Cold Day in Hell (22 page)

She started a small fire using the bits of stacked dried wood, some pieces of what looked like dried peat, a piece of paper from a notebook in her tote, and the matches she always carried in foreign countries. She tended the blaze until she had it burning to produce the most heat and the least amount of smoke.

Sitting by the window, she kept an eye on the fire and another on her line.

The rain had started up again with a vengeance and was now a downpour. Her outer clothing was getting wet from the spray as drops hit the window frame.

Callie stripped down to her tank top and boy short panties. She hung the button-down shirt on a hook away from the hut’s openings, but close enough to the fire to dry out, then draped her jeans over the black duffle bag after removing the sniper rifle, the night-vision scope and a couple of magazines for the rifle.

Before she could check over the rifle, something tugged her line. “Duh, Callie. It’s raining. Fish come to the surface during rainy periods.” She went to the window and pulled the line in carefully. “Yes!” She landed the wiggling fish on the hut floor. Looked like a catfish similar to the ones found in the US. Probably in the same family, but much larger. She silently crowed at her success.

Unhooking the fish, she rewound the line, removed the hook and put them on the pack for repacking later. She pulled her knife from its sheath and took the fish to the doorway and cleaned it, then scraped the garbage out onto the bank-side of the hut. As the parts they wouldn’t eat hit the shallow water covering the bank, some scavenger fish or other animal came to the surface and gobbled them down. Nature hated waste.

She took the fish and filleted it, then found some spice packets in the kit. After flavoring the fish, she wrapped it in the plantains then wrapped it again in foil from the very well-equipped survival kit. She buried the package in the hot ashes and glowing wood embers.

That done, she sat and tended the fire to keep it burning hot, turned the fish, and checked over the rifle. It was almost dark now. Risto had been gone for over an hour. No one had passed by the hut on the small offshoot of the river. And no one had approached from the jungle side. She felt a momentary sense of panic. It was as if she were the only person in the green, wet world of the Darien Gap. “Stop it, Callie. Risto will be back any minute.”

“Talking to yourself, baby?” Risto smiled at her from the ladder.

Callie shrieked, her hand going to her chest where her heart pounded rapidly. “God, you scared me. Make some noise the next time.” She frowned. “I was worried … it’s almost dark.”

“Sorry. It took longer than I thought. I snagged us some bananas. Had to climb to get them.” He shoved a small bunch of semi-ripe bananas into the room and then followed them in. “Damn, it’s wet out there.” He took off his button-down shirt and hung it on a hook next to hers. He pulled his T-shirt over his head and hung it on another hook. His gaze swept the room, lingering over her naked shoulders and legs. He nodded with approval when he saw she’d kept her socks and shoes on. “Comfortable?”

“Yeah. I wanted my stuff to dry before tomorrow.” She nudged the foil packet with her knife. “Supper should be done. We’re having what looks like catfish. You hungry?”

“Yeah.” The tone of his voice and his glittering stare said it was for more than food, but his body language showed he was in full control.

Her pussy clenched and her nipples stood at his thorough examination. Damn, the man should come with a warning label.

He walked over and gracefully sat Indian-style next to her. His jean-covered thigh brushed her naked one. He leaned over and kissed her shoulder. “Anything happen I need to know about?”

She swallowed past the lump in her throat. How could a kiss on the shoulder have her ready to explode into orgasm? She shivered and wiggled her bottom to assuage the ache in her cleft. “No. No one passed by on the water. The whole Colombian army could’ve been in the jungle and I wouldn’t have known it.” He grinned. “The rain forest is really dense. How could you stand it?”

“It’s not bad once you get away from the clearing where the sun can promote the lower vegetation to grow. The upper canopy blocks out the sun so much that the forest floor is mostly vines, air ferns, and detritus from the bigger trees.” She nodded. “Okay, that’s what the swamps are like around Camp Lejeune. They do controlled burns to clear out the forest floor so any forest fires won’t spread as easily.”

