My heart sinks on his words. Of course, he's just doing his job. What did I expect anyway?
I'm a jumpy mess of nerves, and he probably has a girlfriend. Or a wife.
He doesn't have a ring on.
Lots of married guys don't wear rings.
Yes, he definitely has to be taken.
Doesn't matter. Plus, he asked me questions, and I didn't answer. That isn't a great way to start a relationship.
A relationship. Jeez. I've been living in the jungle for too long. And the last thing I need is another man.
But he's not like Carlos or any of the other men I've been living with the past eight months.
I don't know that.
"Are you going to put that T-shirt on or just hold it?" Zoe smirks.
"Oh. Right."
I quickly strip and put the T-shirt on.
Oh God, it smells like him. I take a few deep breaths.
When was the last time I wore panties or a bra?
I get in bed and under the blanket.
"Did you just ask yourself when the last time you wore underwear was?" Zoe asks.
I softly laugh. "How did you know?"
"I've been trying to figure it out all night."
"I don't remember," I admit.
"Me, either. Being here feels so..."
"Not real?"
She slowly nods. "Yeah. I tried to remain myself for all those months, but I never cared about wearing undergarments before. So maybe I've gone crazier than I thought."
"If you are, then I am, too."
Dirk comes in.
"What are you doing here?" Zoe asks.
His lips twitch. "I'm going to sleep. Move over."
"Move over? No."
He throws his backpack on the floor next to Zoe. "I'm kidding. But stop talking so I can sleep."
"You stop talking. No one asked for your input in our conversation."
He snorts. "Whatever."
Hunter comes back in. He does the same as Dirk but puts his backpack on the floor near my head.
I turn on my side to face him. "That doesn't look comfy."
He winks, and my insides turn to Jell-O. "I'm fine. Get some rest, Flower."
It doesn't take me long to fall asleep. At some point in the night, I roll off the bed and onto Hunter's chest. I almost scream, but he quickly puts his hand over my mouth.
"Shh. You're okay, Flower. You rolled off the bed." His warm breath hits my ear and tingles erupt.
My heart beats hard against his. His eyes lock with mine, and he slowly removes his hand.
Our faces are inches apart. His eyes drift to my mouth. His erection hardens beneath my sex and my loins pulse.
I break the promise I made to myself to stay away from men. He's a beautiful specimen of a man—a demigod of muscle and flesh and blood pumping through his veins.
And I crave him.
The ache in my body grows with every second. It's like a tap has been turned on and it floods every molecule that exists within me.
He caresses my head and slides his fingers through my hair. But he doesn't take from me. It's dark, and the flecks of gold in his eyes intensify and shine in the blackness as he waits. The increased rising and falling of his chest pushes into mine, and his palm holds my head firm next to his lips. Slowly, his other hand slides over my naked ass.
It's been forever since I've felt a touch from a man that sparks anything in me. But no one has ever created the fire his touch on my body evokes. It's all-consuming. The way he holds me is dominant. I should roll off him and stay away.
Possessiveness is what drew me to Carlos. The way he took control gave me a sense of how much he wanted me. But it was a destructive mistake I made. And I grew to hate it.
Hunter's hands on my body make it clear what he wants. But it's different from Carlos. Carlos took without permission. Hunter is waiting for me to make the next move.
Maybe I'm more screwed up than I thought because I don't want him to claim me. Like the air I breathe, I need him to.
He swallows hard then licks his lips, and I lean in.
His lips part the moment I touch them, and our tongues collide in a slow-burning fire that grows and stirs every scrap of desire in my body.
But it isn't just need he ignites. His kisses inject life into me.
Being with Carlos brought out fear, pain, and death in me. Hunter is a well of warmth and safety, along with a serving of danger and adrenaline.
The lust in my belly expands until my body is throbbing for more. I don't think about the others around us. It's only Hunter and me, and I reach down and release his pants and sink on his hard cock.
Our kisses become a mix of tongues and breath and soft whispers.
Every thrust of his body is like a dose of drugs to my veins. My knees dig into the floor, and I desperately circle my hips on him.
His strong hand kneads into my ass, pushing me farther onto him, controlling my speed, guiding every spasm of my walls that collide into his hard, pulsing flesh.
As I shatter on him, he muffles my whimpers with his kisses, then groans in my mouth as he detonates inside me.
I collapse on him, and he holds my head to his chest while we both catch our breath.
His palm slides from my ass up my back, caressing my skin.
Hunter Ward came out of nowhere. I don't know him. I shouldn't have any feelings for him. I definitely shouldn't trust him or have had sex with him.
But the walls of my prison have been broken. And once you've escaped, you never want to go back.
And freedom can make you a bit careless.
4
Hunter
Hours pass. Vanessa fell asleep on me not long after our encounter. I've not moved a muscle, afraid I'll wake her. But it's getting lighter out. Like myself, the other guys are used to waking up before sunrise. It's an internal clock we have from years of being on military tours and then rescue missions.
I've never slept with a target before. There's never even been a circumstance where I contemplated it. And Interpol's rules on sleeping with the enemy or targets are blurred. Nothing defines we can't. There is even training on protecting yourself if you ever have to sleep with the enemy. I haven't taken it because it's mostly for the spy unit, but I've heard about it.
The guys on our team have been together for years. The only incident I know about is when Kalim crossed the line with a target named Annabella. That was years ago, and only a handful of us were on that mission. And she's haunted him since.
Besides the Kalim incident, there's a professional boundary I've not crossed. Not that I ever judged Kalim. The guys on the team who weren't on that mission learned about it. And we all saw how Kalim changed and has pined for her ever since.
I don't know all the details about their relationship, but if Kalim experienced an ounce of what I'm feeling toward Vanessa, I'm screwed. And I'm not one to normally get attached so soon.
My watch says 4:30 a.m. I lean into Vanessa's ear and murmur, "Flower."
She begins to stir, and I cover her mouth in case she doesn't remember right away who I am.
I repeat, "Flower."
She stirs, and her eyes widen, but then she recognizes me.
If the guys see us together, I'm fine with it. But I don't want Vanessa to have to answer questions from anyone. While the guys wouldn't say anything to her, I can't guarantee the women won't. "The guys will be up soon."