Page 65 of Hazard

Unaware of how long she slept, she woke to a set of callused hands cradling her face and a soft, moist kiss. The ache of wanting him all over again surged through her. She opened her mouth beneath the pressure, savoring the warmth, the gentleness, the sweetness of the caress. She surrendered to him helplessly.

His amused voice intruded into her languid drowsiness. “Up and at ’em,” he said. “Let’s look at houses.”

“Hmm, no slacking for a Tier 1 operator.”

“Yup. I can’t wait for the garage.”

She chuckled and opened her eyes to Hazard’s soft, lopsided smile, his eyes smoky with emotion. Behind his shoulder, it was dark outside, and her stomach rumbled.

“The garage. It gets them every time. Men are so easy,” she quipped.

“Is that right,” he said. “You’re a real piece of work, lady. A genuine pain in the ass.”

She yawned and rested her head on her arm, gazing at him sleepily.

He let go of her and leaned back, amusement glinting in his eyes as he slid his hand under the sheet, and up her naked thigh, his touch making her shiver.

“You sure do look all cozy, and sexy in my bed.”

He rose and before she could fathom what he was going to do, he snatched the sheet off her, rolling her across the mattress. “You bastard. Give me that sheet.”

He grinned, wadded up the sheet, and tossed it across the room, then blocked her so she couldn’t get by him. “You feeling lucky, punk?”

He caught her off guard again when he came at her, hauled her over his shoulder in one powerful, swift move. “Time for a shower. You’re a little stinky. Must be jet lag. Let’s wake you up.”

“Oh, no. No cold water, Archer.”

“Think how invigorating it will be. Just the remedy for jet lag,” he said, his voice breaking with exertion and laughter. She got her fingers into his ribs, and he almost dropped her but recovered like the gorgeously muscle-bound jerk he was.

He tried to drag her through the bathroom door, but she grabbed the door frame, trying to kick free, her laughter weakening her. “Aren’t there airtight and unbreakable rules of engagement? I call foul.” He was undeterred. Losing her grip, she tried pleading. “Come on, Archer. You’re stronger than little old me.”

Adjusting his grip on her legs, he grabbed one wrist and tried to break her hold on the door frame. “Yet, I am unmoved.” Her Navy SEAL was no quitter.

Neither was she. Laughing and out of breath, unable to see a thing for her hair, she used his back for leverage and bit him hard on his tight ass. “Ow, goddammit. What the fuck! Damn you, Leelee. Now who’s not fighting fair.”

Before he could recover, she kicked loose and slithered down his back, landing in a heap on the floor. Knowing that she would have to incapacitate him to keep all her warm skin from that cold menacing shower, she grabbed him around his calves and used her shoulder against the backs of his knees. He cried out and went down like a ton of muscled bricks.

Flushed with love and laughter and sweet victory, she slapped him on the ass.

He rolled over onto his back, his chest heaving, laughter mixing and rumbling from his bare chest. “You’re a little street fighter, aren’t you? I like that about you.”

They laughed harder.

He rubbed his ass. “You really are a bona fide pain in my ass.”

She fell into more laughter right onto his chest, her bare breasts pressed to his warm skin. Trapping her to his hard muscles, he expelled the last of his laughter in a sigh, then wrapped her in a warm embrace. “You are going to be the death of me.”

“And you’re going to love every minute of it.”

“For a lifetime.” He dashed to the nightstand, pulled open a drawer and took out—a ring box.

“Oh, Archer,” she breathed. “What did you do? Are you asking me—Oh, my God, I can’t believe—is that a ring box—what?—

He dropped to his knees. “Will you shut the fuck up and marry me, Leelee?” he said with irritation. “I can’t live without you.” His gaze was so sincere, so serious, she melted.

“I can’t live without you, either.” Her face and stomach hurt from their previous laughter, but there seemed to always be more. “A mad proposal. So perfect. How can I say no?” She grabbed his hair and pulled it, dragging his mouth to hers, kissing him with everything she had. “I love you so much, Archer. I had no idea that it could be like this.” She kissed his mouth and whispered against his soft lips, “I will fucking marry you.”

“Geezus, you drive me fucking crazy,” he said with a puff of laughter. “I don’t know whether to put the ring on your finger or take you over my knee.”

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