As he strode up the hill to meet her, his heart pounded far more than the level of exertion deserved.Last time he’d seen her, she’d been so pale and limp in his arms, and he’d been scared out of his mind that he’d fucked up by taking her from the hospital too soon.Now, as he approached at a rapid clip, the difference in her appearance was stark.Her cheeks were flushed and her hair windblown, and she looked blessedlyalivein a pair of joggers and an oversized T-shirt.
“Ford,” she said, stopping when they were few yards apart.
“Hi.”He kept walking.
Without warning, she tackle-hugged him.“You’re finally back!”
“Whoa.”Knocked backwards by her unexpected enthusiasm, he took a step to brace himself and his heel caught on something.He landed on his butt, and kept falling until he was flat on his back in the soft grass.Natalie landed on him, her chin on his shoulder, her bound arm and soft breasts smashed against his chest.
“Ow.”
Oblivious to the circumstances, his body flared to life.Jesus, get a grip.“Are you okay?”The jarring motion couldn’t have felt good on her shoulder.
“Yes.I will be in a second.Sorry.”She used her good arm to push into a sitting position, propping her hand on his right pec.“Are you hurt?”
He shook his head, momentarily struck speechless by the sight of her above him, hair flying free around her face as she looked down, her blue eyes full of concern.“It’ll take more than that to do me in.”
She scowled and gave him a playful slap on the chest.“Don’t even joke about it.”
The moment was so absurd, and somehow wonderful, that he laughed out loud.Blame it on the fatigue and the stress of the last few weeks, but once he started, he couldn’t stop.
After a beat, Natalie joined in.
He gently gripped her thighs to keep her in place when she tried to scramble off him.“I’m fine.”More than fine.He held the sun in his arms.Or, he would, as soon as he sat up.
His dog barked and sprinted toward them, already ten yards out and closing fast.
“Blitz, down,” he said, sobering, worried that she might accost Natalie, perceiving her as a threat.
His pup whined, but halted and dropped to a low, ready position, her body shaking with pent-up energy.
“Good girl.”Ford sat up and moved Natalie to his thighs.“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“No,”she said, her mirth fading.
His heart sank to his toes, and he reached up to smooth a strand of hair away from her face.
Her breath hitched as they stared into each other’s eyes.“I’m mad at you.”
He just nodded.
She lightly pushed his chest, apparently feeling violent today.“You left me here,” she whispered.“You abandoned me to this grumpy curmudgeon in the middle of nowhere, without a way to get in touch with you, or even check the news.”She gave him another push, a little harder this time, her pretty blue eyes narrowing as she glared.
Blitz growled.
“I’m sorry.”Ford placed his hand over hers, pressing it to his chest.“I was in jail.They just let me out yesterday afternoon.”
She gasped.“Jail?What happened?”
He let his fingers curl around hers, while his other hand skimmed up to her waist.His plan had been to avoid physical contact, to avoid temptation, but then she’d thrown herself at him, literally.Now it was all he could do to stop himself from settling her onto his growing erection to seek relief right through their clothing.It took a second for him to find words.“The police arrested me for Henri’s murder.”
“But he’s alive.”
“They don’t know that.”Ford shrugged.“Besides, it was a ploy.I think someone hoped I’d reveal his location to prove my innocence.When I didn’t, the evidence eventually fell apart and they had to let me go.”His fingers slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, finding the warm skin just above her waistband.
Her eyes widened slightly, and she sucked in a shaky breath, gripping his shirt.
Gaze fixed on her soft lips, he leaned closer, inhaling the heady scent of her warm skin.He shouldn’t do this.He knew he shouldn’t, butgoddammit, she was here in his arms, alive, the real-life embodiment of every daydream he’d had in jail, and he couldn’t pull away.
