Page 4 of Pacific Vortex! (Dirk Pitt 1)
We retreated to the cruiser and, after a quick discussion, settled on staying nearby until morning. The town had a small motel that seemed to be our best option.
The place was a bit run down, with peeling paint and neon signs flickering in and out. But it was a bed. We got rooms next to each other.
Standing outside our adjacent doors, the tension from the car ride returned full force. There was a charged energy between us, and I was hyper-aware of her every move.
"You okay?" she asked, breaking the silence, her voice soft.
“Yeah,” I replied, rubbing the back of my neck. "Just thinking."
She arched an eyebrow. "About?"
Taking a deep breath, I closed the small gap between us.
“This,” I murmured, pressing my lips to hers. The world around us seemed to vanish. I felt her melt against me, her hands curling into my shirt. The kiss was soft but filled with years of unsaid words and pent-up feelings.
Pulling back, I searched her eyes, finding them clouded with desire but also uncertainty. “Kay…”
She placed a finger against my lips. "I know. We should get some rest."
Feeling a familiar heat pooling in my lower abdomen, I nodded, suddenly tongue-tied. "Yeah. Rest."
I unlocked my door, pausing for a moment. "Goodnight, Kayla."
She smiled, her cheeks flushed. "Goodnight, Jake."
Inside my room, I leaned against the closed door, my heart racing. Between the urgent nature of our mission and the sudden rekindling with Kayla, sleep seemed like a distant dream.
Chapter Ten
KAYLA
The door closed behind Jake with a soft click, but the sound resonated loudly in my ears. Alone in my room, I was immediately surrounded by silence, interrupted only by the distant hum of an old AC unit. My pulse, however, was anything but silent. It was racing, each beat punctuated by the sensation of Jake’s lips on mine, his touch. A myriad of emotions swirled within me.
Slumping onto the edge of the bed, I buried my face in my hands. Damn it, Jake. He had a knack for upending everything in my world. It was just like back in high school when he'd walked away, leaving me shattered. I could recall nights spent crying into my pillow, wondering why I wasn't enough. Now, here we were, both changed, both scarred in our own ways, but that electricity was undeniable.
I rose and moved to the small mirror above the dresser, examining my reflection. There were a few loose strands of hair and traces of fatigue in my eyes. But they also held a spark I hadn't seen in a while. Beneath the officer’s stern facade, a young woman’s desires and dreams still existed.
Deciding a shower might clear my head, I gathered the spare set of clothes I always kept in the cruiser. The warm water cascaded over me, but it did little to wash away my racing thoughts. I remembered the feel of Jake’s fingers intertwined with mine, how they'd felt against the small of my back. With golden-brown wavy hair and those intense green eyes, Jake was undeniably handsome. But it wasn’t just about looks. It was the way he looked at me, the way he made me feel.
Wrapping a towel around myself, I hesitated for a moment. I was still inexperienced, naive in some ways, while Jake… Jake had lived. He'd had relationships, experiences I couldn’t begin to fathom. But right now, in this motel room, with our shared history and the urgency of the present, I didn't care about any of that.
There was an undeniable pull between us, one I couldn’t ignore anymore. Taking a deep breath, I changed into the spare clothes, a simple white tee and jeans, and left my room. Before I could rethink my decision, I found myself knocking on Jake’s door.
Seconds felt like hours as I waited, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he'd hear it through the door. The thoughts raced: What if he regrets it? What if he turns me away?
But I didn't have to wait long. The door opened, revealing Jake, his hair damp, probably fresh from a shower as well. The way his eyes trailed over me, assessing, wondering, was enough to make my skin tingle.
“Can I come in?” My voice was a little breathy, betraying more emotion than I’d intended.
“Yeah, of course,” he replied, stepping aside. There was a soft hesitancy in his tone, and it made my stomach flutter.
I glanced around the dimly lit room, catching sight of his bed. The image conjured a surge of want, a craving I hadn’t allowed myself to indulge in for years.
The room felt warmer, or maybe it was just the rising heat between us. I found a spot on the edge of his bed, and he stood a few feet away, creating a charged distance.
Our eyes met and locked, a silent exchange taking place. Time seemed to slow down, the world outside the room fading. And then, without a word, he closed the gap between us. His lips met mine in a rush of pent-up desire. His hands roamed my back, pulling me closer. Our bodies pressed together, the sensations amplified by every touch, every brush of skin against skin.
His mouth moved to my neck, leaving a blazing trail. My fingers found their way through his wavy hair, gripping it as his teeth grazed my collarbone. I gasped, feeling the growing hardness against my thigh. Everything in me screamed for more; my body was alive, wet, and aching with want.