shoulders. At this moment, nothing felt better, or was needed more. God, exhaustion seeped from his pores, making it difficult for him to stand. After shampooing his hair, Mac thought about lying down, and going to sleep in the tub with the water running.
    Em.
    That woman had such a hold on him, Mac wasn’t sure he could take anymore. In all his thir ty-two years he’d never wanted a woman this badly. The whole situation was foreign. He didn’t know what to do or how to handle her moods, her laughter, or her bravery.
    Every time he opened his mouth he s ounded like a tongue-tied, sixteen-year old. And they were sharing a motel room together, in the same bed?
    He didn’t stand a chance in hell.
    Reluctantly, he turned off the water and stepped from the tub. As he reached for the towel, it felt like a sledgehammer smacked him in the side. Shocked, Mac bit back a scream. Bending over, he held his breath and waited for the wave of nausea to pass.
    This particular pain blew in with shadows of familiar ity. Somehow he’d managed to crack a rib, and he didn’t need a doctor, or x-rays to confirm his diagnosis. Nope, been there, done that...way too many times. 
    Trying to refocus his gaze, Mac released the air from his lungs, and gently dried off. He hopped around a few times, smacked the wall with his shoulder then finally managed to slip on clean underwear.
    Leaving the steamy room, Mac ruffled his hair, and kept his right arm