Grinning, he pulled up his pants and buttoned them up, his movements still unsteady. "Good is just too tame a word to describe that out of body experience. I was thinking more along the lines of phenomenal."

He glanced around them, beyond the shelter of the tree, and realized that while it was still raining, the initial torrent had passed. But that didn't mean they were in the clear, and they needed to take advantage of the slight lull while it lasted.

"We really need to get back to the cabin before the storm and winds kick up again, or else we could be out here for hours, and it's starting to get dark." They had about half an hour of any kind of daylight left, and it was getting gloomier by the minute. "I say we make a run for it."

"You're on." He hadn't meant it as a challenge, but she took it as one and upped the ante. "How about first one there gets the shower, and the other one has to make dinner?"

"Sure," he agreed, and pushed away from the tree. "Just so you know, I like my grilled cheese sandwiches nice and brown and crisp."

She laughed at him, and his presumptuousness. "I don't know why you're telling me this, since I'll be taking a long, hot shower while you're making dinner."

She took off down the trail, and he started after her, figuring he'd give Lora a bit of a lead before passing her up. Except he didn't take into account how sluggish his legs would be after that draining, and amazing, climax she'd given him, and that closing the distance between them would take too much effort and work when he was actually enjoying the view from behind.

As he followed after her and kept her in his sight, he came to the decision that he wanted this one last night with Lora, no matter how selfish it might be. Because tomorrow, when and if Zach showed up, everything was bound to change, and not necessarily for the better.

Chapter Fifteen

LORA walked out of the bathroom after a hot shower and into the living room, where Joel had built a fire in the hearth to help warm up the front rooms. With her hair towel-dried and wearing her favorite pair of pink cotton sweats and fuzzy socks, she headed into the kitchen, where Joel was pouring their steaming soup into bowls. She felt her stomach grumble hungrily, and realized that she was starved.

"That hot shower sure did feel good," she teased as she came up beside Joel at the counter. While he'd taken the time to change into dry clothes, his hair was still damp from getting caught out in the rain.

"I wouldn't know," he said, and cast her an envious look, one that lingered longer than necessary on her lips before lifting to her eyes. "I was busy slaving over the stove making your dinner."

She laughed and picked up the plates with their grilled cheese sandwiches to take to the small dining table.

"Now don't be a poor sport. We made a deal, and you lost. I can't help it if you're a slowpoke."

He carried over the bowls of soup, along with spoons, and set them down on the placemats. "Yeah, well, I didn't expect you to cheat."

"What?" Her tone rose incredulously, and she arched a brow his way as she sat down. "How do you figure that I cheated!"

He took the seat next to her. "You took complete advantage of a weakened man." His gaze took on a sexy glimmer, and the corners of his mouth twitched with a playful smile, leaving no doubt in her mind as to what, exactly, had worn him out.

Remembering her bold and shameless seduction, a warm blush swept over her cheeks. "You know, I'm finding it very hard to feel sorry for you."

"It was worth a shot," he said with a wink, and started in on his navy bean soup.

Taking a bite of her grilled cheese sandwich, she shook her head and pondered the change in Joel, from his earlier brooding attitude while chopping wood, back to the fun, flirtatious guy she'd originally met. He might have willingly surrendered to her lip service out in the middle of the storm, but she'd truly expected him to revert right back to being serious and all business once they returned to the cabin. She'd even anticipated the possibility of him expressing regrets for giving in to his desires, or launching into one of those "we shouldn't have" kind of speeches, and she was grateful that he hadn't done any of those things-because if he had, she would have had to just deck him.

She supposed it was the fact that they were a world away from civilization and the threat they'd left behind, she mused as they continued to eat their dinner in compardonable silence. Or maybe the carefree, laid-back atmosphere out there lent itself to a more relaxed attitude and mind-set. Whatever the reason, she was going to enjoy Joel's fun, cheerful mood while it lasted.

Finished with their meal, Joel leaned back in his chair and let out a contented sigh. "That was pretty darn good, if I do say so myself."

She rolled her eyes and decided to humor him. "Yeah, you're a regular Chef Boyardee."

He gave a low, lazy chuckle. "Yeah, that's about as good as it gets when you're a bachelor."

They stood up, and when he started stacking their plates and bowls to help clear the table, she brushed his hands away. "You go take your shower," she said, and carried the dirty dishes to the sink. "Since you made dinner, the least I can do is clean up the kitchen."

"You won't get an argument out of me." He put his hands up and took a step back. "Cleaning up the mess is the worst part."

He headed out of the kitchen, and she filled the sink with hot, soapy water so she could hand wash the dishes, along with the pot and frying pan Joel had used. She wiped down the table and counters, and put away the leftover butter and cheese into the refrigerator, then went into the living room.

Joel must have thrown a few more logs on the grate, because the fire was burning bigger and brighter than it had been when she'd come out of the bathroom earlier. She was grateful for the warmth, considering how windy, cold, and wet it was outside.

While Joel took his shower, Lora searched the bedroom closets for extra blankets and brought them, and pillows, out to the living room. She spread out a soft, cushy comforter in front of the fireplace, and added the pillows and covers. Then she went to her duffel bag and retrieved a last-minute item she'd decided to bring along right before they'd left her apartment.

