Instead, something else filled the space. Something steadier. I didn’t feel trapped. I didn’t feel like I’d made a mistake. I felt… peace. Her body curled against mine, trusting and warm, and it hit me all at once that she wasn’t just under my skin, she’d found a way past the walls without me realizing I’d let her in. Itraced circles over her hip as the silence hung thick in the air. Not uncomfortable, but heavy with a hell of a lot of words that needed to be said.
“Delaney,” I started.
“Hmm?”
“I meant what I said before. About wanting you too much.” I was barely scratching the surface of everything unsaid.
She flung a leg over my hips. “We don’t have to talk about it tonight.”
“I just don’t want you to think this doesn’t mean anything. Because it does.” No telling where we’d go from here. I was way out of my element, but being with her felt right. Felt as natural as breathing the crisp mountain air.
“It means something to me too.” She tilted her head so she could look at me.
“I usually don’t let people in.”
Her laugh cut through the silence. “Believe me, I’ve noticed. You’ve been a bit of a jackass since I got here.”
My jaw dropped, but she was right. “Did you just call me a jackass after…” Struggling, I tried to decide whether the word “sex” or “making love” was more appropriate.
“Yeah, I did.” Her smile warmed me straight down to my core. “Affectionately.”
“Unbelievable.” Shaking my head, I squeezed one of her full, round ass cheeks.
She resettled her cheek over my heart, her fingers like butterfly wings as they fluttered over my skin. “I’m glad you let me in.”
“You didn’t give me much of a choice.” My voice was low and rough. “You kept showing up. Not just at the office or at camp, but you’ve been there for Wren. When I needed someone and didn’t even know it. You made it easy to let go.”
That was the truth. I tried to fight the feelings I had for her, tried to shut them down and lock them up tight. But she had a way of becoming part of my world even though I fought against it.
“Go to sleep, Jace.” She stretched up to plant a soft kiss on my lips.
Need reignited in my gut. I couldn’t get enough of her. “You sure you want to go to sleep, baby?”
“You have something else in mind?” Her hand wrapped around my cock, and I was instantly hard again.
I smiled against her lips. “I’ve got all kinds of things in mind. Things that will keep you up all night long if you’ll let me.”
“Do your best, District Park Ranger Ramsey.” She let out a soft giggle.
I wanted to memorize that sound, to bottle it up and carry it around with me so I could listen to it whenever I wanted. The next best thing would be making her laugh again. “What if I want to do my worst?” I teased.
Her lashes fluttered against her cheeks. “By all means, please go right ahead.”
With her blessing and my insatiable need to claim her body with mine over and over again, I kissed my way down her neck, over her belly, and buried myself between her legs. I had no intention of letting her get a wink of sleep. Not until I was done making up for lost time.
By the time the sun came up, I knew the curves of Delaney’s body like the back of my own hand. I’d spent hours memorizing each freckle. I’d learned what turned her on a little and what made her lose every shred of self-control. It was time to get back to the real world, but I didn’t want to leave the peaceful space we’d carved out for ourselves. If I did, I was afraid I’d never be able to return.
Reluctantly, I slipped out of bed and pulled on my pants. Though I’d texted Walker when we made it back to the cabin last night, I needed to get over there and pick up the twins. And Delaney had to lead camp. I finished getting dressed and started a pot of coffee before I woke her up.
“Hey, rise and shine.” The sun slanted in through a break between the curtains. She looked like an angel with her hair fanned out over the pillow and it took every bit of control not to climb back into bed and pull her close.
“Mmm.” She cracked her eyelids open and ran her tongue over her bottom lip. “What time is it?”
“Just after six. I’m going to hike up to the office and take one of the park trucks to pick up the twins.” My fingers itched to tangle in her hair, but I couldn’t hold the inevitable at bay any longer.
“What about your truck?” The sheet slipped as she propped herself up on her elbows.
I readjusted it to cover up her chest. A man could only take so much temptation. “I’ll come back later to get it. I should have fixed that damn bridge when I had the chance. We’ll figure out a work around until then.”
