Page 38 of Duty Bound

Not an easy thing to do.

Wordlessly, she climbed in beside him. Fucking hell, she was freezing.

All inappropriate thoughts flew from his mind as his training took over.

“Come here.”

Back to him, she snuggled closer, and he wrapped his arms around her. Might as well have been hugging an ice sculpture but for the waves of intense tremors assaulting her body, draining her of energy.

He drew her closer, spooning her tightly. She fit perfectly into the outline of his body. “You’re okay now. I’ve got you.”

Because his body was cold too, it took a while for him to start generating heat, but he was nowhere near as frozen as her. He absorbed her tremors, willing his metabolism to kick in. When it did, his body temperature rose and finally, through transference, she began to thaw out.

He could tell because she began to relax. Her muscles untensed, the shivering slowed, and the frantic shudders grew less frequent.

“How’s that?” he whispered in her ear.

“It’s working.” He was glad she was recovering, but damned if he didn’t want her to stay exactly where she was. She fit so snuggly against him, her buttock curved into his groin, her back arched against his chest.

Fuck. Far too snug.

Holding Lily, her soft curves nestled against his body, was driving him crazy. Needing a distraction, he calculated how long they could safely stay here before they had to move on.

If the enemy deduced they'd crossed the river, which was a distinct possibility, they were very exposed, lying here naked less than five hundred yards from the riverbank.

“Once you’ve warmed up, we should head out.” His voice was huskier than he’d have liked.

“Oh, okay.”

Was that disappointment?

“It’s too dangerous to stay here for long. We need to put some distance between us and the enemy.”

He felt a lingering tremor and stroked his hand up and down her arm. He didn't mean to, it was a natural response, but as soon as he’d done it, he knew it was a mistake.

She gave a soft moan that reverberated through him like a 20,000-ton freight train. He felt his cock surge to life and froze, praying she hadn’t noticed.

“Blade?” she whispered.

“Yeah.” He tried to ignore the throbbing in his boxers.

Here it comes.

“Do you really think we’re going to get out of here?”

Now that he hadn’t been expecting.

You’re a dick, maybe. Get a hold of yourself, definitely. But that… no.

He breathed deeply. “Yeah, I told you we would.”

“I know, but I wasn’t sure if you were trying to pacify me or if you really meant it.”

He frowned. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.”

“Yeah, that’s what Joe said.”

He froze. “What?”

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