Page 17 of Forces of Nature

“There we are,” he said, pulling Natalie from her reverie. There was a satisfied look on his face and a small smile that suggested he was pleased with himself. But Natalie was still having trouble coming to terms with this other, incongruous side of Jared, and she wondered how many people had ever seen it.

“Thank you,” she murmured quietly as she tried to rise. But Jared was there again, sweeping her up and carrying her over to the bed.

Natalie looped her arms around his neck and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his cheek.

The action clearly startled Jared because he turned and looked her way, but whatever he planned to say died on his lips as their eyes clung.

Something passed between them.

Something profound and abiding.

A thousand words and feelings communicated in a single look.

A look that deepened the ache inside Natalie’s chest.

She rubbed at it, again, as Jared lay her gently on the bed, pulling the covers up around her and fluffing the pillows behind her head.

Then he found two more bottles of water and the remainder of the chocolate, and the ache grew so that it encompassed her whole chest.

Finally, Jared stripped the towel away and stood in all his naked glory while he dusted off the few droplets of water that still remained before throwing both their towels towards the bathroom and climbing into the bed beside her.

“How are you feeling now?” he asked as he broke off a square of chocolate and brought it to her lips.

Natalie took it, then leaned over to pick up a piece for him, waiting until he’d sucked it into his mouth before answering. She wanted to say all kinds of things. Things that were unlikely to be acceptable on such a short acquaintance. Instead, she settled for, “I’m good,” as she licked the remnants of sticky candy from her lips. “Steady. How about you?”

Jared’s eyes followed Natalie’s movements as her tongue flicked across her lips, fanning the embers of the fire he’d only recently quenched.

Down girl!

“I’m good too.” He passed her one of the bottles of water and her eyes were mesmerized by the column of his throat as he swallowed.

Dragging her eyes away, Natalie sipped at her own, then refastened the cap and put it on her bedside table.

“Do you need anything else?” Jared asked, finishing his own and tossing the empty bottle in the waste bin with a perfect shot.

“I just need some sleep, and maybe…” she trailed off, because Jared didn’t seem like the cuddling type.

“Tell me what you need, Natalie.” His eyes bored into her, and his voice brooked no argument.

“Umm… well, maybe a hug,” she said softly. “But it’s ok…”

Jared cut her off. “Me too,” he told her, instead, slipping under the covers and pulling her down with him.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he ordered, and Natalie, unexpectedly hesitant, thumped her pillow a couple of times and wiggled around until her back was towards him.

Jared didn’t hesitate, his arm banded around her waist, and he snuggled up behind her, the long, muscled length of his body spooning hers and his chin nestling against her hair.

Natalie lay there, a little stiffly, suddenly wide awake as soon as Jared turned out the light. She stared into the darkness.

Her head was whirling, but it had nothing to do with the sub drop he’d been so concerned about.

She questioned her own feelings. Or what she thought those feelings might be, at least. It had been a roller coaster of a day, after all, and maybe it was the whirlwind of events that was coloring her judgment.

Because surely it wasn’t possible to fall in love mere hours after meeting someone.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Natalie turned to Jared in the night, her subconscious ready to accept what her mind doubted. And in return Jared gathered her in his arms and held her close.

---