Page 35 of Dangerous Devotion

“Shit.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. The rasp of thoseroughfingers on hisroughbeard had her clenching her thighs together.

“Find us a department store and we’ll grab a few things to get by.”

She took out her phone and searched for a store. At least it gave her something to do besides think about sharing another hotel room with AJ.

She plugged the coordinates into the car GPS. Neither of them spoke when they reached the store. Just inside the doors,they both grabbed shopping baskets and went their separate ways.

These cheap places didn’t offer much of a selection, but she was able to find a few basics as well as undergarments. Next, she found a toothbrush and toothpaste. As she hurried through the aisles, she turned her head and caught sight of the sexual health items.

She slowed her step, approaching the condoms on display. The thoughts going through her head weren’t like herat all. She didn’t just sleep with people. She’d been in long-term relationships with her sex partners.

But the way that kiss had heated her and AJ up, she didn’t want to take any chances.

She grabbed a box and stuffed it in the bottom of her basket under the clothes.

At the checkout, she spotted AJ already waiting by the exit for her.

She made sure to hide the condoms in between the items on the conveyor. After all, he was a SEAL. He had perfect vision, and he could probably spot the box from way over by the door.

She paid for the items and with a few bags in hand, she approached him.

He shot her a crooked grin. “Took ya long enough.”

She rolled her eyes. “Of course—you’re a man. You probably only needed a toothbrush, a pair of socks and some beef jerky.”

“How’d you know?” He led the way back to the car, and they stowed the bags in the back seat. On the short drive to the hotel, AJ’s phone buzzed with an incoming call.

“Charlie 1,” AJ greeted the caller.

“Chickie. Talk to me.”

“We followed the truck with the cargo to the base. But we can’t just drive on without a damn good reason. We need you to grease the way for us.”

Con fell silent for only a beat. “Give me a bit. I’ll call you back.”

“We’re hitting a hotel.”

May’s mind darted to the bag in the back seat and the box of condoms there. She couldn’t believe her own boldness. Not that she wasn’t a strong, confident woman who knew how to take matters into her own hands.

It was just that…well, AJ was her partner, professionally speaking. She shouldn’t be having these thoughts about him at all, let alone go through with the hot and heavy thoughts whirling around in her brain.

By the time she caught up to the conversation, AJ had ended the call. He sent her a sidelong glance. “Everything okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

He directed a look at her hands in her lap. Her fingers were curled, and her thighs were clamped together against the surge of heat and need between them.

She hunched her shoulders. “Just a little chilly.”

“Want me to turn on the heat?”

“No, it’s all right. I’m sure it will be plenty warm in the hotel room.”

She didn’t imagine the slow dip of his eyes to her mouth. If he kept looking at her like that, she’d be lucky not to lunge for those condoms and take him in the parking lot.

Then he made a little humming noise in his chest that sent prickles up and down her arms. Her nipples pinched into tight buds too, and that set off a throb deep in her core.

He parked with haste and grabbed all of their bags in one hand before taking off at a fast clip to the lobby of the hotel. Sherushed along beside him, aware that he was suddenly in a big hurry.