She liked the way he took time to think over his answer. He didn’t rush to fill the silence with what he thought she wanted to hear.
“Seems fine now. If the cabin becomes damaged, we’ll have to act. But so long as it’s in good standing, we’re safe where we are.”
“All right.” She stroked a hand over the strong forearm draped over her middle. “I can live with that.”
“Good.” Amusement filled his voice. “Because I don’t have a direct line to the storm this instant, otherwise, I’d pass your feedback along.”
She laughed and they dozed companionably for a short while.
Her question wouldn’t let her sleep, however, and eventually she gave up. “Daeg?”
“Yeah?” He sounded alert, so maybe her soldier didn’t plan on sleeping much tonight.
The question was out of her mouth before she could consider its implications. “It was okay for you?”
* * *
SLEEPY VULNERABILITY LACED Dani’s voice.
Daeg had only planned on resting, not sleeping, just in case the storm picked up again. He pulled the cover over Dani’s shoulder while he thought about how to answer her.
Her question bothered him.
Who had made her doubt how sexy she was in bed? Slow anger built as he considered possibilities. He’d lay money on her ex, seeing how she was fresh out of a long-term relationship.
Perfect.
If she hadn’t figured out how much she turned him on from what they’d just done, he hadn’t done something right. And now he’d have to cobble together the words to tell her how good she’d been.
How good they’d been together.
Sex, he could do. Emotions? Not so much. However, this was important.
“You were perfect,” he finally said. “What happened here was far more than okay. You got that?”
Her sleepy mumble said maybe she did, or maybe he’d accidentally hit on the right combination of words. He hoped he had. He really did, because Dani was someone special and she deserved to know that. He tucked her against his chest and stared at the ceiling. The fire was dying down now and the wind was picking up again.
It was going to be a long night.
12
QUIET.
Daeg couldn’t hear any wind crashing into the cabin. And there was no rain slapping against the roof. Yesterday’s storm had passed and right on schedule. For a few minutes, before he opened his eyes, Daeg assessed the situation. Listened first for sounds then judged the approximate time. Ignoring the bigger problem.
He looked down. Yeah. He hadn’t dreamed it. He’d had the hottest sex of his life with Dani Andrews.
He’d trained for many things, many outcomes. What he hadn’t trained for were the feelings that came at him now.
Or the memories. The chemistry between them had been explosive. He’d known the sex would be good—they’d reconnected instantly on the beach—and nothing about last night had disappointed. She’d set him on fire with her kisses, and one touch had led to another, and...yeah. It had been good.
Unforgettably good.
She’d been open, vulnerable, charming, holding nothing back. Had her expectations for them changed since the deed had been done? He had to admit that now that it was morning, he didn’t know what he wanted and that scared him even more.
She’d said no strings and he’d agreed. He’d made his short-term status perfectly clear. Still, what if she’d changed her mind? He didn’t kid himself that he’d been so amazingly talented in bed that she’d wake up and decide to drag him off to Vegas for a quickie wedding, but maybe she’d be clingy. Or needy.
Ready for more action, if he was lucky.
Focus, soldier.
He sat up, carefully shifting her off his arm. When she grumbled sleepily, he arranged the duvet over her and she drifted back to sleep. Her halo of tangled curls made her seem angelic. Her lips parted and she let out a tiny sound, more snort than snore. He smiled. She definitely looked safe. Mission accomplished.
So he could get a move on. Job done. Time to go.
He ignored the pull of desire that demanded he stay in bed with her and grabbed the flashlight, flicking it on.
An inch of water covered the cabin’s floor.
Relief filled him as he shoved out of the bed, because it was only an inch and he knew how to lead an evac. He didn’t know how to handle a morning after wrapped up in the arms of Dani. He grabbed a towel and covered himself. There was rustling from the bed as he worked the lock on the front door. Didn’t matter now that they had water; they’d have to go, so there would be no more sleeping for her.