Taking the Heat (Jackson: Girls' Night Out 3)

His teeth flashed white in the twilight when he smiled. “That’s good to know.”

“Almost as good as knowing this,” she said. Feeling sexy and bold in a way she never had before, she brushed her fingers over the front of his shorts.

“No,” he said immediately. “We’re not starting again. I can’t take it.”

Her laughter was husky even to her own ears. “But I’m having fun, Gabe.”

He growled something she couldn’t quite make out and kissed her brusquely on the forehead. “We’ve got to go. It’s almost full dark.”

“I know,” she sighed, but she turned to look out at the view instead of moving. The sky was purple and indigo in the west now, the Tetons nothing but silhouettes against the fading light. The Gros Ventre mountains to the east picked up the last glimmers of light on their snowy peaks, but above them the stars blazed in the dark sky. The lights of Jackson twinkled cheerily below.

Now that her heart rate was returning to normal, Veronica shivered. Gabe pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her.

“It’s hard to leave,” he murmured.

“Yes,” she said. “It’s hard.” Her giggle ruined the moment and she didn’t care.

He groaned and set her on her feet. “That’s it. No more mocking my pain. Your fun is over, lady.”

“God, I hope not. It just started.” She dug in her pack for her fleece jacket and a flashlight.

“All right,” he said. He’d brought his own flashlight and a circle of light appeared at his feet. “The fun is only over for tonight.”

She pulled on her jacket and they started down the trail. “And here I was hoping you’d come back to my place,” she said to his back. Adrenaline rushed through her body as the words left her mouth. She’d just invited him over. They were going to have sex. Tonight. And the thing was...she felt nervous about it in only the best way. In fact, she was so excited about it that she didn’t notice his silence until he finally broke it.

“Not that I wouldn’t love to,” he said. “I mean, I’d really, really love to, but...”

She stopped. He took two more steps before he stopped and turned toward her.

“But what?” she asked.

He didn’t say anything for a long moment. She wanted to shine her flashlight in his face in the hopes of reading his thoughts.

“You’re not coming over?”

“I don’t think I should.”

“Why?” she asked, then wished she could take it back. Why? sounded too much like Please. Suddenly cold, she zipped up her jacket and then forced herself to start walking again. Why? Why wasn’t she ever enough?

He cleared his throat as she brushed past him. It must be difficult to explain to a woman why you didn’t want to sleep with her. She was utterly confused. He’d seemed so turned on only a few minutes ago. He’d said he was in pain.

It was the virginity thing. Or the pressure to make her come. Why the hell had she told him that? No one wanted to—

“Because,” he started, interrupting her though

ts, “I want it to be really good for you, Veronica. If we have sex. If you decide you want to.”

She stopped again. If? Was he insane? She wanted it. Really badly. “Gabe, I... I shouldn’t have told you all that stuff. It’s no big deal, honestly. I’ve even... I mean, it’s hard to explain, but I’m not even technically a virgin, I guess. It’s really—”

“You absolutely should have told me. Everything.”

She shook her head. She knew he couldn’t see her. They were beneath the trees and not even a hint of light got through. The circles of their flashlights bounced on the trail at their feet.

She shook her head again. “I’m not looking for some weird moment with candles and stuff. I just want to do it.”

“Get it over with?” he asked.

“No! Well, yes. But no, I mean, I want to. I wanted to do it back there. On that rock! You turn me on more than anyone ever has and—” Shit. Why did words keep coming out of her mouth? “I just want to have sex because I want to. Like anyone else would!”