Consumed by Fire (Fire 1)

“In fact,” he said, “I’m not sure you’re up to driving such a big camper without some practice. I wouldn’t feel right leaving you without knowing you were up to the challenge.”

Her eyes met his. His blond hair had grown out a bit, his scruffy beard made him even sexier, and his blue eyes were staring into hers. “You wouldn’t?” she echoed.

He shook his head. “I think I need to make sure you’re qualified to handle something like this. This is the sort of thing that could take a lifetime to master. That is, if you even want to.”

He wasn’t talking about the camper anymore. “I want to,” she said. “I love . . . campers.” Her courage failed her at the last minute.

His grin was slow, devastating, as he slid from behind the table and pulled her out into the walkway. “I love . . . campers too,” he said, his mockery light and gentle. He brushed his mouth against hers, and she wanted to breathe him in, like he was the oxygen she’d been deprived of for too long.

She slid her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her, and she could feel his body hard against hers, the familiar bone and muscle, the erection pressing against her sto

mach. He lifted his head to look down at her, and there was a questioning expression in his eyes. “I made sure they put a good mattress in for you.”

“Maybe we’d better check . . .” she began, but before she could finish, he’d picked her up and set her down on the wide mattress, gently, carefully, as if she were breakable and the most precious thing in the world. She reached up and pulled him down with her, reveling in his weight on top of her, his legs between hers.

They took it slow and easy, taking joy in each other’s body, sliding over the thick mattress and the expensive sheets he’d gotten for her. She took him in her mouth—she’d been dreaming about it for weeks, wanting the taste of him again—and he moved her into the positions he wanted, taking his time, loving her so exquisitely she almost thought she might die from sheer bliss. And then they went faster, harder, deeper, and no sooner did she begin to come apart than he joined her, shaking with the power of his climax, and they sank against each other, replete.

James rolled off her, onto his back, but he took her with him, his strong hands stroking her back, keeping her against him. They had said nothing as they made love, but now he spoke. “Maybe I ought to mention that I love you.”

There were a thousand things she could say. What took you so damned long? Where the fuck have you been? What made you finally realize? She said nothing, smiling up at him. “Really? You’re not just trying to get my dog away from me?”

Merlin had been sleeping peacefully on the floor at the side of the bed, discreetly keeping his head on his paws, but at the word “dog,” he lifted his head for a moment. Apparently content with what he saw, he dropped it back down again.

“Don’t forget the camper,” James said. “Not to mention Ryder would kick my butt if I showed up without you. He says you’re in love with me.”

Her heart was so full she could barely speak, but he could read it in her eyes. She wanted to sound cool, flippant, but she was breathless, tears in her eyes, dying for him. “And what do you think?” she whispered against his damp skin that smelled so divinely familiar, his own special scent that she could surround herself with forever.

He smiled down at her with such tenderness, her tears spilled over onto her cheeks. “I never had any doubts, Angel,” he said, pulling her tight against him.

From the floor beside them, Merlin began to snore.