Page 46 of Reclaimed (Hostage Rescue Team)

In all honesty he was actually looking forward to this chance to ignite the fire between them once again. He’d begun to rebuild her trust in him brick by brick. He wouldn’t risk ruining everything now by rushing things.

Holding his hand out, palm up, he reached for her. “Come on.”

She looked at his hand for a moment, then put her hand in his, curled her fingers around his own. Just that simple touch meant so much to him. An unspoken show of trust that he wouldn’t have gotten a few months ago.

He tugged gently until she came down to kneel on top of the sleeping bag. “I won’t bite.”

Her cheeks turned even pinker and she grinned as she began to undo the laces on her running shoes. “I should warn you that I’ve been up since four and I worked really late last night. I might not make it far into the movie.”

“That’s okay.” The whole point of tonight was to reestablish the intimate bond they’d lost. As long as he got to hold her for a while, he didn’t care if she fell asleep.

The first movie was already starting, the audio coming through the open window at the back of the cab.

He pulled down the top sleeping bag and settled beneath it, his back against the pillows, held it up for her. Summer scooted in next to him and mirrored his position, close enough that their hips and thighs touched. Leaning over her, he tucked the sleeping bag around her and reached under to lace their fingers together.

Turning her head, she gazed up at him in the pale purple light, her gaze soft. “This is really nice. Thanks for inviting me.”

“Thanks for coming,” he said, giving her hand a squeeze.

Summer shifted closer and leaned against him, then rested her head on his shoulder. That simple gesture shouldn’t have affected him so much, but it did. Releasing her hand, he lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. She rewarded him with a sigh and snuggled closer.

As the opening credits rolled, he reached over and took out the bag of M&Ms, opened it and offered them to her.

She shot him a mock scowl. “You’re an enabler,” she told him, taking a fistful.

“They’re so little, they barely count in terms of calories.”

“Easy for you to say, with your muscle mass and the way you guys work out. You can eat five times what I can and never gain an ounce.” She popped a few into her mouth and sucked on them. She always ate them that way, sucking off the candy coating first, never crunching them.

Neither of them said anything for a few minutes but he could already tell that something was definitely different between them tonight. The lingering tension that had been present for so long wasn’t there. He felt utterly relaxed and at peace as he cuddled with her, and she seemed just as content to be here, pressed up against his side.

About half an hour into the movie, her head became heavier and heavier on his shoulder. He glanced down, found her eyes closed, lips slightly parted.

Adam stared. He’d always taken her for granted. He hadn’t meant to, he’d just…gotten lazy and assumed she’d always be there. Now he’d had months to wish he’d been more careful about that, wish that he’d been more supportive and understanding while she’d grieved for the children they’d lost.

He studied the sweep of her lashes, the freckles she loathed, and felt himself falling in love with her all over again. She was so precious to him. Smart and fiery and capable and independent. He loved a thousand little things about her.

Her eyes flew open when her head slipped a notch. She jerked upright, gave him a guilty look. “Did I fall asleep?”

He shook his head, lifted his hand to brush a stray strand of hair back from her cheek. “Just dozed a little.” She stilled at the touch, her eyes on his, but didn’t pull away. “You warm enough?”

“Yes. Can we lie down though?”

I thought you’d never ask.“Sure.” He scooted down and adjusted the pillows so that just his head was propped up.

Rather than stretch out alongside him, however, she chose to sit between his legs and lay back against his chest. She tilted her head back to look at him. “This okay?”

“Yeah,” he answered, his voice sounding a bit strangled. In this position her ass was snuggled right up against his groin. That was all it took to make him hard. She didn’t seem to mind though, just sighed and settled her arms atop his, which he’d folded over her stomach.

He had no clue what was happening on the screen. All he could focus on was Summer, the feel of her and the warm, sweet scent of her perfume drifting up in the cold breeze.

He bent his head to inhale, his blood pumping hotter when she leaned up to press her temple against his mouth. Kissing her there, he followed the line of her cheekbone to her jaw, let his lips skim the sensitive flesh below her ear.

She shivered, tipped her head to the side to give him better access.

He took it. One hand coming up to cradle her jaw, he rubbed his nose and lips up and down the side of her neck. She made a purring sound and shifted in a purely sensual move that told him she was getting as hot as he was.

Then she surprised him by sitting up and turning around to straddle him, one knee on either side of his hips.

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