One Unforgettable Night: Wild at Heart / From This Moment On / Her Last Best Fling

Moving slowly, he propped himself on his forearms to gaze at her. “Wow.”

She considered making a smart remark to lighten the mood, but he truly did look blown away. “Wow is right.”

He smiled. “This was better than the stool.”

“Think of what we could accomplish on an actual bed.”

“Boggles the mind, doesn’t it? I don’t know, though. Being up in this tree house gives the whole experience a certain something.”

“It’s not boring.”

“No.” He dipped his head and kissed her softly. He added more kisses to her cheeks, her eyes and her nose. “But I have trouble imagining anything being boring with you.”

“Coming from a man who treasures variety, that’s quite a compliment.”

He looked into her eyes again. “I meant it to be. That’s probably what brought me out here yesterday. I couldn’t imagine how a woman who studies eagles from a platform twenty feet in the air could be boring.”

“Thank goodness I didn’t disappoint you.” But she got a glimpse of how his restless nature might feel confined in a typical relationship. He really wasn’t suited for a cottage surrounded by a white picket fence.

“You couldn’t if you tried. But I don’t want you disappointing that professor who hired you, either. You need to get to work.”

“I do.”

“And if it’s okay, I want to help. I love being your spotter.”

“Then you’re hired. How much do you charge?”

He laughed. “I’ve already been paid in full. This has been a great afternoon. Possibly the best of my life. Now let’s get moving.”

As they dressed and settled in to observe the eagle nest, she kept thinking about that comment. This had been a great afternoon for her, too. Possibly the best afternoon of her life. But she was reluctant to say so because she didn’t want him to think she was getting attached.

He was free to say it, though, because he’d already declared his independence. He could rave about their time together, knowing that she wouldn’t expect him to stay. It was a lopsided situation.

Somehow she’d set the record straight without being too obvious about it. She had to let him know in no uncertain terms that she didn’t want him to stay. Then she could relax and make any appreciative remarks she cared to. She simply had to find the right moment.

LUKE HADN’T BEEN kidding. Today had been outstanding, an afternoon he wasn’t likely to forget. He had high hopes for tonight, too. Sex in a tent could be a lot of fun. They’d also sleep in that tent, though. Both of them had to work the next day, and all he needed was for Emmett or Jack to catch him dragging around tomorrow.

As the sun started its descent, Luke announced his plan to cook dinner, and Naomi seemed grateful for that. He’d tucked two frozen steaks in his saddlebags, and they would be about ready to put on the grill now. He left her to finish up her work on the platform and walked back to the campsite.

Once there, he gathered firewood and soon had a nice little blaze going in the rock fire pit that he found near the tent. He took a couple of foil-wrapped potatoes and tossed them into the flames. The corncobs, still in their husks, would go on top of the grill once the flames died down a bit.

Next he fed Smudge oats, and because Luke still had a little time, he unrolled his sleeping bag in the tent. Hers was pushed over to one side. It might be the way she normally arranged it, but he’d pretend she’d done that to make room for him in case he showed up. He liked to think she’d hoped for that.

As he smoothed out the sleeping bag and tucked a couple of condoms under it, he found himself whistling. Good sex certainly could make a guy feel like a million bucks. And it wasn’t only the good sex. Being with Naomi was a real kick.

He’d already started estimating how often he could make it out here. He wouldn’t have another afternoon off for several days, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t spend some of his nights with her, if she didn’t mind sharing her tent.

Normally when he became sexually involved with a woman, they got together only a couple of times a week. That had been plenty. He realized that his thinking was different this time, but he explained it away by the novelty of the situation.

His former girlfriends had lived in apartments, so they’d either spent time at his place or hers, or at a hotel for variety’s sake. For some reason he’d never thought to take any of them camping. The professional women he’d dated hadn’t seemed like the camping type. Maybe he hadn’t given them enough credit, but he couldn’t imagine any of them going without makeup and taking a quick bath in a mountain stream.

Today he’d learned something valuable about himself. He loved having outdoor sex during the day. He was amazed that he’d never tried it before, but now that he had, he was a real fan. Not every woman would agree with him on that, but he’d been lucky enough to hook up with a woman who was willing to go along.

