Page 8 of Burly and Rugged

“It’s basic survival,” he adds, but something in his tone suggests this is more than just a survival technique. “Most effective way to prevent hypothermia in these conditions.”

I know he’s right. The logical part of my brain understands the science, the necessity.

And... I don’t want to say no. The thought of his arms around me, his body pressed against mine—it’s everything I’ve been fantasizing about. I suppose I should be thanking Mother Nature about now because this is definitely a wish I never expected to come true.

“Okay,” I say, trying to sound composed, even though my pulse is racing beneath my skin. “Makes sense.”

He nods once, spreading out the sleeping mat and emergency blankets to create a makeshift bed against the cave wall furthest from the entrance. Then he takes our sleeping bags and zips them together into a large blanket. After lighting a small lamp, he puts out the fire and gets into our makeshift bed.

He shifts, stretching out on the sleeping mat, lifting the blanket in silent invitation. The light from the lantern casts shadows along the planes of his face, catching the slight tension in his jaw.

I move slowly, carefully, sliding in beside him. The second his arms wrap around me, I have to remind myself to breathe.

His strong body radiates heat, pressing against me and setting off a string of new fantasies in my mind. Every point of contact sends sparks across my skin and stokes the fire burning in my core—his chest against my back, his thighs pressed against mine, his breath warm against my neck. His scent—woodsmoke, fresh air, something purely him—surrounds me, stealing every logical thought from my mind.

I should focus on warmth. On survival. But all I can focus on is the steady rise and fall of his chest against my back, the weight of his arm curled around me and holding my body close to his, the awareness of every inch of his body curved around mine. My skin is hypersensitive, and each small movement—the slight adjustment of his arm, the brush of his fingers as he tucks the blanket around us—sends ripples of lusty need through me.

“Better?” he murmurs, his voice low and rough against my ear. The single word vibrates through me, and I suppress a shiver.

“Yes,” I whisper, barely trusting my voice. I instinctively nestle back against him, seeking more contact, more warmth, more of him.

I shift slightly, trying to find a comfortable position, and my hips brush against his. His grip tightens reflexively, his arm tensing around my waist. Each small movement sends more heat into my core.

“Try to sleep,” he says, but there’s a tightness in his voice that wasn’t there before.

Outside, the storm rages on, but inside this cave, wrapped in Cody’s arms, I’ve never felt safer—or more turned on.

CHAPTER 4

CODY

Lindy stirs in my arms.

Her breathing shifts, the slow inhale turning sharp. She’s pressed against me, soft and warm, the weight of her leg hooked over mine just enough to make my pulse hammer harder than it should.I want to wake up like this every morning.

“Oh,” she exclaims, and a deep blush rushes across her cheeks and down her throat.

Immediately, the urge to discover how far down that blush goes sends a bolt of desire to my cock. I try to shift away slightly so my throbbing cock isn’t pressing into her. I don’t think I’ve misread things, but this is not the time or place for this.

She shifts, quickly removing her thigh from mine. I suck in a breath at the loss of physical connection, fighting every dirty thought that barrels through my brain like a wrecking ball.

What would she feel like if I flipped her onto her back, caged her with my arms, pressed my weight into her, let her feel how hard she makes me?

What would she sound like if I trailed kisses down her throat, slowly tasting every inch of her?

A slow, vivid image flares in my brain—her beneath me, bare and flushed, those lips parted as she moans my name.

Sweet mercy.

I need to get the hell out of this position before I do something that will make Jax furious. Lindy paid for a survival class, not a seduction. She may be looking at me with bedroom eyes, but I have to do my job and not cross lines that shouldn’t be crossed—no matter how much my entire being yearns to.

I clear my throat, shifting just enough to loosen my hold on her. “You good? Warm enough?”

Lindy stands quickly, scrambling backward and nearly knocking over her pack. “Yeah! Totally fine.” She rubs a hand over her face, avoiding my gaze. “Just—uh. You know.”

I exhale slowly, dragging a hand over my jaw and rubbing my beard. I miss having her in my arms, but seeing how she reacted? That fuels a lust buried deep inside me. “Right.”

I shouldn’t feel this way. Who am I to think a sweet, gorgeous, talented woman like Lindy would want to consider anything with a man like me? She may be reacting to me, but would I really have a chance?

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