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  much. The material was a little thin and she was a lot cold.

  “It’s midnight,” she said.

  “Yes. You turning into a pumpkin?”

  “Griffin,” she said on a laugh. “What’s this about?”

  “Told you. Chemistry.”

  “I’m not dressed.”

  “I know,” he said. “That’s my favorite part.”

  She shut the window and vanished from sight. There was a pause, and he knew it could go either way for him. But then he heard her flying down the interior stairs.

  Her front door opened.

  She’d pulled on jeans and a sweater, which wasn’t a surprise. It was a little much to have hoped she’d come out in her sexy pj’s.

  She walked straight to him, close enough to share air, and stared up into his eyes.

  There was something about how she did this, how she looked at him as if he was important, as if he meant something to her. Not because he’d been a soldier or because he’d done anything for her. It was simply that she liked him. Him. Which reached inside and squeezed something deep.

  Until recently, his world had been made up of people who reported to him or he reported to. Either way, few ever dared to go toe-to-toe with him.

  And yet Kate did. She wasn’t intimidated or afraid. She was cautious—she was smart to be—but it didn’t hold her back.

  Nothing did.

  She had this sweet, warm, open personality that drew people in like bees to honey, but there was more to her than that. So much more. She might be quiet and sometimes reserved, but she wasn’t shy. And she wasn’t vulnerable or weak either.

  In fact, it was possible that she was the strongest person he’d ever met.

  “Hi,” she whispered.

  “Hi,” he whispered back.

  Smiling, she reached up to brush the scar over his temple. “Better,” she said with relief. “You’re really okay.”

  He was better, yes. As for being okay, that remained to be seen. Because typically, when he was with her, he never felt okay. When he was with her, he was on a roller coaster, an out-of-control roller coaster, and while he loved a good thrill, sometimes she terrified the shit out of him.

  Like now. Standing there, all soft and warm from her bed, a little mussed and a whole lot sweet with the TLC she was doling out. He felt like he needed to get control of this ride and quick. She gave to everyone around her but never did anything for herself. Tonight was for her. Catching her hand in his, he slid his thumb over the pulse at the base of her wrist. “Ready?” he asked.

  “For what?”

  He smiled and watched her gaze drop to his mouth.

  “Oh boy,” she whispered.

  He stroked a finger along her jaw. “Still with me, Kate?”

  “You say my name a lot,” she said.

  “I like your name.”

  “Studies show that saying a person’s name creates an instant link between you,” she said.

  He smiled. “I’m making you nervous.”

  “Yes.”

  “I like you a little nervous. Kate.”

  She let out a low laugh and turned to take him inside, but he stopped her.

  “No?” she asked.

  Hell, yes. But no. This time was for her. “Dinner,” he said.

  “It’s late. I can cook.”

  Oh yes, she could. She was cooking his brain pretty good just standing there. “I don’t want you to have to do anything,” he said.

  She gave him a melting smile, and he decided she was giving him too much credit. “Kate, if we go inside, you’ll be dinner.”

  “Oh,” she breathed softly, and stared at his mouth. “Well, if you’re hungry . . .”

  With a laughing groan, he opened the truck door and all but shoved her in. He drove them through town and up into the hills, turning off the paved road onto a dirt one. They headed up and then up some more, the truck rocking from side to side, making Kate grab the oh-holy-shit bar on the door, but when he glanced at her, she was grinning from ear to ear.

  “Faster,” she said.

  With a laugh he did as the lady directed.

  * * *

  When Kate was as good and lost as she’d ever been, Grif put the truck in park and turned off the engine.

  The night was dark. She couldn’t see, but she could hear the tall trees swaying lightly in the wind. The only other sound was her accelerated breathing.

  Griffin reached out, and her body quivered in anticipation, but he stretched for something behind her.

  A condom?

  God, she hoped so.

  But he came up with a . . . down jacket.

  “Here,” he said, and handed it to her, followed by a hat, scarf, and gloves.

  All about six sizes too big. “What are we doing?” she asked, disappointed to be putting clothes on instead of taking them off.

  He laughed softly, assuring her that he’d read her mind. Then he slung the scarf around her neck and leaned in close to zip the jacket up to her chin. “Gloves,” he ordered.

  She slipped into the gloves while he waited. “What about you?” she asked.

  “I’m warm-blooded.”

  No kidding.

  He pulled her out of the car. “It’s like forty degrees,” she said.

  “Thirty-five,” he said, lifting his hand like a wolf sniffing the air. “Maybe thirty-six.” He brought her to the back of the truck, opened the tailgate, and then lifted her up to sit. Then he hopped up beside her with ease. He spread out a blanket behind them.

  “Okay,” she said on a laugh. “If you think I’m baring any of my very special places out here, you are sorely mistaken.”

  He flashed her that devastatingly sexy grin of his. “Special places?” Still grinning, he kissed her. “No,” he murmured against her lips. “No baring of your special places. Close your eyes, Kate. Trust me,” he said when she hesitated.

  She closed her eyes.

  His hands went to her shoulders, pressing, urging her to lie back. She felt him hover over her for a moment, and her mouth tingled for the touch of his.

  Every part of her tingled for his touch.

  She could feel the warmth of his breath. The heat of his body. There in the dark they shared air for a few beats, her mouth parting in anticipation, but then he flopped over onto his back at her side and her eyes flew open. She gaped at him, heart racing, body aching. “What was that?”

  “A tease.”

  “Why?” she demanded.

  He laughed low in his throat, sounding very male. “I’m ramping up the anticipation.”

  If he ramped it up any more, she wouldn’t need him; she’d simply spontaneously self-combust. “So we’re not going to . . .”

  “No.”

  He said this so firmly it took her a moment for the word to sink in. “But . . .”

  He sat up and opened a backpack she hadn’t even noticed he had. “Hungry?” he asked.

  “Yes, but not for food.”

  At her grumpy tone, he laughed again. “Be good.”

  “I’m not feeling good,” she grumbled. “In fact, I’m feeling decidedly bad.”

  “I love it when you’re bad, Kate,” he said. “Love it to the bone, but this isn’t about sex.”

  “You’ve got me in the bed of your truck out in the middle of nowhere under the stars,” she pointed out. “What is it about then?”

  He didn’t answer at first, just handed her a foil-wrapped something that turned out to be a chicken and cheese burrito from the town diner—her favorite. It was still warm, as was the to-go mug of hot chocolate he handed her next. She took a sip and stared at him. “You added cinnamon.”

  “Adam said you like that.”

  “You asked Adam what I like?”

  Looking a little uncomfortable, he lifted a shoulder, and for some reason that relaxed her a little bit. She wasn’t the only one out of her element here. Something to think about. Later. For now she was going to enjoy this unexpected gift of a fun evening. She