Page 29 of Heat Force

It wasn’t until she opened the door to her room that she noticed the difference.

Her bed was fixed.

Lexi stepped closer, bending to take a look. She ran her fingers along the sturdy frame. He’d been here after all. Quietly, without fanfare, he’d kept his promise.

Her lips curved into a tired smile as she sank onto the bed, too drained to even change out of her clothes. The mattress cradled her aching body, and for the first time in days, she felt a semblance of security.

As her head hit the pillow, her thoughts weren’t on the repairs or even the chaos of the clinic.

They were on Hawk.

On the way his eyes had burned when he’d looked at her, and the sudden passion with which he’d kissed her, sending her into a spin.

Her heart fluttered as she remembered how he’d tasted, how he’d felt. The hardness of his chest, the gentleness of his fingers brushing against her skin, the strength with which he’d held her.

She gave a soft moan and closed her eyes, letting the memories float over her as the sounds of the jungle fill the room. How was it that he had the ability to make her feel both completely grounded and hopelessly untethered all at once.

CHAPTER 12

The rebuilding of the sanctuary was officially underway. Robert had given his enthusiastic approval to Hawk’s plans, and the project had become a community affair. Villagers flocked to help with the manual labor, eager for the chance to earn an income. For their wives, it meant food on the table for the next few weeks, and for the children, it was something exciting to watch. They raced alongside their fathers down the dusty roads, their grubby faces lit up with curiosity and joy. The sense of purpose was palpable.

While he was pleased with the commencement of the project, and the activity surround the revamp, he was twisted into knots about Lexi.

Fuck, staying away from her was harder than seeing her every day.

Since their kiss, and her subsequent “friends” talk, he’d decided it was best to keep his distance, except his body had other ideas. Whenever he saw her in her denim shorts, her surgical coat open over a tank top or T-shirt, he wanted to do all sorts of unspeakable things to her. Now he knew what she tasted like, what she felt like, his imagination was running riot.

A loud crash grabbed his attention, and he strode over to where a bulldozer was shoveling up what was left of the clinic backwall. Lexi’s office was a pile of rubble, but they were extending outwards to the treeline, utilizing the space in the back yard, building over the underground shelter, which would still be accessible but from the inside.

He’d shipped bricks and machinery in from Goma, as well as a mini-cement mixer and bulldozer. Thankfully, they’d made it here in one piece. In addition to the manual laborers from the nearby villages, he’d hired a dozen construction workers to help with the rebuild. Time was of the essence, and he wanted to make sure he left the sanctuary in a workable order, before he went back to New York.

The thought made him twinge. Usually, he looked forward to getting back home after a trip, but this time was different, and he knew it wasn’t just the work and the sense of purpose he felt being here. It was also Lexi, his jungle nymph, with her bewitching green eyes, lips that tasted like the sweetest nectar, and long, bare legs that he wanted wrapped around his waist while he…

Fuck. He raked a hand through his hair, damp with perspiration. It was scorching hot today, with a humidity that made him feel like the jungle itself was sweating. There was no such thing as AC out here, either. They didn’t have the electricity and the few generators they did have were reserved for essentials like lighting, equipment and machinery. All the buildings had old fashioned ceiling fans that didn’t seem to do much. That was just the way it was out here.

Thereshewas, standing on the porch talking to Dan, her mouth curved in a smile. Dan said something, making her laugh, and Hawk felt a stab of jealousy. He wanted to be the one to make her laugh, to make those dimples appear in her cheeks, to see her eyes flash with happiness. With passion. With desire.

Oh, God. He shifted position, adjusting his stance as he started to stiffen. The nights were the worst. Sheer fucking hell. Thinking about her, fantasizing about all the things he wanted to do to her. To hear her moan, to scream, to gasp his name in ecstasy.

“Boss, there’s a parcel for you. It was delivered to the Lodge this morning,” said a local man who helped Robert with the admin for sanctuary.

“Great, thanks.” He knew exactly what that was, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Not that he needed an excuse to see Lexi, of course, but it would give him a legitimate reason to visit the clinic.

Half an hour later, he stood outside the hole in the wall that used to be the clinic window. It had been razored by the rebels. Inside, he saw Lexi filling in paperwork at a makeshift desk in the treatment area. She was biting her lip, a look of concentration on her flushed face.

He knocked on what was left of the door, causing her to glance up. She brightened when she saw it was him, and his heart gave an involuntary flutter. “Hawk, come in. It’s nice to see you. You’ve been scarce.”

“I’ve been busy with the rebuild. Sorry I haven’t stopped by.”

Lame?

Yeah, but her words still echoed in his mind.

Friends.

He suppressed a shudder. Friends was the last thing he wanted, but he couldn’t have it both ways. If friends was all he could get, then that’s what he’d be. Even if it meant he had to live in permanent discomfort.

“That’s okay. What’ve you got there?”

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