They’d eaten at the small table before. They were both tall, and their legs brushed. Before, he’d tried not to notice. Now he relished it. After all, they’d just made love. He’d tasted every part of her body and listened to her quiet cries of passion. They’d become intimate again, and it scared the hell out of him.
They didn’t talk while they ate. When he’d finished his eggs and was buttering his third piece of toast, he glanced at her. She sat angled toward him, one knee pulled up to her chest. She’d rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to her wrists. The extra fabric made her look fine boned and petite. He knew she was strong, but at that moment it didn’t seem possible that she’d really carried him through the desert.
“You risked your life going on a rescue mission without knowing for certain I was alive?”
She looked up at him. Her eyes widened. “I just had a feeling.”
“You risked everything for a feeling?”
“Gee, now you sound like Winston. I can’t explain it better than that. I wish I could. Remember that time, right after graduation, when we were in the jungle together?”
He nodded. He’d requested her on her first assignment because he’d known what her weakness was. He’d planned to force her to face it. Instead, the lesson had backfired. Not only had Jamie been captured, but she’d nearly been killed. If anything had happened to her, he didn’t know how he would have survived.
“I had a feeling that night before the ambush,” she continued. “When I finally mentioned it, you told me to pay attention to those feelings. You said they’d keep me alive. You were right. I’ve always listened to them. It’s weird. Sometimes I just know things.” She ducked her head. “I knew the day you were coming to the cabin. I can’t explain why, I just had a feeling.”
“Why didn’t you just convince Winston of your feeling and let him send in a team? Why just you and Rick?”
“A team had already failed. Our plan was simple.”
“You both could have been killed.”
She shrugged. “It was a risk we were willing to take.”
He slapped his palm on the table. “Why?”
“I owed you, Zach. You saved my life.”
“Bull. You paid that debt when you shot the guard in the jungle. Quit jerking me around and tell me the truth.”
Her only response to his harsh words was to smile faintly. He had to admire her guts. No one got the better of her.
“The truth is you saved my life a hundred times,” she said at last. “In every difficult situation, in every rough spot, I remembered what you’d taught me. You kept me alive. That’s why I came for you.”
He studied her face, but she was too good for him to know if she was lying. He knew there had to be more, but what? Then he decided he didn’t want to know. Better if all Jamie felt was gratitude. That he could handle. Anything else, anything emotional, would be deadly for both of them. He wouldn’t risk feeling. Not ever.
She stood up and carried their plates to the sink. “You should be grateful,” she said. “Who else cares as much about you?”
“You’re right,” he said.
She picked up a towel and wiped her hands, then turned toward him. “Now it’s my turn to ask questions. Why didn’t you make me leave?”
He didn’t want to answer that. He wasn’t sure himself and he wasn’t about to try to figure it out. Danger signs flashed in his head every time he thought about Jamie.
He looked at her bare feet, then raised his gaze higher to her legs, then her face. “Take off the shirt,” he said.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
He stood up and unbuttoned his jeans. When he pushed them off, her gaze locked on his arousal, now free, and her eyes widened.
“Zach?”
“What are you afraid of?”
Her shoulders straightened. “Nothing.”
She unfastened the buttons, then shrugged out of the shirt. It fell silently to the floor. She walked closer, until she was in front of him. He sat in the chair, spread his legs, and she moved close enough to touch.
He brushed his hands against her hips, her waist, her breasts, then lower, slipping one finger between her thighs. She was already hot and wet. He found her center and circled around it. A ripple sped through her. She grabbed his shoulder for balance.
When he raised his gaze to her face, he found her watching him. Every flicker of pleasure registered on her face. As he brought her closer, her breathing increased, but she didn’t close her eyes. It was as if she dared him to watch her climax.
He moved faster, driven by the need to see her shatter at his touch. With his free hand, he reached up and teased her hard nipples. A flush spread from her chest to her neck. Her mouth parted to draw in more air. Her whole body quivered.
She forced her eyes to stay open through the moment of fulfillment. He could see her effort. Spasms drew her mouth straight and tightened her legs around his hand. She gasped for air. He felt as if he’d seen down to her soul. The intimacy shocked him.
Before he could withdraw both physically and emotionally, she pushed his legs together, then straddled him. It happened so fast, as he entered her, he could feel the lingering aftershocks of her release. Then it was too late to think about escaping.
She touched him nowhere but between his legs. Her body rose and lowered with amazing control. He felt himself being milked to the point of no return.
Her gaze met his. While she had been brave, he was not. He closed his eyes, unwilling to let her see the horror he kept locked inside. Then he brought his mouth to hers and kissed her. With a clench of her powerful muscles, she brought him to the edge and forced him over the side.
Jamie opened her eyes and blinked. Something was wrong, but it took her a second to figure out what it was. She glanced around Zach’s bedroom, then realized it was light. Sunshine streamed in through the window. Morning had come, and she’d slept through most of the night.
She sat up and rubbed her face. She was alone. The thought didn’t terrify her. Not after yesterday and last night. Her fearlessness wasn’t just because of the amazing sex, although that had been enough to heal whatever might have ailed her. It was the connection. She and Zach had bonded on a primitive and lasting level.
She flopped back in bed and grinned. Parts of her ached that hadn’t ached in years. She felt alive and happy and hopeful. There were still lots of things for them to work out. Differences to overcome. Zach had his demons to fight. But this morning, for the first time, she could believe in the promise of being happy.
She stood up and stretched. Her body was stiff from the unaccustomed activity. She needed a good run to loosen her up. That’s probably what Zach was doing.
She walked into her room and pulled on sweats. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she headed into the kitchen. It was empty, but he’d made coffee before leaving. She smiled at his thoughtfulness. If she hadn’t already fallen for the man, she would have done it right then.
She poured herself a cup, then walked to the front window. She couldn’t see him, just the tall pine trees and the blue sky. She sipped and let the contentment slip over her.
She’d fallen asleep in his arms. They’d talked of silly things until exhaustion had stolen their words. She recalled him rolling over and pulling her closer. As if he’d needed her next to him. As if…
She set the coffee down and frowned. Even as she fought them, the doubts returned. Had Zach gone running because he needed to be alone? Did he regret their intimacy? They’d started making love because he’d felt sorry for her. Maybe he’d just been without for a long time, and that’s why he’d-
“Stop it,” she said aloud. “Don’t do this to yourself. Have a little faith in you and Zach. He’s not like that.”
The words made her feel a little better. She headed for the front door and pulled it open. As she stepped out on the porch, she heard an unfamiliar sound. She froze in midstep and turned to her left.
The Bronco stood where she’d parked it. The hood was up, and Zach climbed into the driver’s side. He turned the key, and the engine sprang to life.
Her knees buckled. She had to grab the railing to keep from going down. He’d found the battery. He was leaving
