Page 71 of The Tracker's Rage
He nodded.
“And the new arrow tattoo around your biceps?”
“Also you. You pierced my heart through and through like the Cupid that you are.”
My heart melted, forming a puddle at the bottom of my chest. How could I resist this man? We exchanged a smile. Tenderly, he leaned close and kissed the top of my head. Suddenly, he scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the bedroom.
“Wait, what are you doing?”
He laid me on the bed. “After today, you need rest. You look tired.”
“Way to get my hopes up,” I teased.
With one swift motion, he removed his shirt, muscles rippling. The sweatpants Ulfen had provided rode low and clung tightly to him, revealing his sizable anatomy and leaving little to the imagination. His chest was smooth and tanned. The swell of his pecs tapered down into a perfect six-pack and a V that dove south and made my mouth go dry.
“O-kay,” I said, tearing my eyes away from his fine body. “So what is this? The Torture Toni Thirst Trap?”
“No, it’s bedtime. Scoot over.”
“Did you forget about that pact thing you were talking about just a moment ago?”
“As long as you can control yourself, we should be all right.”
I raised my eyebrows. “As long asIcan control myself?”
He made sweeping motions with his hands, a smartass smirk shaping his gorgeous lips.
Narrowing my eyes, I scooted to the other side of the bed. He lay on top of the sheets, arranged the pillow under his head, interlaced his fingers over his chest, and closed his eyes.
I admired his profile, as his face relaxed, his lips parting slightly. His strong chest and flat stomach rose and fell. A light dusting of hairs started below his navel and disappeared under the waistband. I had trailed kisses down that path before, and I was tempted to do it now.
But no. I would show him that I could control myself. The question was: could he?
I left the bed and went into the bathroom. I was about to close the door, but I thought fair was fair. I could play his game too. So I left it open a crack. With my back to the door, I took off my clothes and discarded them on the floor. I stood naked in front of the mirror and, in the reflection, caught sight of Jake peering at me. I pulled a nightie from an overnight bag I’d left by the sink and slipped it on. It barely covered my butt and had an open back and spaghetti straps. The front scooped low, and my nipples poked through the thin fabric. I got back into bed and laid next to Jake, facing him. His eyes were wide open now, traversing the length of my body, pausing at my breasts as he licked his lips.
“Sleep tight, Jake,” I said, glancing down at the bulging shape in his pants.
I squirmed, trailing my fingers down the sheets and imagining I was caressing his torso. I pressed my thighs together, biting my lower lip, and inhaling his musk.
“Stop, Toni,” he said in a growl.
“Um? What are you talking about?”
“You know damn well what I’m talking about.”
I turned my back on him, my nightie shifting and climbing up my backside. Jake hissed in a breath, jumped out of bed, and peeling the sheets off the bed, threw them over me.
Glancing back over my shoulder, I said, “Oh, thanks. I was starting to get cold.”
“Maybe I’ll go sleep on the sofa,” he said.
I sobered. “No. Stay. I promise I’ll behave.”
He thought about it for a moment, then lay back down. For a few beats the sexual tension between us hummed in the air. It passed slowly until we were both breathing rhythmically, allowing sleep to cozy up to us.
Without thinking, I scooted closer and nestled my head in the crook of his arm. We both sighed in contentment and fell asleep together.
