Melt

They both stopped.

She broke the silence. “How come you’re finished early?”

“Worked around the clock and caught an early bird back.”

“You didn’t want to stay longer?”

He shook his head. “I blame you for that.”

She shook her head then. “Hunter…”

He stepped forward and put his hand over her mouth. “Don’t argue, don’t think, don’t worry.”

She paused and slowly she smiled. The devilish urge that only surfaced when he was around came to the fore again. She licked the palm of his hand.

In a second, she was locked in his arms. He held her so tightly she couldn’t breathe. Some mouth-to-mouth helped with that even though he hauled her even closer, harder.

It was a heavenly collision.

“Two blocks of ice like us make a good pressure ridge when we come together,” he joked, kissing her cheeks and forehead, neck and nose. “I thought I might like to keep my Christmas present.”

“What present was that?” she asked breathlessly.

He smiled. “The possibilities you planted in my head.” He spoke so fast she hardly understood his words. “I need a base. I want one. So I could have a base in Christchurch. That way you can be back regularly to keep an eye on Bea.”

“What do you mean I’ll be back regularly?”

“Come with me.” His grip on her waist tightened even more. “Come and have some adventures. We could make an amazing team.”

“Hunter, this is crazy.”

“Yes, it is. But why not just see where it leads us?”

“Because I wouldn’t be much use. I’d be a hindrance.”

“What do you mean you couldn’t be of any use? You can drive a Hägglund,” he joked.

“I didn’t need to do that even in Antarctica. I’m not sure I’ll need to anywhere else.”

“Yeah, but you could learn to drive other off-road vehicles. And you organize things, right? You look gorgeously efficient in that suit.” He gazed down at her crisp blouse and skirt with a wicked smile. “And you can draw and paint and let me tell you, in the places I go, people need some beauty in their lives. You could bring them some beauty.” He leaned forward

. “You could bring me beauty.”

That was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. She blinked, wishing for some frigid air to freeze her tears. She was so tempted. But scared. “Hunter, I’m not—”

“Nor am I,” he interrupted with an easy shrug. “We both have our pasts, Emma. And our issues. But we both want to make more of our lives, right? Why not try it together? I feel happier with you than I’ve ever felt with anyone. I want more of that. I don’t want to walk away from you, and I don’t want you to walk away from me.”

Not ever.

She closed her eyes and smiled as she leaned against him.

He cradled her, taking her weight, giving the solid support she’d longed for. Yet she knew she was giving him the soft comfort he needed, too. And between them grew the heat they both craved.

“Does your hotel rent rooms by the hour?” Hunter asked slyly—his hands seeking out her curves.

She pulled her head back and laughed. “It’s more than an hour you’ll be needing!”

He smiled down at her, and she saw the excitement and happiness in his gaze. She saw the possibilities. He’d come after her. He wanted her.

Those once most frozen places—his heart and hers—had melted.