Having a platform high in a tree helped, too. They weren’t as likely to be caught in the act. Actually, if they were going to continue with those episodes, they’d be wise to bring the ladder up. That way they really couldn’t be caught in the act. He’d see what Naomi thought about that suggestion.

Before he left the tent, he took off his hat and laid it brim-side up on what he now considered his side. A hat only got in the way when there was a beautiful woman around, so why wear it? He wanted to be free to kiss her any old time he had a chance.

He had the corn and the steak cooking by the time she walked into camp. Even with her clothes and her hiking boots on, she still looked like a wood nymph. She matched the environment, and he liked that about her.

She sniffed appreciatively. “Smells wonderful, Luke. I haven’t had steak in ages. You’re hired as the camp cook, too.”

“I’m happy to accept the job.” He crouched down and turned the steak with the long-handled fork he’d brought with him. “I like to make myself useful.”

He glanced over his shoulder and caught her eyeing his butt.

“You’re very useful.” She ogled him openly now, hamming it up. “There’s something really sexy about a guy slaving over a hot campfire, especially when he can fill out a pair of jeans.”

“Watch out.” He grinned at her. “I’m liable to start feeling like a sex object.”

“I know how you would hate that—having me pester you constantly to strip down so I can worship your body.”

“Yeah, that sounds awful. When does the pestering start?”

“If that steak didn’t smell like heaven, it would start right away. But I don’t want to interfere with this promising meal preparation.”

“Tactical mistake on my part.” He stood. “I should have waited to put on the steak until after you’d come back to camp, in case you wanted an appetizer.”

“I’ll settle for a kiss.”

He laid the fork on a rock and walked toward her. “Think we can stop with a kiss?”

“With that steak sizzling on the grill? You bet. Every cowboy and cowgirl knows it’s a crime to burn a good steak.”

He cupped her face in both hands. “I’ll keep that in mind.” Then he tilted her head back and brushed the corner of her mouth with his thumb. “Open up, Naomi. I’m coming in.”

She moaned softly and met him halfway, parting her lips and welcoming the thrust of his tongue. He delved into her warm mouth with the urgency of a man who’d been denied for weeks, instead of mere hours. She tasted so damned good.

Vaguely he heard a popping sound but didn’t realize it was the sound of his shirt being unbuttoned until she slid both hands up his bare chest and pinched his nipples. His cock swelled in response. He lifted his mouth a fraction. “You’re not playing fair.”

“I didn’t say I would.”

“Then neither will I.” He slipped a hand under the back of her T-shirt and unhooked her bra. Then when he made a frontal assault with that same hand, he discovered that her nipples were as rigid as his.

She moaned deep in her throat.

“You’re asking for it,” he murmured against her mouth.

“Uh-huh. Make it fast.”

Fire licked through his veins. He backed her toward the tent. “Get in there and take off your shorts.” He released her, unbuckled his belt and unfastened his jeans.

By the time he crawled in after her, she was in the process of kicking away her shorts and panties. He felt under his sleeping bag, located a condom and knelt at the tent entrance while he quickly took care of that chore.

Then he was on her. With his booted feet sticking out of the tent, he took her with such enthusiasm that he lifted her bottom right off the floor of the tent. She squeaked, but that squeak soon became a whimper as he pumped rapidly.

She came fast, and he followed right after. Then she started laughing, and he did, too. It was crazy to be doing this when it might mean ruining their meal.

But apparently she didn’t plan for him to do that. “Go.” She kept laughing as she gave him a little push. “Check the meat.”

“What if I want some cuddling?”

“I’ll cuddle you later! Don’t burn the steak.”

Grinning like a fool, he backed out of the tent, disposed of the condom and zipped up. He glanced over at the steak, which looked about perfect. Still chuckling, he made a megaphone of his hands. “Dinner’s ready!”

God, but she was fun. Yep, best day ever.

9

“THIS STEAK is fabulous.” Naomi sat on a flat rock with a tin plate balanced in her lap and a bottle of beer at her feet. Good sex followed by good food was a combination she hadn’t had that often, but she’d like to make it a habit.

