Page 74 of Recurve Ridge

Don’t stop.

The ceaseless activity around and inside the cabin made that an easy task, and my usual short shower backed that up. Until I’d decided to do something out of my crafted routine and take a break.

Note to self: no more breaks for Mari.

I stared at myself in the mirror, taking in the no-longer hollow cheeks and the damp strands that clung to my shoulders and wound their way around my throat in a parody of a noose.

The pair of eyes behind me that burned with a black fire deep enough to seek out my soul.

His warmth radiated against my spine, tingles working their way toward my extremities until my fingers curled into fists at my sides. No man had the right to affect a woman the way my body reacted to his presence. I stared back, lost in Robe’s gaze for a long moment. Then, in a delayed reaction that should have been rib-crackingly hilarious, I screamed the house down and scared the shit out of us both.

“What the—” Robe swore beneath the towel I threw over his head, peeling it back layer by layer, then patting his hair as though to make sure nothing had landed on him. “Fuck, Mari.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled in a small voice, wiggling my nightgown over my head. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

I tugged at the hem, but the thing refused to drop any farther. Lace crinkled in my hands. At the same time as Robe’s head emerged from beneath the towel, I realized that I hadn’t grabbed my nightie but the negligee I’d asked Alan to source for me earlier in a somewhat desperate plan to seduce my mountain man and never got around to deploying.

He stared at me in utter, breast-blushing silence that abetted my humiliation while his expression morphed from bemused to starving man in milliseconds. “I’d ask if you had that lying around, but… that’s a moot point.”

I giggled, then clapped a hand over my mouth. His eyes slitted, too focused on me, and the giggle became a full-blown laugh until even Robe cracked a rare smile.

“That’s better.” I poked his chest, aware that flirting with the beast might get me what I wanted—if not in the way I expected.

Maybeexpecteddidn’t apply to this situation.Hoped, or perhapswantedmight suit the outcome better.Desired….

His gaze darkened as it tracked over the sheer material, then lingered at the hem. “Isn’t that supposed to cover more of you?” His tone was strained, reflecting what I read in his eyes—undiluted, raw lust.

That same gaze had a distinct effect on my own body. A warm flush started at my throat and sank lower, heat pooling between my thighs. I pressed them together and told myself that nervousness at my first sexual encounter since?—

Alan.

The reset worked. I cleared my throat as the heat turned to cold stone in my belly. Forcing the nightmares back, I focused on the man in front of me, willing my arousal to return.

“Everest,” I whispered, then shook my head, damp tendrils flicking side to side, showering us both in a spray of droplets.

No. I could do this on my own terms.

Time to woman up, Mari.

I threw on my best British attitude as his gaze narrowed further.

“It came with a pair of knickers, but, uh….” I offered a feeble wave in the direction of a set of drawers he’d allocated to me and wished he’d take the hint.

Or maybe I didn’t.

Flee.

I took a step back, making room for breathable air between us.

Robe stepped forward.

His eyes glowed with intent as we promenaded across the room in a one-way defense—or offense, depending on which side of the equation I stood on.

Turned out my side ran defense, and I was shit at it.

Heat rolled off him as he shed his jacket to the floor, the need for its warmth expunged by this room that was already a thousand degrees too hot. Regardless, I kept backing up until a sharp edge jabbed my ass. I cursed the unidentified piece of furniture, but I refused to risk taking my eyes off Robe.

A predatory smile curved those sinful lips as he advanced, stealing my space. Both arms surrounded me in a thick cage, his large hands framing either side of my waist against whatever pointy object I’d backed into.

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