Page 14 of Saving Her Curves

She rubbed her arms with her hands, pulling one side of her shirt down over her shoulder. It was thicker than the one she’d worn yesterday, but Hank could still see the hard push of her nipples against the fabric.

In the kitchen, he took down a sauce pan, a glass jar with powdered chocolate and milk from the refrigerator. Within minutes, the milk was heating.

He leaned against the counter, keeping an eye on the milk, but his attention was completely on her. “So why foster care?” He was blunt and to the point.

“My father left me and my mother when I was three. I never knew him. I didn’t have any other family to take me in, so...”

She shrugged her shoulders as if it hadn’t mattered but he knew it had. Even if it hadn’t hurt when she was small, as she’d gotten older, he knew those feelings of not being wanted, not being good enough…they would have seeped into her consciousness. He knew his father leaving him was one of the reasons for the things he’d done, the way he’d hurt his mom. Not having his father around had certainly left an impression on him. Even now.

“I understand. My father left me and my mother when I was about five.” He stopped and drew a deep breath. “Then, he came back, knocked my mother up and left again.”

He turned, stirring the milk, not wanting her to see the anger that still flared up when he spoke about his father—which wasn’t often. “The only good thing about that was my younger sister.” A genuine smile curved his lips. “She’s a nurse now. She and my mother live in Tennessee.”

She glanced at him noting the closed expression on his face. She knew he was not a sharing kind of man, even though she’d only known him for little over a day. But she truly wanted to know more about him. As a girl, hell, as a grown woman, Skye had imagined all sorts of romantic interludes. She’d dreamed of walks on a moonlit beach, picnics on a cool autumn afternoon, and a hundred other incredible settings where she and the man of her dreams would fall in love.

Yes, she’d also imagined being snowed in with a man like Hank.

Being here, with him, even knowing in just a few hours, everything would end and she’d go back to her everyday life, she wanted to experience everything.

“So did you grow up knowing you wanted to serve?” She had seen the picture on the mantel of him in his uniform.

“Hell, no. It was either join the military or go to juvie.” He spooned in the cocoa and stirred.

“You? You were a teenage trouble-maker? I would never have ever guessed.” She laughed, trying to lift the solemn expression on his face. She didn’t like that she had put it there by asking about his past.

“Oh?” One dark brow lifted, and his voice grew dark and bewitching. “I’ve been told I give off a certain air of danger.” He laid down the spoon, walking closer before coming to stand in front of her. His sexy smile and the rhythm of his deep voice made Skye’s heart skip a beat.

She licked her lips. “Oh, there’s something dangerous about you alright,” she smiled coyly. Dangerous to my woman’s heart.

Hank didn’t know about that. His one brief relationship had ended when she’d left him. He didn’t think for a minute the woman’s heart had been involved. He knew his hadn’t been. He frowned. The last thing he wanted was for Skye to get hurt. “Skye,” he began.

Skye knew what he was about to say and didn’t want to hear it. She knew. She knew this was just an interlude. A special moment that she’d somehow stumbled upon. And she didn’t want it to end. Not yet. She didn’t want to spend, heaven knew how long, awkwardly trapped in a cabin with a man who may have already stolen her heart. She placed her fingers on his mouth. “I know, Hank. I know exactly what this is. I have no expectations.”

“I...” Hank’s first instinct was to argue. That’s not what he meant. But then, wasn’t that exactly what he meant?

“Hank?” She rose to her feet, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling his head down to hers. “Just kiss me, Hank.”

Pushing everything from his mind but the feel of the woman in his arms, he did just that. His mouth covered her in a kiss so hungry, it almost set them both on fire. They were now familiar with each other’s body, knew the touches and strokes that would drive each other crazy.

He nibbled kisses along her jawline to the hollow of her ear. She dug her fingers into his shoulders. He nuzzled the sensitive skin along the side of her neck. She pressed her body to his, her soft curves molding his hardness to her belly. “Careful,” he muttered, his fingers tightening on her hips as he held her still and ground himself against her.

“I feel like I’ve been careful all my life, Hank,” she confessed, her look of innocence and desire arrowing straight to his heart.

“Oh, baby.” He leaned down, but just as his lips found hers, a hiss came from the stove and the smell of scalded milk filled the air.

They pulled back from each other and then laughed.

Hank had never felt so good in his entire life.

***

“Would you like another s’more?” Hank asked, pulling a long-handled barbecue fork with toasted marshmallows on it from the fireplace. He’d rummaged through his cabinets and discovered he had more than ice cream to offer for dessert.

They had spent the afternoon on the couch, watching movies. First a rom-com that Hank found mildly interesting and an action-adventure that Skye had admitted, afterwards, that she had watched before and liked. The popcorn they consumed had been their lunch. When the shadows lengthened outside, they’d gone to the kitchen and put together dinner. It was true that Hank had enough provisions to withstand a long winter storm. They had decided to use the fresh vegetables for a salad to go with the spaghetti and garlic bread Hank had hastily put together. It had been a quick and easy meal. And as Hank had reiterated, he could cook, but his repertoire consisted of only a few different dishes.

Sitting on the braided rug in front of the hearth, Skye shook her head as she licked the sticky remnants of chocolate and marshmallow from her fingertips.

Hank’s mouth suddenly felt as if it had been coated with cotton. When her little pink tongue darted out to remove a graham cracker crumb from her index finger, his body reacted as it had for the last thirty-six hours. It became as hard as a lead pipe.

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