The woman who, thanks to hours spent in sensual exploration last night, he now knew a whole lot about. And damned if he didn’t like everything he’d learned.
After a leisurely shower-during which they’d both been worked into a lather in more ways than one-they’d raided the minibar. While sharing a can of peanuts and a soft drink, they’d talked about their lives and interests. Aside from the fact that she was a generous, uninhibited, and exciting lover, Maddie was smart, funny, savvy, and possessed an almost encyclopedic knowledge of movies and baseball stats. When they discovered they’d attended rival universities, a friendly debate had ensued regarding whose school was better.
He learned she was an only child and that she envied him his close-knit relationship with Claire and Sophie. That she loved animals, played a mean game of tennis, a horrible game of chess, loved shopping at flea markets, collected antique teapots, and considered her curly hair a curse-an opinion he thoroughly disagreed with. She loved to cook, hated doing laundry, adored the beach, had never been snow skiing, and hoped to vacation in Italy next year.
He’d felt completely at ease with her and more than once he mentally shook his head, unable to believe this intelligent, interesting, sexy-as-hell woman was the same person he’d dubbed “Mad Dog” and had been at odds with for the past month. With each new thing he discovered about her, he found himself wanting to know more. Wanting to know everything. It had been a damn long time since he’d felt such a connection with a woman. A connection that went beyond mere physical attraction.
Not that he could deny he found her very physically attractive. He did. Painfully so. How the hell had he missed those beautiful soulful brown eyes? That gorgeous smile? Those luscious feminine curves? He didn’t know. Clearly he’d had his head in the sand. But now he knew, and he wondered how he was going to be able to forget now that their one-night stand was over.
After their can of peanuts and soda picnic on the bed, they’d made love again then fallen asleep. When the phone rang at five a.m. for their orienteering outing, he’d awakened to her snuggled against his side, one shapely thigh draped over his, her hand resting on his chest. And he’d liked the feeling. A lot. It had been a long time since he’d woken up with someone, and it brought home the realization of how lonely he’d been. How much he missed having someone special in his life. Missed being in a relationship. Being part of a couple. Caring for someone and being cared for in return.
Those feelings grew in intensity when she’d opened her eyes and greeted him with a sleepy good morning smile. And then a bout of soft, slow, morning sex-the perfect ending to what had been, as far as he was concerned, a perfect night.
He’d returned to his room to shower and dress for their orienteering outing, then met her in the lobby, where he was smacked with the realization that their night was indeed over. Maddie was all business, greeting him with a cool, professional smile, severely pulled back hair, black-rimmed glasses, and her no-nonsense attitude firmly in place. As if less than an hour ago they hadn’t been naked with each other.
Which unreasonably annoyed him. During the van ride to the heavily wooded orienteering course, his common sense reminded him that that’s what they’d agreed to, yet some other part of him was pissed-and incredulous-and damn it, maybe even a little bit hurt that she could so easily set aside what they’d shared. Because as far as he was concerned, what they’d shared had been… amazing. And certainly uncommon, at least in his experience.
“According to my calculations, the blue flag should be about four hundred yards due east,” she said, pointing to the right. She paused and consulted her map. “What do you think?”
That I want to yank down your jeans to see what you’re wearing beneath them. Then find out if you taste like cookies everywhere.
He raked a hand through his hair. Damn. This wasn’t good. Why couldn’t he do what she’d obviously done-enjoyed their one night together then forgotten about it?
Maybe because he’d enjoyed it so much. Too much.
“Jack? You okay?”
Her voice jerked him from his thoughts and he realized she was looking at him with a quizzical expression. He much preferred seeing arousal in her eyes. What would it take to see it there again? He didn’t know, but he sure as hell wanted to find out.
He took a step closer to her and noted with grim satisfaction the desire-and wariness-that flared in her eyes. Ah ha. Not as indifferent as she’d like him to believe. Excellent. He took another step closer and had to force himself not to smile when she backed up. “Actually I’m not okay.”
She retreated another step. “Oh? The sun getting to you? I have some sunscreen in my backpack.”
He shook his head and kept advancing in pace with her backwards retreat. “It’s not the sun that’s getting to me, Maddie.”
Her back hit the thick trunk of an enormous tree, stopping her. He halted a foot in front of her and planted a hand on the rough bark on either side of her head, caging her in. “You’re what’s getting to me, Maddie.”
She moistened her lips, and his entire body tightened at that flick of pink tongue. “Our night is over, Jack.”
“True. But I was thinking…” He leaned in, nuzzled the velvety soft skin beneath her jaw. Even in the woods she smelled like cookies. He leaned back and looked into her eyes. “What if we turned our one-nighter into a two-nighter?”
There was no missing the flare of interest, and arousal, in her eyes. “Well… we are staying at the resort another night,” she said in a musing tone.
“Exactly. And last night was pretty damn good.”
She cocked a brow. “Only pretty damn good?”
“Pretty incredibly amazing,” he amended.
“You forgot spectacular.”
“My bad.” He stepped closer and lightly rubbed his erection against her belly. “So what do you say?”
Her eyes widened. “That you either have a water bottle in your pocket or you’re really happy to see me.”
He smiled and inhaled what felt like his first easy breath since he’d seen her in the lobby that morning. “I’m really happy to see you.” He lowered his head and brushed his mouth over hers. He would have laughed at the intensity of his body’s reaction to such a featherlight kiss, but he suddenly felt incapable of levity. Raw hunger sizzled through him and he settled his mouth on hers, his tongue exploring all the delicious, warm softness it had discovered last night.
She looped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. With a groan, he plunged his hands beneath her sweater, loving the feel of her soft, warm flesh. He filled his palms with her breasts, his fingers slipping inside her bra to tease her hard nipples.
“Jack.” She gasped his name and fisted her hands in his hair.
“Just how private are these woods?”
“One hundred and fifty acres of nothing but us,” he assured her.
“And the van won’t be coming back for us for another hour.”
She yanked his shirt from his jeans and skimmed her hands up his torso, shuddering pleasure through him. “Damn, I wish I’d brought a condom,” she said, nipping at his neck.
He shrugged off his backpack at the same time hers hit the dirt. Then he applied himself to her jeans. “I’ve got one.” The words came out in a rush, like his increasingly rapid breaths.
“Because…?”
“Hope springs eternal.”
“Ah. Have I told you that I think you’re very smart?” she asked, sounding just as breathless as him, her fingers clearly as impatient as his as they attacked the button on his jeans.