Breathless Descent (Texas Hotzone 3)

They didn’t move for some time, holding each other, saying nothing, doing nothing, but just…being. A little piece of reality slid back into her mind and Shay swatted it away. But it came back, and she wondered if her silent satisfaction might be his silent guilt.

She pulled back to look at him, cupping his face in her hands. “Is this where we have an awkward ‘after’ moment? Whoops, we just had sex.”

“After is a long time away, sweetheart,” he said and pushed to his feet, her body still wrapped around his. “Where’s the bedroom?”

11

SHAY WOKE ON HER STOMACH to the erotic touch of Caleb’s hand on her backside. She sighed in contentment as his hand caressed her back, her shoulders. She blinked awake to find the room dark, but for a dim, shadow-inducing light coming from behind her, most likely from the bathroom.

“Do Aces not sleep?” she murmured without turning to face him, nestling down lower in the pillow. After hours of making love, she was both satisfied and bone tired. If he wanted her again, he’d have to work for it. And she wouldn’t complain. He was pretty darn good when he wanted to be convincing. “The sun isn’t up yet.”

“I have a sunrise jump,” he reminded her, his lips brushing her shoulder.

Shay shivered against the touch at the same instant that her stomach clenched. He was leaving. This was where that awkward moment happened. The goodbye and we’ll talk. Later. Or maybe they wouldn’t. This was that forbidden temptation satisfied. Only, she wasn’t satisfied. Not even close. But now, she’d know if this were nothing but that for him. Now she’d have to move on. She inhaled. And she would. If this was a “bye, see ya” kind of thing to him, she’d move on. She’d finally move on. But it was going to hurt.

He smacked her on the backside playfully. “So get up, Shay-Shay. We have to leave in fifteen minutes.”

“What?” she asked, rotating to her side to face him, resting her weight on her elbow. “I’m not going to jump out of a plane.”

“I didn’t think you were,” he said, scooting close to her. His hand settled possessively on her hip. “You can sleep in my trailer while I jump.”

“I…no. No, I’ll stay here.”

“Not a chance in hell,” he said. “I’m not leaving you here and have you start wondering if I’m having regrets.”

She wanted to deny she’d do such a thing, but instead asked, “Are you?”

“My only regret will be getting out of bed,” he said. “But the very fact that you asked confirms it. I know you, Shay. You’re already thinking too much about what I might be thinking, and fretting over the possibilities. If you’re with me, and you want to know what I am thinking or feeling, then you can ask. Better yet, I’ll tell you, so you don’t have to ask. I don’t want you conjuring it up in your head because I had to run off like this.”

“I’ll be asleep,” she claimed, though it was doubtful. He was right. She’d be awake—fretting. “I won’t have time to conjure anything.”

He moved closer, his gaze flickering over her breasts for a hot instant. “If you come with me,” he said, his fingers caressing her cheek, “I can finish my jump and then climb into bed with you and go back to sleep. We can wake up and do the morning after, the right way.”

“Which is what?”

“Waking up next to each other, making love and then eating a big breakfast that all the lovemaking made a necessity.”

Her chest tightened. “Caleb,” she said softly, “what are we doing?”

“That’s what we’re figuring out, sweetheart,” he said. “But so far, whatever it is, I like it.”

She opened her mouth for a “what if,” and he kissed her. “We’re figuring it out, Shay. Once and for all, we’re figuring it out.”

Shay inhaled a hard-earned breath and nodded, but tension curled in her body, a warning they were treading on dangerous territory. But then he kissed her all over again, and the only thing she cared about was the next silky caress of his tongue. And the enticing idea of waking up next to him, in his bed.

***

CALEB FINISHED OFF the coffee he and Shay had grabbed on the road and reached across Shay’s lap, where she sat next to him, to set his cup in the cup holder by the radio. “Two months out of the Army and I’m already soft,” he said, his hand sliding to her leg. “I used to go days without sleep, but I’m feeling it now in a big ol’ Texas-sized way.” He realized what he’d said, and knowing Shay, he squeezed her leg and cast her a sideways look. “It was worth it.” His gaze slid back to the road. “And I didn’t feel the lack of sleep when I was in the Army because I was on an adrenaline rush called ‘running for my life.’” He winked. “And I have you here, to suffer with me.”