He arranged Helen’s body so the vee of her legs pressed flush against his arousal.
She bit his ear, hissing, “Don’t even think it.”
Rafe chuckled and countered by nipping her neck. “Is this as good for you as it is for me?”
“I’m going to kill you the second we hit the ground,” she screeched. “I swear, if we survive this crazy maneuver of yours, you are dead meat.”
Her hair was swirling around crazily like some picture he’d seen once of a Greek goddess with snakes coming out of her head. He didn’t think he would share that information with her. “Now, now. It wasn’t my fault, Prissy.” He couldn’t believe he was carrying on a conversation while he floated through the air, dovetailed to his commanding officer.
“Shut up!”
“I love it when you talk rough to me, baby.”
“Aaaarrgh! You’re going to kill us. Concentrate on what you’re doing.”
“If I concentrate any more, we’re going to have space sex.”
As he moved himself against her inadvertently, he heard a soft kittenish whimper deep in her throat. He would have ragged her about her involuntary reaction, but his breath was caught by a wave of desire. His hard-on felt like it could drill through concrete.
They passed the cliff on the edge of the plateau that should have been their destination. The fine hairs stood out all over his body as they swerved dangerously close to the sharp edges of rock near the outcropping. Maneuvering the cords on both chutes as he’d been trained, aided by a slight wind, he avoided disaster, and they approached the grassy canyon floor.
“Hold on tight. This is it,” Rafe warned as the ground came up to meet them. He braced himself. With a loud thump, they fell to the hard earth and rolled, settling with Helen flat on her back, spread-eagled, and him on top of her, both of them covered by the parachutes.
For several long minutes, he lay, unmoving, trying to regain his breath. Hot damn! This will be an experience to tell my grandkids about someday. Not that I ever intend to have any brats of my own, but… wow! “Are you okay?” he finally asked, raising himself slightly on outstretched arms after flicking the fabric off their heads.
“No, I’m not okay, you imbecile. You are going to be court-martialed for this, soldier.”
“Hey, I saved your life,” he said with affront.
“Saved my life? Captain, you caused me to fall out of that freakin’ airplane,” she raged irrationally, her face turning a decided shade of purple.
“Tsk, tsk. Watch your language, Major.”
“Oh… oh…” she stammered heatedly, no doubt searching for the right adjective to describe him. “You’re going to be in the stockade for a year. I’m going to sue you for assault. I’m making it my personal mission to see that you pay for this debacle for the rest of your worthless life.”
“Is that all?” he asked, grinning down at her. He’d just realized that a certain part of his body hadn’t understood that the uplifting thrill of free-falling was over, and it was time for some downlifting.
Helen’s mouth forced a delicious little “o” of surprise as she made the same discovery. Her windblown hair looked like she’d been pulled through a keyhole, backward, and freckles stood out like tobacco juice on her pale skin. But she was damned near irresistible, in Rafe’s estimation.
He adjusted his hips against hers and whispered, “There’s something I’ve always wanted to do, Helen. From the first time we met.”
“That’s all you ever think about,” she choked out indignantly, but her thick lashes fluttered traitorously.
“Not that, Prissy,” he said with a husky laugh, chucking her under the chin. “This.” He lowered his face toward hers slowly, giving her the chance to protest, but hoping against hope that she wouldn’t. “Just a kiss. That’s all. Just one kiss.”
“No,” she said on a soft moan, but she was already raising her parted lips toward his.
At first, he merely brushed his lips across hers, but a spark of electricity ignited, so powerful his heart slammed against his chest walls and his skin tingled all over. “Sweet. So sweet,” he murmured against her dewy lips.