He tried to thrust upward to meet her body,-but she glared at him and he stopped. A flush spread over her skin until she glowed. Her breath came in small gasps and her nipples tightened. She reached almost blindly for Rio’s hands. He had enough sense to take the last bite of mango and catch her, bracing her while she rode hard, grinding against him, bringing both of their bodies to a fever pitch. He met the rhythm of her ride, thrusting into her, bringing the last exquisite peak to them. They finished together, a whirlwind of pounding blood and rockets.
Rachael laughed happily and leaned forward to lick the juice from his chin. “You’re a sticky mess. Luckily we have the tub still here.”
“With cold water,” he felt compelled to point out.
Her smile widened into a mischievous grin. “Well, I did heat it up a bit while you slept. It wasn’t that difficult.”
“You heated up bathwater for me? And I slept right through it? I never do that. I wake up at the slightest sound.
WILD RAIN
249
You’re ruining me, woman.” No one had ever heated up bathwater for him. It was a tedious task. It had to be done on the gas stove if the fireplace wasn’t lit. She had obviously spent a great deal of time on the task. Happiness burst through him like the sun rising.
“I hope I’m ruining you. What a marvelous concept.” She collapsed, lying partially on top of him, her soft breasts mashed against his chest. He could feel her there, a part of him, taking over his heart and lungs, even his life, until he couldn’t breathe without her. “Are you going to tell me what happened, Rio?” Her fingertips brushed at his hair, slid over his face, made every muscle in his stomach clench tightly. Her voice was very gentle. Her eyes too compassionate.
Rio tried a casual shrug. “It was a mission, just like every other.” He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want her to ever see him the way the elders had. Stripped naked of all pride. Vulnerable. His life in their hands. Their disgust. Their betrayal,—or maybe it was his. He honestly didn’t know.
“Not like every other,” Rachael persisted. “What was different about this one?”
He wanted to push her away. He wanted to shift shape and run free in the forest. The urge was on him wild and strong, a rush of fur rippling as his muscles contracted, crackled and snapped.
“Oh no you don’t,” Rachael flung her arms around him. “You stay with me. I’m not about to let you escape. This is too important.”
It was ludicrous to think she could hold nun. His strength was enormous, but she was looking at him with her large, liquid eyes and he couldn’t bear to break her heart. Better his than hers. He tried to shrug casually, difficult when she was clinging like a monkey. “Joshua told me Drake was shot. I tried to get information, couldn’t raise anyone on the radio. Two men tried to ambush Joshua and I had no choice other than to take them out.” He looked
250
Christine Feehan
away from her. She saw too damned much with those eyes of hers. “I killed them.”
She said nothing, but her hand slipped into his.
“I had to get Joshua across the river and back to the village where there was medical help. I field dressed his wounds, but he lost too much blood and needed immediate attention.”
“What happened?” She knew there was far more to the story than the bare bones he was giving her.
“Tomas and his men caught us at the river. I’d left Josh in a tree, hoping to get him across before Tomas caught up with us. I didn’t want to take the chance with his open wounds in the river. If I stumbled, he could get a major infection.” A ghost of a smile crossed his face. “Unfortunately, I didn’t have any of Tama’s famous green gunk to smear on him.”
“So you left him in the tree and went to do what?”
“I have a pulley and sling I sometimes use for the cats, especially if the current is strong. I went to retrieve it, but Tomas snowed up. I winged a couple of his men, forcing him to get them medical aid.”