Another strike slammed into the earth nearby.
The sound was no longer thunder. It was impact. Brutal. Cracking. Alive.
Ace rolled with her, pulling her tight against his body. His arm locked around her back, the other braced as they skidded to a stop at the bottom of the ditch. Rain poured over them instantly, cold water soaking through her coat.
She couldn’t breathe. Lightning flashed again, so bright it burned through her closed eyelids.
Ace covered her head to toe, his chest to hers. His body pressed fully over hers, heavy and protective. One hand cradled the back of her head, forcing it down against the muddy earth. The other locked around her waist, holding her immobile beneath him.
“Stay down,” he growled.
Lightning cracked again.
The air snapped, buzzing violently, the scent of ozone burning and metallic. The ground trembled beneath them. Rainwater pooled around May’s gloves, icy seepage crawling into her sleeves.
She clung to Ace without thinking. Her fingers fisted in his jacket and she fought the urge to scream. This was okay. He knew what he was doing. His chest rose and fell against hers, his breath hard but controlled. Every muscle in his body felt coiled and ready.
Lightning struck again. Closer. Even under him, she flinched and whimpered.
Ace stayed right over her, his weight anchoring and shielding her from danger. His head remained low, jaw clenched, gaze scanning the storm-ripped world beyond her shoulder. Rain streamed from his hair, tracing down his neck.
Thunder detonated overhead. Not rolling but exploding.
Her pulse roared in her ears. Fear surged hot through her bloodstream. Beneath it, another sensation unfurled, equally intense and far more dangerous.
The feeling of Ace’s body against hers. The heat of him despite the cold rain. The hard line of his torso pressed flush to her breasts was just as strong as the firm length of his thigh wedged between hers, grounding her against the slick earth. What was wrong with her? They were two seconds from being electrocuted, and she was getting aroused beneath him. The whole man versus nature battle warmed her up on a biological level. Yeah. That had to be it.
Lightning flashed again, illuminating his face inches from hers. Mud streaked along his jaw and rain clung to his lashes. His light green eyes burned with focus, fierce and protective. “May,” he said, voice low but steady. “You with me?”
She swallowed, breath shaking. “Yeah.”
Another bolt ripped across the sky.
He shifted slightly, adjusting his position without lifting away from her. His hand slid from her hair to her cheek, his rough fingers warm against her rain-chilled skin. “You’re okay.”
The sure tone and calming words cut through the chaos rioting inside her. She nodded, though she wasn’t entirely convinced. The storm raged above them, lightning tearing across the clouds in violent, blinding bursts.
Ace stayed over her. Shielding her. His much larger body formed a barrier between her and the sky, his broad shoulders hunched against the rain. Water streamed down his back, soaking through denim and leather. His breath brushed faintly across her lips, warm despite the cold air.
Her pulse stumbled. Not from fear. From him. From the impossible intimacy of the moment. From the way he held her like something precious, something that mattered. “You okay?” she whispered.
“Yes.” Rain hammered down harder, drumming against them as if they’d pissed off the gods above. Thunder rolled continuously now in overlapping cracks that shook the air. The ditch filled slowly with runoff, and cold water crept along May’s side.
Ace finally lifted his head. Lightning flickered farther away this time. He shifted his weight, bracing one hand beside her shoulder. He didn’t rise fully, just enough to look down at her. Rain tracked along the sharp planes of his face, but his expression was hard, focused, and protective. “You good?”
May panted out a breath. “Yeah.” In that second, she became even more aware of the weight and heat of him. Of the steady thud of his heart against her. Her arms were still trapped between them, her fingers gripping his torso as if letting go might send her sliding back into danger.
His gaze dropped to her mouth, and something dark and hot shifted in his eyes. Then another crack of thunder split the sky, shattering the fragile, dangerous stillness. He pushed up. “The trail is washed out ahead of us. We need to call in and return to town.” He held a hand for her, and she took it, letting him pull her up.
She blinked, staggering. Had he just saved her life?
Chapter Fourteen
Rain pelted them without mercy, stinging Ace’s face and blinding his vision. Wind tore through the trees. Branches snapped and debris flew in front of the four-wheeler. The sky had gone nearly black with thick clouds choking out the day. Driving the bucking vehicle, he leaned into the storm, locking his muscles and trusting his instincts to get them to safety.
His cabin emerged through the sheets of rain.
He drove past the shop and jerked the machine to a halt as the wind shrieked around them. Sliding off, he immediately pulled May with him, lifting her straight into his arms. The cold had teeth now, biting through soaked fabric into skin. He curved his body around hers best he could, shielding her from the brutal wind. She was shaking. Hard. Not just from cold but maybe from shock. Or even fear.
