Chapter 24
twenty-four
Strong arms wrap around my waist, yanking me sideways. We hit the ground hard, mud and wood flying as Brex shields my body with his.
The back of my head smacks against the ground, pain exploding through my skull as mud splatters across my face. The ground beneath me trembles from the impact of the tree hitting the earth, as the sound of snapping branches and splintering wood roars in my ears.
For a moment, I can’t breathe. My lungs refuse to cooperate, chest burning as I gasp for air. My vision swims, dark spots dancing along the edges as I blink.
Brex’s voice sounds far away, muffled by the ringing in my ears. “Reyna? Reyna, talk to me.”
I manage a wheeze, then another, and finally oxygen floods my lungs in a desperate, ragged inhale. “I’m—” I cough, voice thin and shaky. “I’m okay.”
When the world sharpens back into focus, all I can see is Brex. Flecks of mud cover his handsome face as his weight, solid and warm, presses me into the ground.
I turn my head, stomach lurching when I see that the fallen tree is lying less than two feet away. Branches jut like gnarled fingers, one of which is within inches of my eye.
Holy shit. If Brex had been a half-second slower—
“Don’t look,” he murmurs, breath warm against my cheek. “Just breathe. You’re okay. We’re okay.”
I nod, swallowing hard. Adrenaline courses through my veins. My heart is hammering so fast I can feel it in my throat, in my wrists. Even the tips of my fingers.
Brex shifts his weight, sliding a palm under the back of my skull. “Did you hit your head?” he asks, voice strong and steady despite the rapid rise and fall of his chest.
He probes his fingers gently along the back of my skull, sending sharp sparks of pain, making me wince.
“Sorry,” he murmurs, breath brushing along my cheek. “Feels like there’s a small bump. Does it hurt when I press here?”
It smarts, but I’ll live. “Yes, but not too bad.”
His eyes soften, gaze bouncing between mine as he continues his assessment. “Follow my finger.”
I try to focus, but now that his face is level with mine, warm breath brushing over my lips, it’s not so easy.
“Pupils are equal and reactive,” he announces with a hint of satisfaction in his tone. “That’s good.”
His gaze drops to my lips, and for a moment, I think he might kiss me. My breath catches in my throat, heart pounding against my ribs when the world, bright and sharp, suddenly comes into focus.
Brex is lying on top of me. Every single inch of him. Chest pressed against mine, his hips are settled between my thighs, our legs tangled. And notched against my core—hard, unmistakable, and oh so insistent—is his cock.
Fuck a duck.
Nose to nose, I whisper. “Um, Brex?”
“Yeah?” Brown eyes dark, his pupils are blown wide and filled with unmistakable heat.
“What are you doing?” My words come out much breathier than I’d like.
“Saving you.” His lips quirk up at one corner, making my hoo-ha pulse in response. “What’s it look like I’m doing?”
“Well, I definitely know what it would look like if someone were to come along and see us like this.” Heat floods my cheeks despite the cold mud seeping through my clothes when I feel his dick flex. “Not to mention Little Brex seems to have other ideas,” I squeak.
“Little Brex? Seriously?” An eyebrow shoots up, and he rolls his hips. The friction sends a bolt of electricity straight to my throbbing clit. “Need I remind you about the one on one you had with him? Your mouth knows from personal experience he’s anything but little, Pretty.”
A strangled sound—half laugh, half moan—escapes my throat. “Fine. You’ve made your point. Now—”
His grin widens, right before he smashes his mouth on mine.
It’s not gentle. It’s hungry. Like he’s been starving for it. Counting down the days since he last had his mouth on me.
His tongue sweeps past my lips, and I moan into his mouth, my fingers digging into the mud-splattered fabric of his jacket.
Sparks erupt behind my eyelids as he deepens the kiss, one hand fisting in my hair while the other grips my hip, pulling me tighter against him. Mud squelches beneath us, cold and wet, but I barely feel it. All I feel is the heat from his body, searing through every layer of clothing.
Tongue tangling with his, I kiss him back with everything I’ve got.
When I nip at his lower lip, he growls. The sound vibrates through my chest as he rolls his hips again. The friction is exquisite—verging on torture—and I can’t help the whimper that escapes my throat.