“I’ll bet you say that to all your camp cooks.” Luke sat cross-legged on the ground near her. The campsite had one decent sitting rock and he’d insisted she take it.

“I do. You’re the first one I’ve ever had. Are you sure you’re okay on the ground? I can go get the camp stool. I didn’t even think about seating arrangements. I’m so used to eating alone here.”

“Next time we can bring the stool down.” He looked up from the ear of corn he was eating. “Assuming I’ll get invited back.”

“The odds of that are very good.”

“I can bring you fresh food each time. I know you’re surviving on energy drinks and canned goods, but that must get old.”

“I consider it part of the job,” she said. “The main focus is the eagles, and I just need to stay reasonably fed and hydrated so I’ll be able to keep climbing that ladder.”

“Which reminds me. Next time we decide to have sex up there, we—”

“Liked that, did you?” She was amused at his eagerness to continue their adventure. amused and flattered. Something about this setup had touched a chord, and she wasn’t going to argue about that. She reaped the benefits.

“I can’t imagine why I’ve never had sex outside before. Maybe it was the fear of getting caught. That platform gives us a measure of privacy that’s not easy to find.”

She laughed. “I’m sure that’s something Jack and Emmett didn’t envision.”

“They didn’t count on me.”

“Neither did I. But I’m so glad you showed up, Luke.”

He held her gaze. “Me, too.”

Maybe this was her perfect moment. “I’ve been thinking about something.”

“So you had the same idea? Pull up the ladder so we don’t get surprised by an unexpected visitor?”

“No, I didn’t think of that, but it’s a good idea. Yes, it will look suspicious, but better that someone imagines something is going on than that they see it in living color.”

“My thought exactly.”

“But that wasn’t what I was going to say.”

“Okay, shoot.” He picked up his beer and took a swallow.

She loved looking at him sitting there, his shirt unsnapped at her request, his posture relaxed, happy. He was a gorgeous man. Even watching him drink his beer was a treat.

“What?” He smiled at her.

“You’re incredibly good-looking, Luke.”

He actually blushed. “That’s not what you were going to say.”

“No, but it doesn’t hurt to tell you.”

“You’re not afraid it’ll go to my head?”

“Actually, no. You’re brash, but you’re not conceited.”

“Thank you.” He put down his empty plate. “But you still haven’t told me this big revelation.”

“Okay. We had a discussion about my potential plans for the future. They’re different from yours.”

“Yes, they are.”

“Just so you know, I realize the difference. When you said this was possibly your best afternoon ever, you could say it because you’d already announced your plans to leave. It was possibly my best afternoon ever, but I was afraid to say so, in case you’d think I was trying to, I don’t know…trap you into something.”

His expression brightened. “It was possibly your best afternoon ever?”

“Yes. But that doesn’t mean that I—”

“I’m glad. I’m really glad. As for being worried that you’d try to trap me, I’m not.”

“That’s good, but why not? We get along and we have great sex. Why wouldn’t I want to try and change your mind?”

“Because you believe in the principle of live and let live. You’re watching those eagles from afar. You’re not trying to capture them and band them.”

She nodded. Good observation on his part. “So if I’m enthusiastic about something we’re doing together, you won’t worry that I’m building castles in the air?”

“No. I trust you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be here.” “Fair enough.”

“Ready for dessert?”

“You brought dessert?”

“Of course. Hang on.” He stood and walked over to his saddlebags. He pulled out a plastic container. “I put them in here so they wouldn’t get crushed.”

Popping the top on the container, he showed her two chocolate cupcakes.

“Yum.”

“Even better, they have cream filling.”

“I love that.” She reached for one.

“You know what I wish?” He took the other cupcake and returned to his spot on the ground.

“What?”

“That we didn’t have to worry about bears. Because if we didn’t have to worry about bears, we’d be eating these in the tent.”

“You mean like at a slumber party?” She wasn’t sure where he was going with this story.

“An X-rated slumber party. Yours would be served on my abs, and mine would be served in your cleavage.”

“Mmm.” She glanced over at him. “Hold that thought. You can bring cupcakes to the next picnic on the platform.”

