Page 66 of Burnin' For You
Reuben leaned back, settled his arm around her.
Silence fell around them, the smell of smoke drifting in the air or perhaps off their clothes, the sounds of the forest around them, a chirrup, the far-off howl of a wolf.
She turned to him. “God is on your side, Reuben, and I’ll prove it.”
He glanced at her. “How?”
She swallowed, thrumming up the courage to believe the words she’d just spoken. “When we get back, you should ask me to dance with you again at the Hotline.”
He blinked at her, a half frown, half smile on his face. “Oh, you don’t want to do that.”
“Try me.”
It was the texture of her words, the softness of them that startled her.
Because not only had she just invited Reuben into her life but maybe, at the moment, into her arms.
And, by the way he was looking at her, he had read her meaning clearly.
She swallowed, and he searched her face a long moment.
“I really have to kiss you,” he said softly.
She nodded, and he brought his hand up, cupped it around her neck, drew her close.
And then he was kissing her. Sweetly, with enough passion to suggest he might be thirsty for her, but gentle enough not to spook her. He smelled of fire, yes, and sweat, and tasted salty, but she couldn’t help but reach up and finally,finallyrun her fingers through that tempting thatch of whiskers. He made a sound of approval, and she felt something inside her release.
Reuben. Here, right here, yes, she could believe that she didn’t have to be tough, didn’t have to be brave. Could let go, let him hold her.
Protect her.
She curled her hand around his neck and sank into him, kissing him back with a hunger she didn’t expect. Didn’t understand.
But for the first time—ever—she felt totally safe.
In fact, as he settled his arms around her, she realized… Gone was the shudder of revulsion, the rise of panic, the tumult of horror.
Just Reuben and his arms around her, kissing her with such tenderness it made her ache. She opened her mouth, deepened her kiss, and it wasn’t long before he pulled away, his eyes wide, trembling a little.
“You know how to keep a man awake,” he said.
“I feel it’s my duty as your teammate to do everything I can to help you stay alive.”
“You’re the best smokejumper I’ve ever met,” he said with a smile.
Chapter 7
The early dawn pressed away the shadow from the creek bank, back into the folds of the trees, the smell of pine thick in the morning dew. The faintest hint of smoke hung in the air—Reuben guessed the Davis Canyon fire must be growing. Which meant that his team was even closer to trouble. And although he and Gilly still sat in a pocket of shadow, he could see enough to realize the truth.
She wasn’t going anywhere on that knee.
Gilly sat with her back to the boulder, her mouth in a grim line of pain. He’d had to widen the rip in her pants to get a good look at her knee. How she’d walked on it, how she’d half dragged him through the forest, he couldn’t imagine.
She was a toughie.
The morning light revealed their battle from last night. Gilly wore the scrapes and bruises of their flight through the forest, grime on her face, her jumpsuit so grubby she might have rolled in the dirt. She had, actually, as she’d fled the cabin. Her dark auburn hair had come undone from her ponytail, but determination lit her beautiful blue eyes.
Yeah, she would have made a fantastic smokejumper. He wished he’d known her back when she was trying out. He would’ve figured out a way to tap into that fighter inside, get her out the door and into the sky.