Wicked Sexy (Men of Discovery Island 1)

She understood all about wanting to fix a problem, but she needed him alive in that future. Not pinned beneath a tree.

She checked him over from head to foot, and apart from some lingering redness on his palms, he seemed to be all right. A change of mood was called for, she decided.

“So,” she began, taking a step toward him, “what was that about?”

He propped his hands on his hips—lean, sexy hips she’d clung to as he made love to her—and glared right back at her. “Keeping your roof in one piece.”

“Good job, hotshot.” She gestured toward the wrecked cabin. Not that she really believed he’d missed the loud crash or the flying debris, but she had a point to make here.

“Yeah, well, I’ve already apologized for that.”

“That’s collateral damage,” she snapped. “I’m not worried about the cabin.”

He leaned closer, getting into her space until she could feel the heat radiating off him. Backing down, though, wasn’t part of her agenda.

“Could have fooled me.”

“I was worried about you,” she clarified. “You could have been killed.”

“But I wasn’t.” He didn’t sound concerned.

Maybe that lack of concern was an occupational hazard, but she wasn’t about to give up here. “Sometimes you have to let go.”

“No.” Real emotion came from his voice. “I don’t. I won’t.”

“Maybe this isn’t only about you.” She reached out a hand and held one of his. “How do you think I’d feel, watching you get hurt, or worse, Daeg Ross? Did you think about that?”

“No.” His free hand cupped her jaw, tilted her head up toward his. “Are you saying you care?”

16

“I DO CARE. But first, I want you to show me.” She licked her tongue over her bottom lip and Daeg wanted to chase her, get his mouth on hers and have his way with her. “Let me see the rest of you.... Make sure that you’re okay.” She made a take-it-off gesture with her hands.

He’d do that, no problem. He hauled his T-shirt over his head, and then he went for the button at the waistband of his jeans. “Halt right there, soldier. You need to come with me.” Dani smiled as she said the words, tugging him away from the motel’s main area into a secluded grove near the opposite side of the property. He suddenly remembered that sex in public had been on her secret bucket list.

He had no idea how far Dani wanted to take this new game, but regardless, he was happy to oblige her. Being with her was like nothing else he’d ever known. She was one of a kind.

Daeg laughed to himself. That morning he’d opted to go commando, which would make this indiscreet show-and-tell even more interesting.

Dani just stood there before him, all long legs and bare skin, her eyes gleaming as if she knew something good and he didn’t. Or maybe she knew exactly what his situation was under his jeans. He looked down. Yeah. The thick erection was really obvious, thank you very much.

Her gaze held a sultry warmth, but he didn’t think that was due to the summer temperature. His gorgeous, brown-eyed girl. One look from her and... The warmth growing inside him had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with her. When he held her, when she wrapped her arms around him, he knew where he belonged. Here. With Dani.

“I think we should consider doing it again.” She smiled, didn’t falter. “Have sex.”

“Absolutely.” He was totally on board with that idea.

“Because,” she said, sounding adorably serious, “once probably wasn’t enough to get you out of my system.”

He wasn’t sure how he felt about being something that required purging—he was fairly certain she didn’t realize just how unflattering her description was—but he wasn’t going to spoil the moment. Or halt her forward momentum, now that she’d decided to take him to bed.

“So.” She pursed her lips, clearly thinking something through, and he amused himself by wondering what she would do if he told her he’d say yes to anything. “Anything wrong with right here?”

That was the final straw for him. Daeg strode up to her, slipped an arm around her back and eased her down onto the soft, thick grass. He was worried he might have been too abrupt, but he didn’t hear any protest. When he ran a hand up her arm, he enjoyed the goose bumps spreading beneath his touch. Yeah. It was just possible she liked this as much as he did.