Page 38 of Mountain Defender

Her suggestion had his lips quirking. “Trying to put some distance between us?”

She cocked her head in an I’m-so-done-with-you manner. “I’m just practical. This is how we’re taught in the procedurals.”

“I know, but usually there are more people.”

When she switched on her own light, it was pointed at his eyes. The beam seared directly into his brain stem.

“Sorry,” she said all too sweetly.

“Sure you are.” He blinked to bring his pupils back to a normal size and once he could see without halos of light in his vision, he fixed her with a glare.

He pointed at the neighbor’s light in the distance. “You start from here and walk toward that light. I’ll start over there.”

She nodded and set off walking in a slow sweep. The snow was thicker among the trees where the sunlight rarely broke through the canopy, but the walking was easy compared to much of the terrain Tripp navigated on a daily basis.

After a few steps, he glanced over at Alexia. She moved parallel to him in slow steps, her flashlight beam gliding across the small bumps of snow that concealed roots or branches like the one she’d tripped over earlier.

He clenched his fist, practically feeling her body under his hand. He wanted to feel her body underhis.

Maybe a good hard fuck would work her out of his system and release some of the frustration she filled him with.

After a few more steps, she stopped. The line of her shoulders tensed.

Then he heard the noise of twigs breaking under the weight of feet.

Tripp never stopped to think before he was bounding around a thick tree and rushing toward her. When he threw his body in front of her, he kept a firm grip on her arm.

“What—”

“Shh!”

She silenced, and they both listened to the sound that seemed to be moving off in another direction, away from the house with the outdoor light.

Her body heat scorched over his side as she stepped up beside him so close that their bodies touched.

He twisted to look at her. “You okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. What was that noise? It sounded like somebody walking.”

“Somethingmore than likely. A deer or a neighbor’s dog.”

She shivered. “Maybe I should have taken you up on that hotel room.”

His stare narrowed on her. Her elegant features and pale skin shouldn’t make him feel even more protective of her, yet he still felt the rush of adrenaline in his veins. Fact was, he would have killed for her.

His hand moved on its own. Suddenly, he gently nudged her chin up with his knuckle.

“Bryson…”

“That’s the second time you’ve used my name. Next time I want to hear you moaning it.” He swooped in and laid claim to her lips.

As soon as he crushed her plump mouth under his, a rumble ripped from his throat. And god help him, she softened in his grip.

Her body moved into his hands. Looping her hand around his neck, she pulled him in while he plundered her mouth. When he slipped his tongue through her defenses, she let out a gasp that sounded too much like a moan.

Her taste was pure woman. His cock pulsed hard against his fly, and he forgot about their reason for being together in the first place. Only one thought settled in his brain—get her to a bed. Now.

Even as his brain mentally mapped out the location of the nearest motel, he lost himself in the kiss. When she pulled back, he followed her. No way was he letting her move an inch now that he had her in his arms.