it flickered on, accompanied by his mother’s grunt of disgust. “I gotta?”
“Toby, please go back to bed,” Jami said, keeping her voice soft to retain control.
“Okay.” Turning to Grant, Toby reasoned aloud, “We’ll have to let mom sleep in our tent now—since she broke hers.”
“True. Now hit the sack.” Grant stepped behind Jami as Toby disappeared into the dome tent with the key-light sending a tiny yellow beam to light the way.
“What’s in my hair?” Jami asked in panic as she felt something tug and pull every time she turned her head.
“A tent pole.” Grant’s chuckle rumbled through the suddenly quiet night. “Stay still while I untangle your hair.”
“Yes, sir,” Jami retorted, snapping a Toby-like salute which she immediately regretted as her head jerked back painfully. “Ouch!”
“I told you to stay still.”
She felt Grant’s sure warm fingers at the nape of her neck as he gently unthreaded her hair, strand by strand to untwine it from the pole. Trying not to think about his touch or his disturbing nearness, Jami gazed upward, the only direction available to her as he worked on her hair.
Stars twinkled in a billion points of fairy light against midnight skies as a peaceful blanket cloaked the mountainside. How had Jami imagined the mountain night frightening? She’d never experienced such a calm, serene place. It felt magical. So did Grant’s touch as he skimmed his hands from Jami’s now freed hair to caress her neck and then her shoulders. She shivered.
“Are you cold?”
“Maybe.” Jami pivoted upon the crumpled canvas as she turned to face him.
“I’ve been waiting for this opportunity,” he whispered against her ear in a low throaty growl.
“What opportunity?”
“This.” Grant bent his head, slanting his mouth over hers, his powerful arms wrapping around her as if he’d never let her go. His lips captured hers in a dizzying kiss, gentle at first, then increasingly demanding to rob her of breath and reason.
The world dropped away, nothing existing other than Jami and Grant, hearts and bodies entwined as his mouth plundered hers. Lost in the wonder of his embrace, she moaned as his tongue darted between her teeth to torture hers in an exquisite duel.
Jami melted against him, skin fusing skin as her body molded to his. Desire exploded inside her, surging up from her core like liquid fire. She wanted this man. She craved this man. She needed this man...
She loved this man.
Jami’s mind locked at her silent admission. She pushed away, tearing her lips from his. “Stop.”
“Jami,” he moaned, trying to reclaim her mouth. “You drive me insane.”
“Don’t blame me for your insanity.” She turned away, rallying her willpower as he caressed her cheek with his thumb.
“I’ve never known a woman like you.”
“You do now.” Jami fought her desire to throw herself back in his arms.
“I want to know you better.” His fingertips drifted down her cheekbone to skim her chin and send a trail of sparks along her throat. “I want to know everything about you.”
“You might not like what you find out.”
“Oh, but I will.” Grant’s eyes gleamed in the starlight. “I’ve spent my entire life searching for you.”
“You don’t mean that,” Jami replied, her voice shaky and her heart beating as wildly as a trapped hummingbird.
“Does it frighten you?” He slid his arm from around her back, but didn’t step away.
“Please, ah, we should find my sleeping bag and my tote.” Jami tried to keep the tremor out of her voice as she spun around distraught, reminding herself that he was a womanizer. “It’s under here somewhere.”
“Your sleeping bag?” Grant repeated, his velvet tones still rich with passion. “Fantastic idea, woman. Toby must be asleep by now.” He reach out to touch her face, then drifted a finger over her bottom lip, moist and burning from his kiss. Grant’s voice dropped even lower, tingling along Jami’s spine. “Ever made love under the stars?”
“No, and I don’t plan to start tonight.” Desperately trying to ignore him, she began searching the canvas for solid lumps. She stooped over to pat a large bump. “I think this is my tote bag.”
Grant aimed the beam of his flashlight on the spot. “Here. Hold this while I lift up the canvas.” Once again, he seemed to recognize her growing panic. “We’ll get you safely ensconced in the tent next to your son.”
Tenderly, he bundled Jami into the sleeping bag next to Toby, a bag still warm from Grant’s big body. In exchange, he commandeered her bag and took it outside the dome tent to settle