Page 20 of A First for the Playboy Dragon

Harrison looked down at her, their eyes met and she felt his desire before it appeared in his eyes, making her heart pound and her body tingle. “I shouldn’t do this, but I can’t help myself,” he said, lowering his mouth so that it was only inches from hers. “I want you, Juliet, more than I’ve ever wanted a woman. I don’t want to hurt you, I told myself that I’d stay away from you, but here we are alone together, and I can’t.”

His mouth came down on hers in a kiss that took her breath away, forcing her to cling to him as he ravaged her mouth, his hands roaming over her body, sending new waves of sensation shooting through her. When he finally pulled away, his chest heaving with the effort it took, she could only stare up at him, her body throbbing with need, the urge to throw herself back into his arms almost more than she could resist.

“We should probably go. It’s getting late, and I’m sure that you’re tired,” he finally said. “The cave isn’t far, but I can carry you if you’re tired.”

It took her a second to answer, her brain still jumbled by the sensations thundering through her. “I’ll be okay,” she squeaked. “Lead the way.”

Harrison took her hand, “Just stick with me,” he said. “You won’t be sorry.”

“I haven’t been yet,” she said, managing to smile at him. “I don’t suppose there’s any food in that cave of yours. I’m starving.”

Harrison laughed, “I’m afraid you’re going to have to settle for the power bars in my backpack,” he said. “They taste like cardboard, but they’ll give you the fuel you need.”

“Darn, I was hoping for a cheeseburger and fries,” she said, grinning at him. “But power bars will do.”

They skirted along the edge of the cliff wall for several minutes before she saw the dark opening in the rock, and a whole new set of worries sprang into her mind. “Do you think there’s anything else living in there?” she asked. “I wouldn’t want to disturb anything dangerous.”

“I’ll go in first and check,” Harrison said, slipping off his backpack. It will just take a second. I don’t think the cave is that big. We may have to crawl on our hands and knees to get inside, I hope you’re not claustrophobic.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, then looked around her. “But I’m not waiting out here for you; I’m coming in, too.”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of out here,” Harrison said, smiling at her. “And I have news for you; nothing that lives in the jungle wants anything to do with you either.”

“I’m still going with you,” she said. “I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m afraid of the dark.”

CHAPTER 13

***HARRISON***

Harrison crouched in front of the opening to the cave and peered inside, trying to penetrate the darkness, but it was completely black, and he couldn’t see anything. “We’re going to need some light before we go inside,” he said. “I can’t believe I forgot to bring a flashlight, rookie mistake.”

“I didn’t bring one either, so don’t be too hard on yourself,” Juliet said. “But I do have some matches. Will that help?”

“You bet,” he said, standing up and looking around. “I just need something to make a torch out of and we’ll be in business.”

After some searching and some fancy work with his pocket knife, he’d fashioned a torch out of a branch and some dead leaves. “This will burn quick, so we’ll have to move fast,” he said. “If the cave looks good, we’ll try to start a fire for light, but for right now, this is all we have.”

“How long will it burn?” she asked, digging the matches out of her backpack and handing them over.

“Ten minutes if we’re lucky, but maybe less,” he said. “Are you ready?”

She nodded, and he crouched in front of the cave opening again. He lit a match and set the torch on fire. “I’m going to go in first,” he said. I’ll let you know if it’s safe.”

He’d only crawled a couple of feet when the cave opened up around him and he thrust the torch out in front of him, hoping it would keep anything living inside at bay. But the cave was empty, and he climbed to his feet, looking around in awe at the cavernous space. Then, he turned back to the opening, relief pouring through him.

“It’s safe, come on in,” he called, holding the torch where it would light Juliet’s way. “You’re not going to believe what it’s like in here.”

He heard Juliet coming. Her head poked out of the opening and she froze, still on her hands and knees, staring at the cave. “It’s huge,” she said, taking his hand and climbing to her feet. It looks so small from the outside.”

Taking her hand, he started walking around the cave, slowly making his way to the back just to make sure there was nothing hiding in the shadows. “Look, Harrison, there’s a firepit back here,” Juliet said, squinting into the shadows, then grabbed his arm. “There’s something else back there, a big lump or something. Are you sure there’s nothing living in here?”

Holding the torch up higher, he slowly approached the mysterious shadow, knowing he didn’t have much time before they ran out of light. “Stay there, I’ll check it out,” he said, then a smile slowly spread across his face when he realized what he was looking at. “It’s supplies, boxes and boxes of equipment.”

He opened the one closest to him, “This one is full of food,” he said, then opened another one. “There are sleeping bags in this one.”

Juliet joined him and they opened the rest of the boxes one by one, celebrating when they found flashlights in the last box just as the torch was about to go out. “We’re more than set forthe night,” he said. “We just need a fire and we’ll be all warm and cozy.”

“Where did it all come from?” she asked, looking over at him, her face full of suspicion. “There’s fresh food in those boxes. None of this has been here very long. Someone put it here very recently, like in the last few hours.”

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