Page 13 of Rescue Me (Tempting SEALs 6.10)

“Which offer was that? A ride on your motorcycle? Or the ride on you? I don’t consider sex an adventure. Sorry, Sam, but that can’t compare with this experience. Other than in both instances I’d be sweaty. Possibly panting.”

“I’m insulted,” he said, amused as hell. She’d be panting and sweaty, all right. He couldn’t wait. “You find sex boring, do you?” A statement like that from a woman, especially this woman, was like waving a red flag at a bull.

“It’s pleasant,” she muttered, damning one of life’s greatest perks with faint praise.

“With Bob it was pleasant.”

“Rob.”

“Because you weren’t that into each other.”

“We were married.”

“Sex between two people who want each other more than their next breath can be explosive.”

“I’ll take your word for it. I’ve taken life far too seriously up until now. School, school, and school. Opening my practice, building my practice. Long hours at the clinic—I’ve been living life in black and white. I want a little Technicolor.” She sounded resolved if not enthusiastic.

“Admittedly not as much Technicolor as being kidnapped at gunpoint, but something a few notches down from this would suit me just fine.”

Sam vowed she’d have as much Technicolor as she could handle. Soon. “What does your family think about this wild idea you got about coming to Africa?”

“My sister’s been in Mallaruza for a couple of months, and loves it. I thought starting out slowly by going to Cape Town would give me the flavor of Africa. I also wanted to experience the people and different culture—”

“You were kidnapped and taken to a country even more dangerous than the first.”

“Thank you for reminding me. I’m already scared out of my wits. I bet my sister would love every insane second of this. Kess isn’t scared of anything.”

“Then she’s a moron,” Sam told her bluntly. He hadn’t met Beth’s sister. But she sounded like a flake with a death wish to him. He had no idea why Beth was so determined that she could or should match her sister’s rash behavior. Especially when she didn’t have the stomach for it.

“So you’re the sane one, and she’s the wild one?”

“I

’m the boring daughter, and Kess is the bold one. She’s always taking exciting vacations, which is why I wanted to do something bold for once.”

“But why Africa? With your love of Italian food, why not Italy?”

“I’m saving that to go with—”

“With?”

“Somebody.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know yet,” she said, sounding cross. “Someone special. Probably my sister.”

Liar. If she were going to go with her sister she would have done so already. “Why didn’t you go with your husband?”

“He liked American vacations.”

“Yeah? How many of those did you take together?”

“We were too busy going to med school and starting the practice. There are plenty of places in the States where you can learn new techniques. Plenty of places that are exciting and different. Didn’t have to be Africa.”

“Didn’t have to be. But was.”

He set a grueling pace to make up time. When necessary, he slashed a path through the vegetation with the machete. Gnats and mosquitoes swarmed around them, heard but unseen in the dark. He’d made sure that every inch of exposed skin was covered in DEET, but the chances of getting bitten anyway were high.

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