suddenly, the need to touch her swamped him. The need to feel her, hold her, to prove that she was all right.

He closed the short distance between them. Then, hardly breathing, he lifted his hand to her face. He traced the scrape on her cheek with his thumb, felt the heat of her delicate skin. “You’re hurt.”

She shook her head. “Just bruised.”

“You’ve got blood on your shirt.”

“My hands got scraped, that’s all. I’m fine, Cade. Really.”

But she’d almost died. He’d almost lost her. Again.

His heart drumming, he slid his hand to her neck. He drew his thumb along her throat, and felt the strong, hot leap of her pulse.

Her breath hitched in the silence. Her pulse trembled under his hand. And as he gazed into those exotic eyes, feeling that inevitable pull, he knew that he had to kiss her.

Hardly breathing, he tilted her chin and lowered his head, then slid his lips over hers.

The years disappeared in an instant. The bitter memories faded away. Time peeled back and stalled on a glimpse of perfection. On Jordan, the woman he’d loved. And she was finally back in his arms.

Her soft lips parted, granting him access, and with a groan, he pulled her against him. He drank in her heat, her desire, the incredible feel of her skin, and explored her hot mouth with his tongue.

He felt her free hand clench his shoulder, then slowly rise to his neck. And then her tongue twined with his, matching his heat with her answering hunger.

But then she’d always been that way, fitting him perfectly, matching his needs, stoking the unending fire.

He plunged his hand through her hair and cradled her head, deepening and lengthening the kiss. His body grew hard. Raw hunger drummed through his veins.

And he had to face the harsh truth. No other woman had ever felt this good-or ever would.

Even if she didn’t want him.

He jerked his head back and broke the kiss, then struggled to regain his sanity. This was wrong. Jordan had deserted him. And damned if he’d let her twist herself around his soul so she could do it again.

But her smoldering eyes locked on his, and she moved back into his arms. “Cade,” she whispered. “Please don’t stop.”

And despite knowing better, despite the warnings rocking his brain, he knew he was going to give in. He still wanted her. Damn, but he still wanted her. And hell if he could resist.

With a groan, he lowered his head and slanted his mouth over hers. He heard her small cry, felt her welcome as she opened beneath him.

A sense of finality filled him. Of rightness. As if he’d met his destiny and arrived where he belonged.

Tightening his hold, he kissed her deeply, invading her mouth with his tongue. Trying to ease the ache, the need he’d refused to acknowledge for years. The need for Jordan.

But it only fanned even higher.

Her hand crept through his hair, and her soft breasts brushed his trapped arm. Desperate to feel her, he widened his stance and pulled her lower body against him.

And felt that urgency rip through him, that electric rush of desire. The need to bury himself deep inside her and forget the pain.

“McKenzie.”

His blood thickened as he continued to kiss her. His mind blurred, while hunger twisted his gut.

“McKenzie.”

Irritated, he lifted his head. His brain still fuzzy, his breathing rough, he scowled around at the rocks.

Jordan’s eyes slowly opened and she blinked, looking as dazed as he felt. And as aroused. He wanted to haul her back into his arms. Even covered with grime, he’d never seen a more desirable woman.

“McKenzie,” the voice called again.

His radio. He battled the urge to ignore it. He wanted to feel her hot, naked skin under his. To slake this wild need clawing his gut. To lose control and make love to Jordan.

Shocked at himself, he dropped his hand and stepped back. What in the hell was he thinking? She didn’t want a smokejumper. She’d told him that point-blank. And no matter how strong the temptation, he refused to subject himself to that pain again.

Because this woman was different. They could never have an affair. Every time he touched her, he put his heart on the line.

Disgusted, he turned and strode to his PG bag. Even worse, that kiss had been unprofessional. A forest fire breathed up their backs. A mountain lion lurked nearby. They didn’t have time to fool around.

Appalled by his behavior, he jerked his radio from the bag and keyed the mike. The red light flashed, and he swore. Great. This was all he needed. The batteries were low, and he didn’t have any spares. He’d given his extras to Trey when he left the cabin.

“McKenzie here,” he snapped.

“This is dispatch.”

“Yeah.” He shook his head to clear it. “What’s up?”

“We checked out that clearing you saw, and think we can set down a chopper.”

He pulled his mind back to the fire. They could hike to the clearing, as long as Jordan held up. But did they have enough time? “What’s the fire doing?”

“It’s making a run to the north right now.”

Which meant it was heading straight toward them. He shot an uneasy gaze to the south, where the tall pines bobbed in his direction. If he hadn’t been so distracted by Jordan, he would have noticed the change.

“How long do you expect this wind to hold?”

“At least until tonight,” the dispatcher said. “We’ll get an update in a few hours.”

He thought hard. Alone, he could make that clearing in five or six hours, less if he picked up the pace. But Jordan could barely hang on now. And unless she got some rest soon, she’d collapse.

And if the wind switched back before they got to that clearing, they’d be in a hell of a mess. The worst place they could possibly be was on a steep slope with fire burning below them.

But did they have a choice? At the rate they were traveling, it would take days to reach that road. And if the wind didn’t shift, the fire would catch them right here.

He eyed the rock slide slowing their progress. “Any chance you can get a vehicle up this trail and meet us halfway?” That would shorten their hike.

“Hold on.” While the dispatcher murmured in the background, Cade shifted his gaze to Jordan. She knelt in the dirt, examining the dog. Her eyes lifted to his, and he felt the kick to his gut.

He had it bad, all right. Just looking at her stirred up those old feelings, dredging up memories he’d rather forget. Making him want things he couldn’t have.

Which was all the more reason to get the hell out of this forest.

“The road’s blocked a few miles from the junction,” the dispatcher told him. “Someone piled a wall of dirt across. We’ll have to bring in a bulldozer to clear it out.”

That wouldn’t gain them any time. “Never mind. We’ll get to that clearing. Just let me know if anything changes.”

He lowered his radio and tapped it against his thigh. They were committed to that clearing now. He just hoped to God the wind didn’t shift until they got there.

Chapter 9

Jordan stroked the dog’s silky ears, her heart still fluttering madly from that kiss. God help her, but she couldn’t stop reliving those amazing sensations-Cade’s muscled body hard against hers, the exciting heat of his skin. The pleasure streaking through her nerves, turning need into desperation.

She dragged in a shaky breath. She had to get a grip. It was just a kiss, for goodness’ sake. It wasn’t that big a deal. Certainly no reason to act as though the earth had shifted.

She glanced at Cade as he stuffed his radio in his bag. Her gaze slid over the broad shoulders stretching the

Вы читаете Feisty Firefighters Bundle
Добавить отзыв
ВСЕ ОТЗЫВЫ О КНИГЕ В ИЗБРАННОЕ

0

Вы можете отметить интересные вам фрагменты текста, которые будут доступны по уникальной ссылке в адресной строке браузера.

Отметить Добавить цитату