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Her legs took her across the room before she knew what she was doing. “Hey.” This was easier, concentrating on helping him, instead of how she was becoming increasingly obsessed with everything about him.
She smoothed his shirt open and sucked in a breath. Angry looking scar tissue laddered his skin. Jo skimmed her fingers across his skin as if soothing a wild animal likely to bolt. Heat rose off him like pure energy.
Griff caught her wrist. Air hissed between his teeth. “Seatbelt caught me yesterday when we went off the road.” He didn’t release her hand.
She challenged his gaze. “And the scar?”
He stilled, as if her question had taken him back to the moment of his injury. Tiny scars of stitching circled a smooth oval. He released her wrist, his fingers trailing down the sensitive skin on the inside of her forearm. “An op in England. Bullet caught me off-guard.”
He’d taken a bullet for someone. She swallowed, fully comprehending the reality of his job. “I hope they appreciated what you did.”
He nodded. “Oh, she did.”
“She?” The words were out before she could stop them.
His beautiful lips quirked. “Fox’s woman. Abbie. We were in England safeguarding her before she testified.”
“Ah.” She dropped her hand to her side but made no move to step back from him. His aura was magnetic, trapping her close.
“You’re sweet when you’re jealous.” His words were soft as he ran one finger under her jaw, tilting her head so she met his gaze.
“That’s… ridiculous.” His fingers were far from soft and the rasp of callous was exquisite against her skin. Breathe, Jo. Breathe.
“Really?” There was humor in his voice. He lowered his head, his nose bumping against her neck, just under her ear. “You smell so good. Just like I knew you would.”
His intoxicating scent dragged her under. Virile male. Pine needles and the tang of mountain water. She spread one palm on his chest, feeling the swell of muscle underneath. The thud of his powerful heart.
This was crazy, but she never wanted it to stop.
Time slowed as he grazed her neck with his teeth. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she surrendered to pure sensation as he planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. His scruff grazed across her skin as his lips moved, hovered over hers, his breath teasing her.
She opened her eyes, registering the molten desire in his eyes.
His lips found hers, and Jo didn’t resist. She was weak, and she didn’t care. Right now, there was nothing more she wanted than to taste this hardened man.
18
Desire battered Griff.
The connection he’d felt since he first laid eyes on Jo, lit him up inside, made him pull her against him, the soft haze of her sweater tickling his bare chest, a torturous reminder that it separated their skin.
He claimed her soft mouth, sensing the tension thrumming through her body, but as he teased the line where her lips met, planted one hand on the sweet curve of her hip, she softened under his touch.
She met the ferocity of his kiss as he deepened the kiss, trying to assuage the hunger her touch generated. His job required control, calculated reason, planning. He didn’t relinquish control, ever. He’d seen loss of control too many times in the damaged realms of his childhood. But right now, he wanted nothing more than to let go, to surrender to the hot rush inside him, to have Jo naked beneath him, her lithe legs wrapped around his waist. A groan escaped him as he plunged his fingers into the gloss of her hair, the kiss morphing into something frantic and heady.
The shriek of his phone cut through the heady haze of lust and Jo stumbled backward, severing the connection between them.
Griff’s breath came in short pants. What the hell was he doing? He dragged a hand through his hair, gathering himself as he pulled his cell from his back pocket. There’d been no signal earlier when he checked.
“Leo.” He tucked the phone under one ear and buttoned up his shirt, turning his back on Jo so he could get his scattered thoughts in order.
“What the fuck, Nyland? You’ve been out of contact for over twelve hours,” Leo barked.
“Yeah, well, there was an incident…” Griff closed his eyes briefly and clamped a hand to the back of his neck as he gave Leo a potted version of events.
“I’ll arrange recovery of your car. I know how attached you are to that antique.” Leo’s tone was matter of fact. “What’s your plan? Pick up?”
Griff’s head jerked. “No, no pick up for us.” Until he knew more, the safest place for Jo was as far off grid as he could keep her. “I want to keep her under the radar a little longer. I scouted the area this morning. We’re close to Skarsvag. It’s on the other side of the ridge. It’s all downhill. We’ll walk and get something to eat, reassess.”