“Damn. I didn’t think of that. We could have—”

“We don’t have to do everything at once. I’ll be out here until the nestlings fly.” And you leave.

“You’re right. Maybe we should pace ourselves. But you’ve given me a challenge. It’ll be fun to think of all the interesting ways we can have sex between now and then.”

“I’ll look forward to your boundless creativity.” She’d just had another insight. By setting a limit on their time together, he’d ramped up the tension. Lovers faced with a ticking clock always cherished the moments more than those who thought they had forever.

She needed to remember that truism as she joined him on this roller coaster. He was an exciting lover, but he was also a bit of an adrenaline junkie. He didn’t know how to relax into a relationship and live it day by day. So she would accept him for the thrill ride that he was and understand that when the ride was over, he’d be gone.

LUKE WASN’T WORRIED that Naomi would let herself get attached to him, but it didn’t hurt for her to say that she wouldn’t. He let her go into the tent first and undress while he smothered the fire and made sure every trace of food was packed in airtight containers and stored in the sack she hung from a tree.

Someday he’d love to devour a cream-filled chocolate cupcake that was resting in the valley between her breasts, but he wasn’t sure when that would be. Even if they met in town, she’d be staying with her parents. There would be no cupcake games under that roof.

But he wasn’t about to complain. He stripped down outside the tent in deference to the cramped quarters. Then, holding the battery-operated lantern he’d used for the last stages of the cleanup operation, he crawled into the tent.

Entering a tent where a naked woman lay waiting was arousing enough. But when the light fell on her lounging like Cleopatra on her barge, he was immediately ready for action. His cock twitched with impatience as he zipped the tent closed.

He turned toward her and pretended shock. “My God! There’s a stark-naked woman in this tent! What shall I do?”

She crooked a finger. “Come closer and let me whisper some suggestions in your ear.”

“Excellent.” He moved within range and set the lantern at the end of the tent before bending down to let her murmur sweet nothings. Except they weren’t sweet. They were inventive and extremely specific. He proceeded to follow those suggestions, which involved Naomi rising to her hands and knees and Luke, once he’d rolled on a condom, taking her from behind.

Judging from her response, she liked that very much, so much that she climaxed in no time. He wasn’t quite there yet, so he proposed the next phase, which involved lying on their sides facing each other with her leg hooked over his thigh. He stroked slowly as he caressed her warm breasts.

How he loved touching her. “I could do this all night.”

“It wouldn’t be a bad way to while away the hours.”

“No, but let’s take it up a notch.” Reaching between her legs, he found her trigger point and began an easy massage as he continued to rock his hips back and forth.

She drew in a breath. “That’s nice.”

“I can tell.” By the light of the lantern he could see her pupils dilate and her cherry-red lips part. His massage became more insistent. “Still nice?”

“You want me to come again.”

“Bingo.”

“I don’t know if I…oh, Luke…Luke.” She bucked against him, and that was all he needed. He climaxed with a grateful moan of release. Good. So good.

They lay there breathing hard, gazing at each other.

Reaching over, he stroked her mouth with his forefinger. “Thank you for today.”

She sighed. “My pleasure.” Her eyes drifted closed.

“Mine, too.” He could tell she was tired and ready to sleep. He managed to ease out of her arms without disturbing her. Once he’d dealt with the condom, he switched off the light. “Good night, Naomi.”

She was already asleep.

He lay in the dark listening to her breathe. In the distance an owl hooted. A small night creature scurried through the bushes somewhere near the tent. He felt at one with the night and the natural world. His heart filled with gratitude that she’d allowed him to share it with her.

He woke up to hear birds chirping and pale sunlight glowing on the sides of the tent. Naomi was gone. In a sudden panic, he sat up and grabbed his briefs and jeans.

Wherever she’d gone, she’d zipped the tent after leaving it. He took a deep breath. She’d probably left to go to the bathroom or put on coffee. Still, he had a strong urge to know where she was.

He crawled out of the tent wearing only his jeans and his briefs. He thought about pulling on his boots, but that would only slow him down. He needed to see her, needed to know she was okay.

