blissfully satisfied.
This thing between us feels right.
All I do is feel how perfect this moment is.
I feel the aching burn between my legs, which still lingers after he drove me up and over the edge. He cups the back of my head, fingers stroking through my hair as I lay my cheek against his chest. The beating of his heart soothes me.
Slow. Steady. Calm.
Strong.
His confidence is sexy. His ability to push through and past his pain shows a strength I can only hope to one day emulate.
“Do we have to get up?” I swirl my fingers over his chest, drawing lazy circles as I curl against his hard frame.
“We don’t have to do anything at all.” He shifts beneath me. “But I should probably head out and grab some food.”
My stomach rumbles the moment he says that, reminding me the last food we had was on that chicken bus.
“I love the food down here, but I’d give a million bucks for a hamburger right about now.”
“I don’t think that’s on the menu.” Max shifts his body, separating us. He slides off the bed and strides over to the small bathroom while I watch his rock-hard ass.
Not an inch of fat on the man.
He shuts the door, then comes out a few moments later with his pants on. He tosses me my clothes then shrugs on his shirt. While he bends down to put on his boots, I dress in my somewhat clean but hard and scratchy clothes.
“Is there a place to shop around here?” I don’t like how my clothes feel and fidget as they settle on my skin.
“Probably, but who knows when they open. We’ll be out of here soon enough.”
“How soon? How long will it take Knox to find us?” I lean down and grab my shoes.
Max watches with a hard stare. “Bubbles?”
“Yes?”
“I’m not taking you out of this room.”
“Why not?”
“We arrived late at night. Nobody was up. The less we have people talking about us the better.”
“But you’re going out.”
“There’s a big difference between an American man alone and an American man with a gorgeous woman by his side. Especially with Benefield out there.”
“So, what? I have to stay here?”
“You’re safer here.”
“I’m safer by your side. I don’t like you leaving me alone.”
“You won’t be alone.” Max wanders over to the bedside table and grabs my gun. “You’ve got this.”
“And how long will you be gone? How long until I start getting worried?”
“You won’t have to worry about me. I’m just headed out to get something to eat. Nothing fancy.”
“You should stop and get some bandages for your leg.”
“I will.” Max tucks his gun under the waistband of his pants and pulls his shirt out over it. He reaches behind, testing the carry, then looks at the rifle leaning against the wall. “Let me show you how to use that.”
“I’m good with my gun.”
“Nevertheless…” Max doesn’t take no for an answer and spends the next thirty minutes showing me how to handle the gun.
It’s heavy. Smells like metal. And it’s cold, intimidating, and something I never want to touch. Not that I’m anti-gun. It’s just too big and awkward for me.
The next thing, before Max leaves, is another lecture about how to secure the door after he leaves. He shows me how to wedge the chair under the doorknob and how to kick it free.
“Now, when I come back, I’ll give two fast raps on the door, followed by three slow ones. That way you’ll know it’s me.” He demonstrates while I think it’s all overkill.
“If it’s this dangerous for me to be alone, maybe I should come with you?”
“Not happening.” He gives me one long look. “I won’t be long. Half hour tops. Probably a lot less than that.”
“How’s your leg?” It didn’t seem to bother him when we were in bed, but now that he’s up, he favors his good leg.
“Better.” He pulls out the small bottle of pills we got at the tiny village, then pops the remaining pills in his mouth. With a grimace, he swallows them down without any water.
When I tried to take a drink out of the sink last night, he pulled me off, saying something about the safety of the water. The thought of mixing all this up with a bout of Montezuma’s revenge—dysentery with diarrhea, cramps, nausea, and vomiting—kept me away despite my thirst.
On the chicken bus, he bartered for a bottle of soda with a pop-top. In the jungle, we found fresh water as it collected in