“Doesn’t burn much here because of the moisture. Farmers sometimes clear-cut and burn, but it’s frowned upon. Whoever cleared around this hut will be back after the rainy season is over, but we’ll be long gone.”

What he didn’t say had her guessing whoever had built this place was cultivating coca crops nearby for the local drug cartel.

He took her knife and rolled the foil packet from the fire. “Let’s eat, Callie. Then we’ll take shifts sleeping and watching.” Without warning, he leaned over and kissed her.

She moaned and leaned into his lips. He broke off after thoroughly tasting her and just before the slow burn in her womb flared into a blazing bonfire. “Good, you kept my place.” He opened the fish and unrolled the plantain leaves. He inhaled. “Damn that smells good.” He picked a piece of the fish off. “Shit, that’s hot.” He blew on it, then touched it to his lips to test it for temperature. Satisfied the fish wouldn’t burn her lips, he fed it to her.

“It’s good.” She licked his fingers clean and then her lips. When she reached for a piece, he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips. “Ah, ah, ah. I feed you.

You cooked.” He fed her another piece. “Damn good fire. Your dad taught you well.” If she’d had buttons on, they would’ve burst. His praise made her feel … well, special. Appreciated. His kisses and hand-feeding made her feel adored, cared for …

desired.

All of those feelings were new to her. Oh, her brothers cared for and appreciated her, but they were blood. Risto was … was … her lover, her protector, and someone she was coming to care about—and need—more and more with each second they spent together.

He might plan to leave her once they got back to the States, but she’d make sure he didn’t forget her. Once home, she’d place herself in front of him every chance she got. She’d enlist Keely’s help. This man was hers and she wouldn’t let him get away.

“Callie, open your mouth.” He nudged a succulent morsel over her lips.

She took the offering from his fingers, managing to lick the tip of one of them before he pulled his hand away. His eyes burned at her touch, promising with just a look she’d pay for teasing him. She licked her lips. His low “save me Jesus” was music to her ears.

He desired her as much as she did him—and maybe, just maybe, he was starting to need her, too.

The fish was soon gone. Risto alternately fed her a bite then took one for himself. It was one of the most romantic and sexy meals she’d ever eaten. That bit of news would shock all the men who’d taken her to five-star gourmet restaurants, hoping to get her into their beds. She choked back a laugh.

“What’s funny?” She told him and his lips quirked with amusement. “So? Now that I’ve wined,” he held up his canteen and she took a drink from it, “and dined you. It’s time to bed you down, baby. Strip, I want to see all of you before I douse the fire.”

*

“I thought you wanted to stay alert.” Her words were cautious, but he was happy to see she quickly followed his orders and pulled her tank over her head. She wasn’t afraid of his sexuality at all. Her breasts looked beautiful in the firelight. Her dusky peach nipples were puckered and ready for his lips.

“Just looking. I meant put out the real fire, not sexual fires.” Risto groaned and reined in the need to take her to the mat, strip off the sexy underpants and fuck her sweet pussy until she came screaming around his cock. He’d had a hard-on since entering the hut and seeing her near nakedness. Finger-feeding her had made it even worse, especially when she’d teased his fingers with her nips and licks.

“Risto?” Her hand on his arm called him back to the here and now. Shit. He needed to stay alert. Making love to her, whether it was with his mouth or his fingers or his cock, was not conducive to hearing the enemy approach.

He took the hand she touched him with and raised it to his mouth. He nibbled on the knuckles before brushing his lips over them. “I want you … more than any woman I’ve ever met. And I’ll have you—and you me—before I take you home. I shouldn’t have asked you to strip … I just … wanted.”

She leaned over and kissed his chin. “Hey, I understand. When you make love to me, I lose all sense of who and where I am. Time has no meaning. It’s not safe here. I can wait. All I need is…” She slipped her tank top back on.

He breathed a sigh of relief even as he groaned at the loss of the view. Her breasts were far too tempting. God, she was wonderful. Unspoiled with a feminine strength and a brand of courage unlike any woman he’d ever met. “What do you need, sweetheart? I’ll do my damnedest to give it to you.”

“I want one goodnight kiss and—”

“And what?” He caressed her neck.

