“Well, when you put it that way…”
“I believe there is something between us. I haven’t been able to get the idea of you and I out of my mind.”
Rebecca nodded. “I’ve been thinking about you, as well.”
He grabbed her now trembling hands and held them tightly in his. “I’m not very good at this whole relationship thing either. But I would like to give it a try.” He offered a half smile. “There’s something really special about you.”
“There is?” His words boosted Rebecca’s ego.
“You were all I could think about night and day.” He let go of her hands and stroked the side of her face. “I wondered how smooth your face would feel. What your kisses would taste like. If I would be able to see the hunger in your eyes when I…” Not finishing his sentence, he touched his mouth to hers in a soft, gentle caress.
At Sawyer’s confession, a surge of lust pooled between Rebecca’s thighs. She pressed her legs together, trying her best to shield her arousal.
“I don’t play games, Rebecca. I say what I think. I act on what I feel. Right now I feel like you and I need to stop fucking around and just be together and work this out.” Sawyer pointed to the tree above them. “Or you could climb back up that tree and commune with nature. But I would very much like for you to come with me.” He extended his hand.
Her chest tightened, but she ignored the sensation and focused on the words he spoke. They made sense.
With a smile as her answer, she took his hand and allowed him to guide her away from that damn tree.
47
Rebecca sat down next to Sawyer on his hotel bed and drank from a water bottle. Getting dressed in the bathroom, she could see in the mirror that dark circles ringed her eyes and signs of stress were visible. That retreat was far from relaxing.
She touched Sawyer’s leg, and his thigh muscle bunched. Unsure what that meant, she pulled away, but he caught her hand. He threaded his fingers through hers. “You look tired,” he said softly.
“I am. Tree climbing is harder than it looks.” She winked and smiled. “But I’m glad you came and got me out of there. I’m just sorry you had to drive all the way out here and get a hotel. I am going to kill Coley for this. We did yoga as the sun rose—naked. We were forced to fast—naked. We weren’t allowed to speak at all, and you aren’t going to believe the rest of it.” She shook her head and drank the rest of her water, realizing how dehydrated she was. “They made us all have a colon cleanse! They stuck a tube up my butt and sucked out the poo! It was suppose to remove all of our toxins or something.”
Sawyer let out a loud belly laugh. She had made him laugh many times, but the laughter had always been controlled and come out as a chuckle or snicker. Granted, he always had a tattoo gun in his hand directed at her skin, so maybe that was a skill of his trade. Lucky for her. But hearing him really laugh out loud was refreshing.
Brushing a strand of hair from her face, his smile grew. “I have never met someone so honest and frank. You make me smile, and believe me, that isn’t something I do easily.”
“Why?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not like I have some sad story, or some dark secret. I’m just reserved. I don’t show emotion easily.”
“It’s your tough guy image, huh?” she teased.
He smiled again. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.” He squeezed her hand. “But with you, it’s different. It’s almost impossible to not smile or laugh when I’m with you.”
“So now what? You swoop in on your white horse and save me from another night of starving, being naked and silent, for what? What now?”
“We go on a date. Like two normal people.”
“Hmph, we are both far from normal.”
Sawyer shook his head. “You’re making this whole courting thing really hard, you know.”
“Is that what you are doing? Courting me?” She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. Resting her head on his shoulder, she murmured, “I like that idea. I like it a lot.”
He hugged her close. “Well, now that I’ve seen you stark-ass naked, I think I at the very least owe you a meal.”
Rebecca playfully slapped his chest. “I would say that is only fair.”
“But first I want to check your back. I want to make sure that your soul searching in that tree didn’t mess up your healing.”
He didn’t wait for her to respond but rather pulled her down across his lap, reminding her of the spanking he had given her several days ago. She was in the exact same position. He yanked up her shirt and gently ran his fingertips along her tattoo. The touch sent shivers through her. His touch, his concern, his take-charge way—everything about Sawyer pulled her closer and closer to that edge. The edge of the cliff from which she, if she jumped, would be lost to Sawyer forever.