Page 31 of Rescuing Nathaniel

She was one, she got that, she just didn't like the feeling. She’d worked hard to make her own way in life, to prove herself of more value than just being married off in a business merger. Now it felt like all of that had been undone in just a matter of days.

Still, she couldn’t completely deny that she liked being in Nathaniel’s arms.

Something about his steady presence, quiet strength, and vulnerability he tried so hard to hide drew her to him. He was an attractive man, and if they’d met under any other circumstances, she definitely would have asked him if he wanted to see if there could be something more between them.

It had been a long time since she’d had a boyfriend. She’d been too busy with college, working, and then joining Prey. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't even sure when the last time she’d had sex was.

Nathaniel would be good in bed, she thought somewhat sleepily as the bouncing rhythm of his stride lulled her into a sort of semi-conscious state. Not quite asleep but not quite awake either.

Since he’d been wearing a wetsuit most of the time she’d known him, only changing when the other SEAL team arrived, she had a pretty good idea of what he looked like beneath his clothes. The wetsuit left little to the imagination. Plus, he’d carried her around a lot so she knew he was pure muscle beneath his clothing.

“Hmm, if anyone is going to unwrap me though, it’s definitely going to be you,” she murmured, unaware of the words that had just slipped out until she heard the guys laughing.

Oh no.

She’d said that out loud.

With an audience.

Mortification had her cheeks burning and she lifted her head from where she nuzzled Nathaniel’s neck to check how badly she’d messed up.

Darn her mouth that operated without her head’s consent half of the time.

It could be charming if she wasn't always putting her foot in her mouth. Like she had just now.

“Sorry,” she said quickly. “I’m so sorry. That was so inappropriate of me. I’d blame the painkillers you guys keep giving me, but unfortunately, I was cursed with the ability to speak without thinking from birth.” Her rambling only made her more self-conscious, and when Nathaniel didn't immediately fill the tiny gap of silence, she kept going. “I try, I swear I do, but sometimes it’s like I don’t even realize I've spoken aloud until I've already said something stupid. Like now. I swear, I didn't mean that I wanted you to undress me, that would be so inappropriate. I know this is your job, and that you potentially got yourself in trouble by sticking with me, I don’t mean to make it worse by being?—”

“So you don’t want me to undress you?” Nathaniel said, cutting her off. There was a slight hardness to his tone that she wasn't used to hearing, and Ava knew she’d messed things up with him.

Why couldn’t she control her mouth?

Of course, she wanted this man to undress her. Not only was he built like some sort of Greek God, but he had put his career and life on the line for her. He’d kept her safe, found her food to eat and water to drink, been gentle with both her body and her mind, and she was insanely attracted to both his body and his personality.

But that would be stupid to say out loud.

This wasn't a dating site, and she wasn't here to make friends. Neither was he. These men were here to get her back home where she could be debriefed and worked with to see if she could remember more details Nathaniel hadn't already gotten out of her.

It should be easy enough to answer Nathaniel’s question with a firm but polite of course she didn't want him to undress her.

Only that would be a lie, and she tried really hard to always tell the truth.

“Umm, well, I … it wouldn't really be … the best thing would be to …” she stammered, trying to figure out how to avoid saying that she would absolutely love to get to know him when they were home, and once she recovered, take the undressing step when they were both ready.

“It’s okay to say you didn't mean what you blurted out, Aves,” Nathaniel said. His voice sounded all nonchalant, and he was giving her an easy out, but something hidden beneath his tone hinted at the possibility that maybe a sexy warrior like him could be interested in a nerdy girl like her.

"Sounded real believable there, dude,” Bubba said, and she looked over at the man walking beside them, and caught him smiling and rolling his eyes.

Good.

If Bubba had picked up on the same thing she had, she couldn’t be imagining things.

“Since I've already embarrassed myself in front of these guys?—”

“Nah, no need to be embarrassed, Ava, we all love your openness,” Rex inserted.

“You just say that because I beat you up,” she sassed, shooting him a smirk, and was rewarded by a laugh from the man she had hit in the groin and then in the head with his own weapon. Something she was positive his team was never going to let him live down.

“I cannot wait to tell Avery this story,” Gumby said with a laugh.

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