She wasn’t within sight. The campfire was still cold. He called her name softly in case she was nearby. No answer. Maybe this was why he’d never gone camping with a woman. You could lose track of them.

Maybe she’d gone to check on the eagles. The soles of his feet weren’t used to pine needles and sharp rocks, and he winced as he made his way down the path to the platform. Climbing quickly, he stuck his head over the edge. Nope, not there.

Only one more place to look. He really should have put on his boots, but it was a little late to think about that now. He took the other trail, the one leading to the stream. The rocks seemed even sharper there.

Swearing under his breath, he gingerly picked his way along until he was in sight of the bubbling water. Then he sighed in relief. His wood nymph sat in the middle of the stream, up to her nipples in cold water.

He couldn’t imagine how she could tolerate it, but she looked blissful with her hair slicked back and the water swirling around her. He started forward and stepped on a particularly sharp rock. He yelped and she turned to face him.

“Luke! What are you doing walking without your boots?”

“You did it.” He saw no evidence of her clothes or her hiking boots on the shore.

“I’m used to being barefoot. Most cowboys aren’t.”

“That’s a fact.” But he was nearly there now. “How’s the water?”

“Icy when you get in, but you get used to it.”

“Really?” He had his doubts.

“After all that sex, I wanted a dip in the stream.”

There was a gauntlet thrown down if he’d ever seen one. He’d had as much sex as Naomi, which meant he could use a dip in the stream, too. Or he could eat breakfast with her in his current unwashed state, which didn’t seem particularly polite, now that he thought about it.

Hobbling to the edge of the stream, he unbuttoned his jeans and pulled down his fly. “I’m coming in.”

“It’ll feel really good once you adjust to the temperature.”

He wished like hell he believed that. Vaguely he remembered that women had a different tolerance for heat and cold than men. It had to do with some primitive conditioning because they were the ones who had babies, so they needed protective fat layers. Something like that.

But he’d committed himself to this, and backing down would look bad. The very second he put his foot in the water, he regretted his decision. He deeply regretted it. Some people thought the Polar Bear Club was a great idea. He was not one of those people.

“Come on, Luke. Seriously, it feels great once you get past the first few steps.”

Damn it. If he turned and went back, she’d think he was a wimp. But if he continued into that water, he might never be able to get it up again in this lifetime. His cock would freeze solid, which would do irreparable damage.

“You’re not going to chicken out, are you?” Her laughter was the final straw.

“Absolutely not!” Gritting his teeth, he splashed toward her, and when he reached the spot where she sat chest-deep, he plopped right down. He thought he was going to have a heart attack. “Holy hell! This water’s freezing.” He would have stood up again, but he wasn’t sure his legs would support him now that they were shaking like a willow branch in the wind.

“Wait it out. It gets better.”

“No, it doesn’t. You’re numb by now. You’re probably in shock. Can you feel your toes? I can’t feel mine.”

“You’re such a baby. I do this every day.”

His teeth started to chatter. “F-first thing in the m-morning?”

“Well, no. I usually wait until the middle of the day.”

“Let’s do that.” He tried to get up, but the rocks were slippery and he was still pretty shaky. “Let’s get out and try it again at noon.”

She put a hand on his shoulder, so cold it felt like the clutch of death. “You won’t be here at noon. Look, you’re in the water now, so you might as well relax and enjoy it.”

“You realize this could be the end of our sex life.”

“How’s that?”

“My cock is never going to be the same after this.”

“Sure it will.” She reached over and cupped his cheek. Her fingers were frigid. “Kiss me.”

“The way my teeth are chattering, I might bite you instead.”

“Try it.”

He figured all was lost anyway, so he might as well go along with this kissing routine. Turning toward her, he tried not to quiver as their lips met. At first it was a chilly proposition, indeed, but then her warmth began to penetrate the frost.

The effect reminded him of a movie where the prince kissed the sleeping princess and she gradually turned from deathly white to pink and glowing. Only he was the deathly white prince and Naomi was the princess reviving him. The longer they kissed, the better he felt.

Soon he had so much feeling in his fingers that he remembered she was naked in this water and he could reach over and play with her breasts. So he did.