Chapter Fifteen
May followed Ace into the bathroom, her skin chilled and her heart thundering. What was she doing? Who cared?
He reached into a wide rock-walled shower with a glass door and flicked on the water. Steam almost instantly rose and filtered through the small room, which also held one hand-carved vanity, light blue sink, and a commode. A towel rack was by the door with black towels hung carelessly on it. “Only bathroom,” he murmured.
A small grin escaped her. Four rambunctious boys and Hank, the old trapper. “For all five of you growing up?”
He reached in and felt the powerful streaming water before twisting the knob again. “Yeah. Let’s just say we pissed outside a lot.” He turned to look at her, his gaze hotter than the steam around them. The air held the faint scent of cedar from his soap, mixed with smoke from the fire and rain still pounding the roof. The storm hadn’t let up. It roared outside the cabin like it was trying to get in.
She was still cold and shaking, but it wasn’t from fear anymore. It wasn’t the storm. It was him. The way he looked at her like she was something he wanted and shouldn’t. The way he kept giving her chances to walk away.
Apparently he was done with that, because he reached out and flicked the heart in the middle of her bra, springing it open.
She coughed. “That was talented.”
“Just wait.” He tugged the straps down her arm to toss the material on the floor and moved for her, tangling those long fingers in her hair again and gently tilting her head.
She liked that. A lot. Oh, she’d always seen the edge in Ace, from afar. This was the first time she’d actually felt it. Experienced it. She wanted more, mistake or not. Catching her breath, she moved into him, trying to get closer as she pressed her palms against his torso.
His shirt was still damp. She could see the outline of muscle beneath it and then gave in to feel that strength. Yeah. Broad shoulders. Hard torso. The body of a man who worked outside and knew exactly how strong he was. She’d touched him before, in a clinical sense, but this was different. Completely. Thank goodness.
Her hands went to the hem of his shirt.
His breath changed. “You’re shaking,” he said.
“You’re not.” Did the wild nature fail to impact him? Heat rose from him, mingling with the steam around them.
He tore off his shirt, and his hands went to the snap of her jeans.
Her fingers traced over his firm skin without permission from her brain. Whoa. Sure, she’d seen his chest before, but seriously. How was he so freaking hard? Muscled? Was it natural or did he spend a lot more time working out or working the land than she’d realized? He felt solid. Warm. Real.
She paused at the sight of the osprey spanning his left shoulder and chest, talons extended as if ready to strike. It was lethal and stunning all at once. Oh, she’d noted it while stitching him up before, but she’d never taken the time to stare. “He’s beautiful.” She ran a finger down a talon.
“My brothers and I all have the same one.” He slowly released her zipper, torturing her. Then he tucked both thumbs in the sides of her jeans and drew them down, going with them to his knees. Leaning forward, he placed a soft kiss on her matching pink panties. “Wouldn’t have guessed at the pink with hearts combo.” His heated breath burned her through the material.
Her abdomen rolled, and her knees weakened. Her clit fired like he’d struck it. “You thought something practical?”
“Hmm.” He leaned in and kissed her again.
This might kill her. Vulnerability swept through her, sudden and unwelcome. “Um. It’s been a long time for me.”
He looked up then, his eyes a deep moss as he gently lifted one of her legs and then the other to free her of the jeans. His sudden grin was pure wickedness as he angled in again, sank his teeth into the top of her panties, and drew them down.
Desire ripped through her. Okay. That was sexy.
He stood, removing his jeans and boxers, before tugging her into the shower.
The first hit of heat made her gasp. The water soaked them both instantly, plastering her to him. His hands moved more freely now, over her back, her waist, up her spine. Exploring. Learning. Claiming.
The time for thinking had ended. She reached for him as her body warmed, and finally let herself explore his spectacular body. Rapidly. Kind of frantically. Her palms traced over muscle and heat. He groaned low, the sound vibrating through her chest where she pressed against him.
He tugged her head back and kissed her like the storm had followed them inside. Fierce. Consuming. So much of Ace Osprey unleashed that she couldn’t breathe. She felt wanted. Not fragile. Not breakable. Definitely not like his doctor. For the first time in way too long, she felt like a woman. Not as a clinical, analytical expert. But more like herself.
Her lungs seized and she twisted her mouth free, turning to suck in air. “Breathing is a must,” she panted, though she was probably happy to let her lungs suffer if it meant kisses like that.
He chuckled, the masculine sound wrapping around them.
She turned to look at his rugged face, noting the shadow covering his hard jaw. She’d imagined being naked with Ace several times, and not once had she anticipated the fun of it. Sure, he was sexy and kind of dangerous, definitely a rebel who needed a cause. He was tough and fought often, but he had a sweetness to him she’d noticed right off. But not the fun. Not the humor and playfulness he showed that gave her a freedom she’d never imagined. She grinned.