“And I want you to hold me until I go to sleep—and promise me you’ll wake me for my watch.” She turned a stern gaze to his. “No molly-coddling. You’re doing all the hard work with the boat. The least I can do is take a shift so you can sleep.”

“Sounds like a deal.” He pulled her into his body.

Unlike their other kisses, this one was meant to reassure and calm, not incite. He nibbled her lips until she opened for him, then sealed their lips together, sipping at her mouth, giving her his breath and taking hers in return. Her eyes were closed, her naturally dark lashes fluttering on her pale ivory skin. He held her face, his thumbs gently massaging her sun-tinged cheeks. Her hands came to his wrists and held on to him as if she were afraid he’d pull away too soon. Her tongue traced his lower lip then tangled with his. He groaned at the back of his throat and broke off the kiss, his lips a whisper away from hers.

“Careful.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Your hot little tongue makes me want to fuck you until you can’t walk.”

“Sorry.” She licked her lips.

He snorted out a laugh. “Minx. Don’t tease me when I can’t do anything about it.” He released her face and slid a finger down her nose, then moved to trace her lips. “Be aware. I’m keeping a tally of every teasing look, every tongue appearance, and each teething of those lips. I’ll get you back for every infraction. Count on it.” She smiled. “I look forward to it.” She yawned, and instead of looking like a sultry sex goddess, she looked like a kitten needing a nap.

He chuckled and pulled her into his arms, holding her against him, her face buried against his naked chest. He breathed in her scent, memorized the feel of her supple, toned body against his for when he no longer had her near. “Time for bed. How do you want me to hold you?”

She sat back on her heels and looked him over. “You’re right-handed. So we need to keep your gun hand free.” She scooted over on the mat and sat next to his left side. “Arm around my back so I can lean my head on your shoulder. Then after I fall asleep, you can shift me to the mat. Okay?”

“Your wish is my command.” He raised his left arm and gathered her into his body.

She snuggled and sighed, closing her eyes. He liked her in his arms. She fit him perfectly.

And she must have felt safe, because her breathing slowed almost immediately. She fell asleep as fast as a Special Forces operative.

Callie’s only problem was she slept so deeply. That could be a life-threatening issue if they were on the river too long. She needed to be battle-ready at a moment’s notice. He stiffened with his concern. She woke with a start, her left hand going to her side and to the gun he hadn’t notice her placing there. “What’s wrong?” She looked around.

He smiled. “I could barely wake you up at Conn’s and here you fall asleep instantly and awaken just as quickly, what gives?”

She blinked and yawned. She reached over and pulled her Ruger closer to her side.

Her non-dominant side. “Um, I was safe at Conn’s. You said so. I sort’ve learned to program my brain to be aware when it needs to be. Mothering two pre-teen and then teenage boys, I had to be alert twenty-four seven. They often pushed my limits, the rules, and their curfews.” She wrinkled her nose. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” He kissed the top of her head and pulled her back into his body. “Go back to sleep, little soldier. I’ll wake you in about four hours and you can take the shift to just before dawn.” She nodded, snuggled into him and fell asleep on another cute little yawn.

He noted her left hand lay lightly on her gun.

God, it will kill me to leave her in Chicago.
No matter how adaptable she proved to be on this escape through Hell on Earth, it didn’t change the fact he wasn’t the right man for her. Being with him would constantly bring her into the danger zone. His life was rough and not one in which a woman and the inevitable family belonged. And, she was definitely a woman meant to have children. Just hearing the affection she had for the brothers she raised proved that. He wasn’t father material. He knew nothing about families. He’d been raised by an irascible, unyielding paternal grandfather who’d kept him away from his more loving maternal grandparents who’d desperately wanted to raise him. Living in isolation on his grandfather’s island, he was often left to his own devices, with only a few year-round residents’ kids for friends. The Marines had parented him more and provided the socialization he needed to exist in society.

Callie deserved a man who could provide a safe and loving environment in which to raise a family. He wasn’t that man, wouldn’t know how to begin to be that man.