Chapter 17
Deanna
By the time they reached Colton’s hotel room, the adrenaline of the day had drained out of them. Colton brushed his key card across the lock, and the door clicked open. He motioned Deanna to enter first.
Inside, she dropped her shoulder pack to the floor and sank into a chair to pull off her boots and socks. When she stood to face him, the day rushed back at her: the crash, the rescue, how close they’d come to losing each other without ever having each other.
This ends now. What am I waiting for?
“I want you,” she said, looking him in the eye. “But we’re both filthy. And I don’t mean in a dirty-talk kind of way.” She motioned at each of them covered with soot, soil, and slurry.
Heat flared in his eyes. “I like dirty talk.”
“Alrighty, then,” she murmured. “But I still need a shower.”
“I’ll be even dirtier in the shower.” He yanked off his flight suit, revealing the sweat-soaked T-shirt underneath. “We’ll conserve water. Do you concur with my conservation efforts?”
Deanna hesitated, her fingers on the waistband of her Nomex pants. Did she truly want this?
Yes, no question about it. I want this. I truly want him.
“I concur. Conservation is a great idea.” She undid her pants and kicked them off, followed by panties that screamed practical rather than seductive. She’d learned early on that sexy thongs and smokejumping mixed like sugar and jet fuel.
“Then let’s crank up the heat, Brooks.” His seductive tone lit her like a fire blowup, his Montana way of talking driving her wild.
His eyes traveled the length of her as he shed his clothes in record time. When he stood naked, she fought to keep her focus above his waist. She lasted maybe a nanosecond before her gaze slid downward for an Oh-My-God glimpse. She swallowed. No, more like gulped.
He lifted her Nomex shirt over her head, his eyes resting on the tops of her breasts above her bra. She reached behind her back, unhooked it, and let it fall to the floor. His breath caught, and when he recovered, he led her to the bathroom and turned on the shower.
He motioned her in. “Ladies first.”
Deanna gasped as the steamy water hit her smoke-irritated skin. She tilted her face toward the spray, letting the water massage her shoulders.
Colton stepped in behind her and eased her around to face him. “Let your hair down, Brooks.”
The sight of his naked body almost undid her as she tugged out her bun and shook her hair loose.
“Oh, God.” His words came rough. “Look at you.”
His mouth consumed hers in a soul-rending kiss as he fumbled for the tiny hotel shampoo.
He pulled back and tapped the shampoo into his palm.
His fingers worked through her hair, slow and thorough, until she went limp and sagged.
She hadn’t had someone taking care of her like this without expecting payment in return.
His scalp massage turned her head loose, her body following his hands. “Feel good?”
“Yes, oh, yes . . .” She palmed his pecs, the muscles hard-earned beneath her hand, as the wet heat pummeled her shoulders.
“My turn,” she said, filling her palm with shampoo. “Your hands are pure magic. How can I top that?”
“Wait’ll you see what else I can do with my hands.” He bent his head for her to wash his hair, their bodies brushing with each movement. His hands slid to her waist. He lifted his head, and she took in the breadth of his shoulders and solid chest.
She finished shampooing him, glimpsing his open mouth through the steam as he rinsed his hair. Sudsy water streamed down his throat and the rest of his exquisite body. She kissed him with everything she’d been holding back.
His response was fierce and instant, gathering her tight, his heartbeat drumming into her. Hot water spilled over them as her fingers found the muscles of his back, memorizing the terrain of his body.
He groaned into the kiss, and the sound reverberated through her like a current.
He poured shower gel into his palm, rubbed his hands together, and mapped her body like a cartographer. When he nibbled her neck, she dug her fingers into his shoulders.
The scent of lavender filled her nostrils as his hand slid down through the lather, foam trailing over her.
He kept going until his fingers found their mark, teasing, backing off, teasing again.
Her head fell back, while his eyes stayed on her face.
He’d barely touched her there before her hips bucked and she grabbed his wrist.
“Wait. Turn off the water. I want you.” Her words came ragged. “Right now.”
His heavy-lidded gaze undid her. “I want you badly, but don’t want you to regret anything.”
“Are you crazy?” she breathed. “No freaking way will I ever regret this.”
Colton cut the water and wrapped a bath towel around her, walking her out of the bathroom to the bed. He didn’t bother drying off. Instead, he tore open a packet, slid the condom on, and tugged her down on top of him.
The spent muscles in her body sprang to life as he turned her onto her back, trailing his lips down her stomach.
When they drifted further south, her nerves lit up like a drip torch, and she lost all restraint.
She’d thought she knew desire, but nothing had prepared her for this.
No desperate need to fill an emptiness, or to prove she deserved love.
Colton made her whole in places she never knew pieces were missing.
He lifted himself over her, his eyes finding hers. “No matter what anyone says, you’re beautiful inside and out. And don’t you forget it.”
Tears welled, and she tugged him ever tighter, wanting his solidness as close to her as possible. He pushed inside her and paused when she gasped.
“Want me to stop?”
“Are you insane?” she panted back at him. “Don’t you dare stop. Fly me to the damn moon!”
He slid all the way in and she met his rhythm, their bodies moving together as if they’d been lovers for years.
“Colton.” Her voice broke on his name as she arched into him.
“Ohh, Dee . . .” His breathing came ragged.
Only her father and Kylie had ever called her Dee. Hearing Colton say it felt as natural as breathing, as if he’d been saying it all his life. She closed her eyes, loving the joy of hearing her name in his voice.
Deanna had never been so aware of her own body, of him inside her, his breath on her face, the goodness of it. Sublime pleasure, euphoric, and deep.
“Oh, God, Colton!” She shouted as she came apart in brain-numbing bliss, her vision whiting out. Tears spilled past her lashes.
Lord have mercy, he feels good.
He followed her over the edge moments later, and they collapsed into each other, spent. Every touch, loaded look, and inhibition between them had culminated into this moment.
How could I possibly regret this?
They held onto each other, their bodies shedding enough heat to melt an Alaskan glacier. Afterward, they lay side by side breathing hard, sweat cooling their skin.
“Oh, man, that was . . . that was . . .”
“Fantastic,” he finished. “I wouldn’t mind staying locked together all day and night. Wish I could fly a plane connected to you like that.”
She burst out laughing. “I’d pay money.”
“You wouldn’t have to. You’d be the one I’d be inside of!”
They both laughed until Deanna’s stomach ached.
They dozed, woke up, and made love again, slower and easier, but with no less intensity.
Afterward, Deanna discovered Colton had a tickle spot behind his knees.
He made undignified noises as she kissed his hipbones.
Then he returned the favor, reducing her to her own tawdry sounds.
“I’m so comfortable with you,” she murmured.
His arms tightened around her. “And I’m not letting go.”
She meant to say let’s not make promises we can’t keep, but lying safe and comfortable in his arms, she also wanted to believe they could make such promises.
She closed her eyes, hoping this would never end.