Page 59 of Forever His Girl

She placed the bottle on the counter and stepped closer. “All the flyers go through this survival training?”

“Yep.” He took a step back. “By the end of the course, rabbit eyeballs actually tasted good.”

“Eww!” Laughing, she popped the last corner of her sandwich into her mouth, her tongue swiping a hint of strawberry from her lips.

Words fell out but he lost track of them. “Rabbit eyeballs are a great source of iodine.”

Remnants of laughter painting her eyes jewel tones, she sucked jelly off the tip of one of her fingers. “You can’t throw me off the track with gross-out stories, Danny Baker. Although I gotta confess, now it’s tough to think about kissing your mouth.”

“Did you want to before?” Shut the yap, Baker. The woman might have a backbone of steel, but she needed time to get over the nightmare McRae had put her through. Having to fend off someone who should be protecting her wasn’t honorable.

Mary Elise’s eyes deepened, darkened with two slow blinks.

Uh-oh.

She dipped two fingers into the strawberry preserves. If she put those fingers in her mouth to taste again, he would die. Right here. Right now. His obituary would read, “Toxic case of deadly testosterone overload.”

He had to remember about keeping his distance. For her. And, yeah, for his own sanity.

She placed her fingers…againsthislips. “How about a palate cleanser?”

No mistaking her intent. And no way did he intend to die just yet.

Don’t do it, Baker.

Too late.

His open mouth closed around her fingers. Mary Elise and sugar. Uh-huh. He was a dead man.

In no hurry, she withdrew her fingers while stepping closer. Maybe he wouldn’t be taking advantage of her after all. She obviously knew her own mind.

Yes!His libido shouted while his mind cautioned with logical reasoning —as if logic stood a chance against his need for this woman.

Daniel dipped two fingers in the jelly jar still held in her hand. Without once breaking eye contact, he brought his fingers to her mouth. She tasted.

His vision clouded.

Okay, maybe he didn’t need to stay completely away from her. He would just be gentle. Careful. After all, the woman knew her mind and understood her body. She’d about decked him over a “pale” comment. If he pushed her away… Giving in would be good.

He could almost hear Mary Elise laughing at his reasoning.Oh, Danny,you are such a man.

And she would be right. He was feeling very much a man.

Gentle, big guy, he reminded himself. He withdrew his fingers from her mouth, his body throbbing at the moist friction against his skin. He reassured himself that his logic wasn’t so far gone that he lost sight of what she’d been through.

Take it easy. Take it slow. He hooked his arms low on her waist, eased her to him. Brushed her lips once, twice, found more strawberry preserves on the corner of her lips. Yeah, slow and tender definitely had its merits.

With a wealth of security surrounding the cabin and at least a few hours’ window from detection, Daniel intended to peel every piece of clothing off Mary Elise’s body. Worshiping this woman with an attention to detail she deserved.

He would be sensitive, even if it killed him.

Mary Elise slid her arm from around his neck and hauled her purse across the counter, just as he reached in his back pocket. Simultaneously they both pulled free…condoms.

Her smile met his. “You know, Danny, since we both remembered contraception this time, there’s no reason we can’t tear off all our clothes.”

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

She wanted him.Intense, fast, now, until she forgot everything but him. Mary Elise arched on her toes to taste fully of Daniel and strawberries and a passion just as vibrantly red. Hers or his? Deepening the kiss, she wasn’t sure because that old connection of theirs flowed back and forth and back again until she couldn’t ascertain where the need began.

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