Page 7 of Dark Flame

“Sure thing,” he said, cursing under his breath.

Did she know he was thinking of her? He was certain that his face showed it. Truth be told, Flip’s experience with women was minimal, at best. He had one serious girlfriend in college, but her idea of intimacy was a hand job and a towel.

In the Army, your choices were limited, but Flip did have a brief fling with a female soldier who saw him as a distraction and a challenge. Or at least a challenge she thought she could mount.

She wasn’t beautiful, certainly nothing to write home about, but she had a rocking pair of tits and gave a blow job like nobody’s business. Flip was certainly well-endowed, and she seemed to delight in taking on the task of trying to shove his cock down her own throat. But that was where their experience ended. Multiple hand jobs, a dozen blowjobs or so, and one act of penetration. Ironically, that one act ended his relationship with the female soldier. She loved sucking but didn’t like the fucking, especially with a man that almost split her in two.

He watched as Nat twisted her tangled mass of hair onto her head and set the frying pan on the hot coals. The burgers sizzled as they hit the skillet, and the night air filled with the scent of cooked meat. The fire was so hot it would only take a few minutes for them to cook through. She expertly flipped them several times and then placed a few slices of cheese on them.

Flip and Spook’s stomachs immediately growled as if on cue, and they turned to see Nat plating the burgers.

The first thing Spook noted was that the burgers were cooked exactly as he and Flip liked – medium rare – and she had not asked either their preference. The juices were seeping seductively from the sides, the huge patties almost calling to them.

“These look delicious, Nat!” said Spook, sitting on the log in front of the fire.

She handed him the plate with three burgers and a handful of chips, and he nodded his thanks. She turned to Flip and handed him a similar plate but with four burgers, and he smiled down at her.

“Four? You know me too well,” he grinned. He felt his face redden at the overtly familiar comment, and she graced him with a blush as well.

“It does feel odd that I seem to know what you guys need ahead of time,” she said quietly. “Have you noticed that?”

They both nodded. Along their route several times, while they stopped to refuel, Nat would run into a convenience store and come out with bags full of snacks. Not just any snacks, the exact snacks Flip and Spook were craving moments earlier. She filed that information away in her head and focused on her own meal.

Two hours later, the meal was eaten, the mess was cleaned up, and the team was ready to hit the sleeping bags. Except Nat realized she reeked.

“I need a shower,” said Nat, smelling the greasy scent of beef and fire smoke in her shirt.

“I’ll walk over with you and watch the door,” said Flip, standing calmly from his seat. He rubbed his palms on the front of his jeans, nervous at the thought of Nat behind a shower door naked.

“No need, big guy. Unless you’re going to shower as well. I can take care of myself.” She waved her hand casually at Flip and picked up her toiletry bag, a clean shirt, and yoga pants.

“I know you can take care of yourself, Nat, but the kid said they’re co-ed. I don’t know who else is camped here, and it would make me feel better,” said Flip, taking a step toward the showers.

“Well, it would make me feel better if you would trust me to take care of myself,” she said with her hands on her hips.

Flip looked over at Spook, who shrugged his shoulders with a curl of his lip. He was enjoying this little banter and thought it would be good for Flip, but he also felt like Nat should use a little more caution until they were safely back together with the others.

“Fine,” he said, reluctantly sitting back down. “I’ll wait right here.”

She nodded at him, grabbed her shower kit, and hugged her things close to her chest as sauntered off to the shower.

“You got her, right?” asked Flip to Spook.

“You know it, brother. She’s got her cell phone with her, even though we don’t have a signal out here. Because I have the signal in my head already, I’ll still hear if anything is going on with her. Don’t worry, big man. I’ll hear anything happening.”

“I wish I could explain it, Spook, but that woman is mine. I know it. She was made for me, and I need to find a way to get her to see that as well.” Spook grinned.

“Maybe you start with actually telling her that. That seems a good place.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Nat looked over her shoulder to see Flip and Spook seated around the campfire.

Men! Why did they all believe that women were helpless, fragile creatures? She had been on her own longer than either of them and certainly knew a few things about survival. No, she wasn’t some big, badass military guy; no, she hadn’t saved hundreds in far-off countries; no, she didn’t have a weapon other than her own hands, but dammit, she knew how to take care of herself.

Even as she said the words in her head, she had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, briefly contemplating going back to ask for Flip’s support. He was right. She was still just a small woman with the ability to light fires. Someone could restrain her and her hands, and she’d be left defenseless.

Shaking her head, she stood at the door to the bathhouse and hesitated.

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