9. Jade
9
JADE
I cling to Beau's broad, muscular frame as he practically carries me into my cabin, kicking the door shut against the raging storm outside. My clothes are completely drenched, molded to my shivering body like a second skin. I want to keep insisting that I'm fine and don’t need his help, but my teeth are chattering so violently that I can barely get the words out.
Beau gently sets me down on the bed, and I immediately miss the warmth of his strong arms around me. God, even soaking wet and windblown, he's absolutely gorgeous. Those chiseled features, the intensity of his blue eyes, the way his wet t-shirt clings to every ripple of muscle...
I shake my head, trying to clear away the wholly inappropriate thoughts. This man just saved my life, risking his safety to find me in that hellish storm. He warned me not to go out there, but I was too stubborn and arrogant to listen. Now here I am, a shivering, pathetic mess, while he's the calm, competent hero.
"You're in shock," Beau says gently, his deep voice soothing. "We need to get you into dry clothes and warmed up."
I nod meekly, too exhausted and rattled to argue. As Beau moves around the room, grabbing towels and blankets, I can't help but admire the coiled strength in his body, the purposeful precision of his moments. This man is at the absolute peak of physical perfection.
Embarrassment burns my cheeks as Beau immediately starts stripping off my soaked garments without warning. I want to protest, to maintain some semblance of dignity, but his urgency pierces through my pride.
"W-what are you doing?" I stammer, trying to cover myself as he peels my drenched sweater over my head.
"Getting you out of these wet clothes before hypothermia sets in," Beau replies matter-of-factly, staring for a second too long at my exposed skin. "Trust me, modesty is the least of our concerns right now."
I'm utterly at his mercy as he efficiently strips me down to my underwear, then wraps me in a cocoon of thick blankets. The rough texture of the wool against my bare skin makes me shiver, but slowly, blessedly, warmth starts seeping back into my bones.
"T-thank you," I chatter, huddling deeper into the blankets. "For coming to get me. I'm sorry I didn't listen to your warnings."
Beau sighs, running a hand through his damp hair. "I'm just glad I found you in time. You scared the hell out of me, Jade."
"I scared myself," I admit with a rueful laugh. "Guess I'm not as equipped for mountain life as I thought."
"You think?" He arches an eyebrow, but there's a glint of humor in his eyes. "City girl like you, you're lucky you didn't get blown off the mountain."
"Hey!" I protest, swatting at him weakly. "I'll have you know I'm very outdoorsy. I once went glamping."
Beau barks out a laugh, the rich sound filling the room. "Glamping? Oh, you're precious. That's barely a step above staying in a fancy resort."
"I slept in a tent," I mutter, but I can't help smiling. It feels good to joke around with him like this, the lifesaving urgency from before replaced by a comfortable camaraderie.
"Tell you what, Jade," he says, tucking the blankets more securely around me. "You stick to your novels, I'll stick to the mountains. Deal?"
"Well, at least I got some great material for my book out of all this," I say, trying to lighten the heavy mood. "Pretty sure this storm just wrote my bestseller for me."
Beau chuckles, the sound deep and rich. "Oh yeah? So you're saying I should expect to see a devastatingly handsome mountain rescuer in this book of yours?"
I grin, arching an eyebrow. "Devastatingly handsome? More like a total sex god."
I slap my hand over my mouth. The words are out before I can stop them, hanging in the charged air between us. I feel my cheeks flush hot, but I don't look away from Beau's intense blue gaze.
Beau smirks and bites his lower lip. I can't help but let my eyes wander over his rain-soaked thermal shirt, the wet fabric clinging to every sculpted muscle. Water droplets slide tantalizingly down his neck, disappearing beneath his collar. I have the sudden, wild urge to chase those drops with my tongue.
What is wrong with me? I'm not the type of girl to have such blatantly sexual thoughts about a near stranger. But there's something about Beau, his raw masculinity and quiet strength, that ignites a fire low in my belly.
I squeeze my thighs together, trying to quell the ache building between them. I imagine trailing my hands over his broad chest, feeling his muscles jump and flex beneath my touch. I picture him pinning me to the bed with that powerful body, his lips hot and demanding against mine.
"Jade?" Beau's voice snaps me out of my wild fantasies. "You okay?"
"Y-yeah," I stammer, trying to regain my composure. "Just warming up."
His eyes darken as they roam over my blanket-wrapped form, and I wonder if he can read the desire written plainly on my face. The air feels electric, crackling with a tension that begs to be broken.
Beau's eyes sparkle with mischief as he leans against the wall, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "So, tell me more about this sex god mountain rescuer of yours. Think you can do him justice?"
I can't help but laugh, the sound breathy and flirtatious. "Oh, I don't know. He's a pretty impressive specimen. Might be hard to capture all that rugged masculinity on the page."
"I have faith in you," Beau drawls, his voice low and suggestive. "A talented novelist like yourself, I'm sure you can rise to the challenge."
The double entendre sends heat rushing to my core. Is it my imagination, or is Beau flirting with me? After the way I stubbornly ignored his warnings and got myself into this mess, I thought he'd be furious. But instead, there's a playful heat in his gaze that makes my pulse race.
Outside, the rain hammers against the windows, the wind howling through the trees. We're well and truly stuck here together until the storm passes. Suddenly, that prospect doesn't seem so bad. In fact, the thought of being trapped in close quarters with this gorgeous man is downright thrilling.
Throwing caution to the wind, I untangle myself from the blankets and stand up, letting them pool at my feet. I'm acutely aware that I'm wearing nothing but my lacy bra and panties, but the blazing intensity in Beau's eyes gives me courage.
"You know," I say softly, taking a step towards him, "I could use some hands-on research for this book. If I’m going to get all the details just right."
Beau's gaze rakes over my body, his pupils blown wide with desire. "Is that so?" he murmurs, uncrossing his arms and pushing off the wall. "And what kind of details are we talking about?"
"Oh, you know," I breathe, closing the distance between us until we're standing toe-to-toe. "The way his muscles feel under my hands. The taste of his skin. The sounds he makes when I touch him just right."
Beau makes a low, desperate noise in the back of his throat. Then his hands are on my waist, yanking me flush against him. I gasp at the sudden contact, my body molding to his like we were made for each other.
For a moment, we just stare at each other, chests heaving, the anticipation building to a fever pitch. Then Beau's mouth crashes down on mine, and I'm lost.
It's the kiss to end all kisses, fierce and passionate and all-consuming. His lips are firm and demanding, coaxing mine open so his tongue can sweep inside. I moan into his mouth, my fingers scrabbling for purchase on his broad shoulders.
Beau walks me backward until my legs hit the bed, then tumbles me down onto the mattress, covering my body with his. The solid weight of him pressing me into the sheets is intoxicating.
I want this.
I need this.