natural bug repellant so they won’t crawl all over you while you sleep.”
She crossed her arms at that nonsense. Did he think that, because she was a woman, she was afraid of bugs? Never mind that she was afraid of bugs. He didn’t need to know that. “Don’t you need more branches for the other bed?”
“One sleeping bag, one bed.”
She eyed the bed dubiously and opened her mouth to protest, but he raised a brow in challenge.
“Don’t waste your time arguing,” he said. “In another hour the sun will set and the temperatures will plummet. The only way to stay warm is by sharing body heat.”
“Couldn’t you start a fire? Don’t you have a lighter in that bottomless pack of yours?”
He gifted her with a sexy, lopsidedgrin. “The pack is far from bottomless. I didn’t have time to grab everything we’d need for an extended camping trip. I do have a lighter, but we can’t risk starting a fire at night. The light could be seen for miles around. That’s another reason we had to stop for the night. I can’t risk the motorcycle’s headlights being seen.”
She noted the tension in his face again. “Someone’s followingus, aren’t they?”
He looked like he was about to deny it, but then he said, “One man, that I’ve seen. Don’t worry, he’s miles away. We’re safe here for the night.”
“You’re sure?”
“As sure as I can be.” He reached into one of the side pockets in the backpack. “There’s a stream nearby. We can bathe in the morning, but for now, this should make you feel better.” He pulled out a hairbrush,toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Jessica gasped with delight and grabbed them from him. “What are we waiting for?”
He laughed and pulled her to her feet.
A few minutes later, after cleaning herself as best she could in the freezing stream, and scrubbing her teeth, Jessica felt human again. She’d never thought of a toothbrush as a luxury, but she’d never take one for granted again.
When they were back in the cave, Ryan blocked the entrance with the pile of pine tree branches. He took off his jacket and lay down on the bed. He closed his eyes, looking perfectly content. Jessica followed his lead, shrugging out of her jacket.
When she glanced over at Ryan, she realized his eyes were open again, and he wasn’t looking at her face. His heated gaze was focused severalinches lower. Jessica followed his gaze, then gasped and crossed her arms over her chest. She’d forgotten how tight and thin the T-shirt was.
Unapologetic, Ryan shrugged and raised the blanket. Jessica hesitated, then slid in beside him, lying on her back, staring at the ceiling.
Tension coiled inside her. Had she imagined the heat in Ryan’s gaze? Probably. She certainly didn’t haveto imagine the answering heat inside her. Desperate for a distraction that didn’t involve her crawling all over him and making a fool of herself, she blurted out, “Ryan?”
“Um?” His voice sounded sleepy.
“Tell me about yourself. All I know is that you protect people for a living, you’re extremely comfortable with guns and you ride motorcycles.”
He laughed, the deep sound curlingthrough Jessica and making her ache to move closer to him.
So much for distracting herself by talking.
“You make me sound like a Hell’s Angel,” he said. “Or maybe a Jackie Chan wannabe.”
She frowned. “Jackie Chan?”
Silence met her question. She turned her head to look at him, barely able to see him in the rapidly darkening cave. His face was only a few inches from hers andhe was staring at her with a stunned expression.
“You don’t know who Jackie Chan is?”
“Sorry,” she said, trying not to watch his handsome mouth as it moved. “Afraid not.”
“I thought everyone knew about Jackie Chan. He’s a modern-day Bruce Lee.”
“Bruce Lee?” she teased, knowing full well who Bruce Lee was.
Ryan groaned as if she’d mortally wounded him. “That’s just wrong.Please tell me you at least know who
She crossed her arms at that nonsense. Did he think that, because she was a woman, she was afraid of bugs? Never mind that she was afraid of bugs. He didn’t need to know that. “Don’t you need more branches for the other bed?”
“One sleeping bag, one bed.”
She eyed the bed dubiously and opened her mouth to protest, but he raised a brow in challenge.
“Don’t waste your time arguing,” he said. “In another hour the sun will set and the temperatures will plummet. The only way to stay warm is by sharing body heat.”
“Couldn’t you start a fire? Don’t you have a lighter in that bottomless pack of yours?”
He gifted her with a sexy, lopsidedgrin. “The pack is far from bottomless. I didn’t have time to grab everything we’d need for an extended camping trip. I do have a lighter, but we can’t risk starting a fire at night. The light could be seen for miles around. That’s another reason we had to stop for the night. I can’t risk the motorcycle’s headlights being seen.”
She noted the tension in his face again. “Someone’s followingus, aren’t they?”
He looked like he was about to deny it, but then he said, “One man, that I’ve seen. Don’t worry, he’s miles away. We’re safe here for the night.”
“You’re sure?”
“As sure as I can be.” He reached into one of the side pockets in the backpack. “There’s a stream nearby. We can bathe in the morning, but for now, this should make you feel better.” He pulled out a hairbrush,toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Jessica gasped with delight and grabbed them from him. “What are we waiting for?”
He laughed and pulled her to her feet.
A few minutes later, after cleaning herself as best she could in the freezing stream, and scrubbing her teeth, Jessica felt human again. She’d never thought of a toothbrush as a luxury, but she’d never take one for granted again.
When they were back in the cave, Ryan blocked the entrance with the pile of pine tree branches. He took off his jacket and lay down on the bed. He closed his eyes, looking perfectly content. Jessica followed his lead, shrugging out of her jacket.
When she glanced over at Ryan, she realized his eyes were open again, and he wasn’t looking at her face. His heated gaze was focused severalinches lower. Jessica followed his gaze, then gasped and crossed her arms over her chest. She’d forgotten how tight and thin the T-shirt was.
Unapologetic, Ryan shrugged and raised the blanket. Jessica hesitated, then slid in beside him, lying on her back, staring at the ceiling.
Tension coiled inside her. Had she imagined the heat in Ryan’s gaze? Probably. She certainly didn’t haveto imagine the answering heat inside her. Desperate for a distraction that didn’t involve her crawling all over him and making a fool of herself, she blurted out, “Ryan?”
“Um?” His voice sounded sleepy.
“Tell me about yourself. All I know is that you protect people for a living, you’re extremely comfortable with guns and you ride motorcycles.”
He laughed, the deep sound curlingthrough Jessica and making her ache to move closer to him.
So much for distracting herself by talking.
“You make me sound like a Hell’s Angel,” he said. “Or maybe a Jackie Chan wannabe.”
She frowned. “Jackie Chan?”
Silence met her question. She turned her head to look at him, barely able to see him in the rapidly darkening cave. His face was only a few inches from hers andhe was staring at her with a stunned expression.
“You don’t know who Jackie Chan is?”
“Sorry,” she said, trying not to watch his handsome mouth as it moved. “Afraid not.”
“I thought everyone knew about Jackie Chan. He’s a modern-day Bruce Lee.”
“Bruce Lee?” she teased, knowing full well who Bruce Lee was.
Ryan groaned as if she’d mortally wounded him. “That’s just wrong.Please tell me you at least know who
Similar Books