“Damn it, Brex,” I gasp against his mouth when he breaks away to trail kisses along my jaw and down my neck. His teeth graze my pulse point, causing my back to arch off the ground.
“Fuck, you taste good,” he murmurs against my skin, sucking at the hollow of my throat. “Even covered in mud.”
My laugh is breathless and giddy as my hands slide up his back, reveling in the way his powerful muscles flex beneath my palms. “You’re insane. We’re deep in the woods, lying in mud, and there’s a tree—one that almost took us out, by the way—literally two feet away...”
“Don’t care.” His next kiss is much slower, deeper, his tongue exploring every inch of my mouth until I’m dizzy. “Totally worth it.”
Just as I’m about to remind him how we’re supposed to be keeping this professional. About how this is exactly what Logan warned us not to do, the radio crackles to life.
“Saint. Report your status. Over.”
Brex freezes, his lips still pressed against mine. Chests heaving, mud caked in our hair and his cock still very much pressed against me, he lifts his head.
“Saint. Do you copy? Over.”
With a frustrated groan, Brex drops his forehead to mine, his breath coming in ragged pants. “Fucking hell.”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing. Or crying. Honestly, between almost getting smooshed and our make-out sesh, I’m not sure what I’m feeling at this point.
Brex reaches for his radio, still hovering above me, his body a delicious cage of heat and muscle. “This is Saint. Narrowly missed getting smashed by a falling tree. No serious injuries. Over.”
“Jesus,” the dispatcher replies, before clearing his throat and switching back to professional mode. “You two be careful out there. Over and out.”
Clipping the radio back to his belt with a huff, Brex pushes up, bracing himself on his hands. “Guess that means playtime is over,” he smirks. “For now.”
I roll my eyes as he gets to his feet, extending a muddy hand to help me up.
“Ha.” Giving him a look that says ‘In your dreams,’ I grab hold of his outstretched hand. My boots slip in the mud, and I stumble against his chest, which earns me another cocky grin.
“Careful there, Pretty,” he growls, hands lingering on my waist a beat too long. “Wouldn’t want you to have another accident.”
“Wouldn’t want to have to report you for sexual harassment,” I counter, my voice lacking any real conviction.
Brex’s eyes widen. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.” I raise an eyebrow, stepping back to put some much-needed distance between us.
We stand there for a moment, covered in mud, still a little breathless, next to the fallen tree. A blatant reminder of how close we came to death.
Adrenaline still courses through my veins, making my skin tingle and my heart race as he steps into me.
Hands lifting to cup my face, his eyes bounce, searching mine as he caresses the back of my head again. “You sure you’re okay? We can head back to the truck. Get you to the station so someone can check you out.”
The thrill of his concern wars with a sharp pang of annoyance. “I’m good. My head hurts a little, but my vision is clear.”
For a moment, he looks like he might argue, but then he backs off. “Okay, but the second you feel dizzy or nauseous, you tell me. Deal?”
“Deal.”
“Come on.” Brex nods toward what’s left of the trail. “We should finish the sweep before dispatch sends a search party.”
Clothes soaked with mud and rain, I move to follow. But as we trudge through the muck, I can’t help stealing glances at Brex’s broad back, already missing the weight of him on top of me, the taste of him on my tongue.
“Um,” he says after we’ve walked in silence for a few minutes. “About what just happened—”
“Nothing happened,” I interrupt, keeping my eyes fixed on the trail ahead. “We fell. You landed on me. We got up.”
Brex snorts.
Desperate to change the subject, I pick up my pace. “How much farther to the next cabin?”
“Another mile, maybe,” he says, long muscular legs easily matching my stride. “You know this changes things, right? Between us?”
My stomach flutters. “There is no ‘us,’ Brex.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” The confidence in his tone makes me want to both kiss him and shove his ass back onto the muddy ground. “You kissed me back.”
“It’s called adrenaline,” I mutter, though we both know it’s a lie.
“Sure. Okay,” he chuckles as we step over a small fallen tree. “Care to explain the noises you made? Were those caused by adrenaline too?”
Heat floods my cheeks. “Shut up.”
Brex’s laugh is warm and rich. “Keep sassing me like that and my dick won’t want to behave.”
I shoot him a glare. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Unbelievably hard to resist?” He waggles his eyebrows suggestively.
Lips twitching, I ignore his comment, and focus on the path ahead.