Page 62 of Rescue Me (Tempting SEALs 6.10)

“It’s your fault … that these guys are scum? I don’t… think so.”

“Devine threatened me,” she confessed, searching his dark eyes in the night, looking for signs that he was going to pass out again. “After Joey’s sentencing.”

She told Seth what Devine had promised would happen to her if Joey ended up dead. “I should have told someone.”

“Yeah,” Seth agreed, “you should have. We should have had … a detail watching you. But the bottom line is, this should … have been the safest place you could be. No one would have thought Devine would … track you here.”

“And yet he has.”

“Look, we’re going to get out of this. Those two … they’re in a bad way. Out of shape … hurting and pissed off about it. In those shoes … they probably have bleeding blisters.

“They’ll … fade soon, okay? Then we’ll figure something out. Just don’t … panic on me. You need to … keep it together.”

She nodded, shored herself up. “I’m okay. You’re the one I’m worried about.”

She watched his face as he tried to find a more comfortable position. “I’m fine. Move on over here, though. It’s going to get damn … cold before this night is over. We need to share body heat since it’s … obvious who’s going to be using our bedrolls tonight.”

Elena glanced at the two men. Jake was already settling into her sleeping bag. Benny, evidently, had been tagged with first watch. He sat with his back against a rock, watching them, the pistol clutched loosely in his hand.

As clichéd as it sounded, Seth was right about needing to share body heat. Moving slowly and quietly, she rolled to her other side so her back was facing Seth’s front. Then she scooted back against him, pressing as much of her back to as much of him as she could to share heat.

His big body shivered against hers and she felt a sick knot of dread.

“Closer,” he said, his breath feathering along her nape. “We’ve got to keep warm.”

“You’re going into shock,” she whispered, spooning her body back against his.

“No. I’m fine. Just a little … chilled. I’m counting on that hot Martinez temper to warm me up.”

He breathed deep and nuzzled his face deeper into her neck. “Workin’ already,” he whispered, and Elena realized exactly what might be heating him up.

Her bottom was pressed tight against his groin. Very tight as his erection grew against her.

“

You have got to be kidding,” she whispered, astonished.

“Sorry, darlin’.” Seth rocked his hips closer to her. “It’s the adrenaline. But there’s good news. It’s working. I’m getting warmer by the minute.”

Oh, God. She couldn’t believe he’d actually made her smile. “Adrenaline, huh?”

“Cut me a break here, Martinez. It’s not like I … have a lot of control over this.”

No, she thought, feeling her own body respond with warmth as his heated up behind her. It wasn’t as if either of them had any control. All that stuff about life or death situations and heightened senses were apparently true. She was acutely aware of everything around her—including the raw sexuality of the man at her back.

They lapsed into silence. Above them the sky spread out like a bolt of velvet, littered with millions of stars. A night breeze danced around the canyon walls. It was so quiet she could hear the rhythm of the Colorado cutting its endless path fifty or so yards below them in the base of the canyon.

“Seth? You still awake?”

“Yeah,” he said sluggishly. “I’m awake. Talk to me. I need you to talk to me.”

A snore drew their attention toward the lean-to.

“One down,” Seth whispered. “Which one is it?”

Elena strained to see in the dark. “Jake.”

“How’s Cravets holding up?”

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