“You did good out there.”
“Thanks,” she said lightly, “but I prefer driving on dry roads. How’s your thigh?”
“I’ll be fine.”
That wasn’t, she noted, an answer to her question.
He exhaled. “You got towels in the bathroom?”
“Sure.”
“Then I’ll go find us some towels while you get changed out here. Stay away from the windows and the door. And, Dani?” He started limping toward the bathroom.
“Huh?” She dug her feet into the floor before she got any ideas about following him. This wasn’t a romantic getaway.
“Get undressed, okay?”
* * *
SINCE SHE CLEARLY wasn’t used to taking orders, he figured the shock bought him a few seconds. After that, she’d be giving him hell.
“I’m going to go in there.” He gestured toward her bathroom, and damned if the corners of her mouth didn’t turn up. “I’ll start the water, heat things up some. When I come back, you go in. I don’t know how long we’ll have hot water, so let’s use it while we can and get you warmed up, all right?”
“Someone died,” she said, “and made you God. That’s it, isn’t it?”
“Doesn’t matter.” He came around behind her and whispered in her ear, “There are two ways to do this, Dani. You can go on in there by yourself and shower, or I can take you in there.”
She turned to face him and unfortunately, he didn’t miss the hands that came to rest on her hips. “This isn’t another mission, sailor.”
“You phoned it in,” he pointed out ruthlessly. “You asked for help—and it sure looked to me like you needed it.”
Daeg grabbed a flashlight and limped into the bathroom, his thigh and knee hurting. He’d pushed too hard, too fast, and the muscles were flat-out on strike. Still, he wouldn’t have traded places with Cal or Tag for the world.
“There are towels on the rack by the tub,” she called as he closed the door between them, and he figured that was the concession he was getting tonight.
He liked teasing Dani, liked how that pretty blush lit up her face. She was easy to rile, too. Of course, he was also used to issuing orders, and she’d made it plenty clear that she wasn’t his to command. He wondered briefly if that ultimatum of hers extended to bed and then forced the thoughts away. Back on track, soldier.
He turned the water on in the shower and carefully positioned the flashlight. Dani’s bathroom was as romantic as the rest of the cabin, with a wide, claw-foot tub, a basket of rose petals, scented creams and lotions. Oh, and lots and lots of candles. All white. He yanked the shower curtain closed and waited for the water to hit steamy. A bikini lay neatly folded on the counter, and it was too easy to remember how she looked in it when he picked up the scraps of soft cloth.
She was too sexy for his peace of mind.
And it didn’t help that the whole cabin was some kind of elaborate fantasy scene for night after night of hot sex. Good thing she couldn’t see the grin stealing over his face.
As much as he’d enjoyed that kiss, he’d enjoy making love to Dani even more.
He shifted uncomfortably, parts of him eager to do just that. Towels. He was on a mission to find towels.
His first pass turned up a pair of tiny decorative hand towels on silver rings by the sink. Those were about as useful as a bandage to patch a pothole. But everywhere he looked, all he could see was Dani. There was the scent—pretty and feminine. A neat row of pastel nail polish bottles sat on a shelf, along with a perfume bottle and a pair of earrings. Her bathrobe hung on the back of the door, the belt tied and the sleeves tucked into the pockets. He winced as he remembered dropping his filthy boots on her floor. Spotting a low cabinet, he popped the door open, needing the distraction.
Bingo. He’d found the mother lode of all towels, neatly folded and stacked in two columns.
“Incoming!” He’d opened the bathroom door and tossed a few towels into the bedroom. Dani’s muffled squeak said he’d hit his target. “Ten minutes and I’m back out there,” he warned and closed the door. He tried hard not to think about Dani possibly stripping off in the other room. That she could be naked and a mere ten feet away. Or maybe she’d wait until she had a door and a lock between them to undress.
Making a return trip to the linen closet, Daeg noticed something fall from the shelf as he claimed a couple of towels for himself. Hello. The something was one of those yellow-lined notepads filled with neat handwriting. He listened for Dani, but all he could hear were rustling sounds coming from the bedroom.