When Joel came out of the shower and saw the makeshift bed she'd created on the floor, he glanced at her curiously. "What's all this?"

He was wearing a pair of black sweatpants, and nothing else. His magnificent chest was bare, the golden glow from the fire giving his skin a smooth, tawny hue, and she couldn't wait to get her hands on him. "I have a surprise for you."

"Really?" He came around the couch to where she was sitting on the comforter, his interest definitely piqued. "What is it?"

"Well, I packed some of my massage oil… you know, just in case." Suddenly uncertain of how he'd react to the offer, and wanting to make sure he knew it came with no sexual strings attached, she added in a light, teasing tone, "I thought I'd give you a nice, relaxing massage, free of charge, of course, I wouldn't want to lose my touch as a masseuse while I'm not working." She reached for the bottle that she'd put on the coffee table, which contained a rich, orange-scented body oil.

"I doubt that would ever happen." He came down to his knees in front of her and plucked the bottle from her hand. "How about I give you a massage?"

The offer surprised her. "It's okay, I don't mind being the giver."

"Neither do I." His coaxing grin was difficult to resist. "Besides, when was the last time someone did something for you?"

She thought about that for a moment, and came up blank. "Honestly, I can't remember."

"That's because you're too busy taking care of everyone around you, or worrying about them," he said so softly, so knowingly, she felt her throat tighten with emotion.

"I always have," she said with a nonchalant shrug. "That's just the way it's always been for me." Not necessarily by choice, but circumstances had dictated that she be responsible for so many things at such an early age, and those traits had spilled over into other areas of her life. Now it was just a part of who she was, and something that came naturally and without thought.

"But what about you, Lora?" He tipped his head, his gaze gentle, yet direct. "Who takes care of you?"

"Me." The reply was automatic, and truthful. "Don't worry, I've gotten used to it being that way."

He reached out and caressed his thumb along her jaw, and she turned her head ever so slightly into his warm, soothing touch. "Let me take care of you tonight," he said huskily. "Just relax and let me make you feel good, okay?"

The offer, coming from him, was inviting. So was the thought of having his large, strong hands massaging her tired and overworked body. For her, denying herself that kind of pleasure when she knew her time with Joel was so limited just wasn't an option. "Okay."

Since she hadn't put on a bra after her shower, she turned and pulled off her top, then started to lay down on the covers so he could work on her back, but he gently grabbed her arm before she could stretch out on her stomach.

"Not yet," he said with a shake of his head, even as the beginning of a wicked smile curved his sensual lips. "You need to ditch your sweatpants and panties, too, since this is going to be a full body massage."

Heat shot straight to her belly, the anticipation of what he intended to do blending into an exquisite shiver. He was the one setting the tone for the evening, and she decided to follow his lead… and willingly go wherever he decided to take her.

She stripped off the rest of her clothes as he'd requested. The fire cascading over her naked body was nice and warm, but his gaze as it raked down the length of her was even hotter. Her breasts swelled beneath his stare, her nipples tightened to the point of near pain, and a liquid kind of heat settled between her thighs.

"Now you can lay down," he said, his voice sounding like pure gravel.

She settled facedown on the comforter and bent her arms comfortably above her head. She heard him shifting and moving beside her, then he straddled her hips with his legs and rested his very bare butt on hers, startling her with that surprise. As he leaned over her and poured some of the oil down the line of her back, she could feel the heavy heat of his sex against the crease of her buttocks, and her desire for him increased.

She closed her eyes, inhaled a deep breath, and let it out real slow, trying her best to ignore the erotic thoughts drifting through her mind. Another long, slow breath as she forced herself to relax and enjoy this rare experience, which wasn't an easy feat when she was at the mercy of the naked, aroused man gently pinning her down to the soft covers.

But then those incredible hands of his, slick with the fragrant oil, began massaging her tense shoulders, and the only thing she could think of was how good it felt having someone pamper her for a change. He kneaded the knots in her neck, which she hadn't even realized were there before now, and rubbed the flat of his palm along the tendons bisecting her spine, applying just the right amount of pressure to make her groan with the sheer pleasure of it. He used his thumbs to dig into taut muscles, and soothed those sore spots with the firm stroke of his fingers.

He worked the entire expanse of her back, from the nape of her neck all the way down to where he was sitting astride her hips, then back up. Over and over and over again, until her body went slack and she felt absolutely, positively boneless.

He moved off of her, and seconds later he started in on her legs, his oiled hands giving the same luxurious treatment to her calves and thighs. Rubbing, kneading, stroking tendons and muscles. His palms glided higher with each sensual caress, until his fingers brushed along the crease that lead to softer, hotter flesh.

She instinctively parted her legs so he could touch her intimately and appease the sweet ache he'd created, and he didn't hesitate to drag his fingers along her cleft, then push them deep, deep inside her body. She moaned and arched her hips, then gasped when he bent over her from behind and touched his mouth to the base of her spine where she was ultra-sensitive. His hot breath fanned her skin, and the evening stubble on his jaw rasped across her lower back, right before he licked her there. The combination of sensations was so erotic and arousing she felt the answering pull all the way to the very core of her, causing her inner muscles to clench around his fingers.