“I forgive your jealous stupidity,” she said magnanimously, loving that he could apologize. He wasn’t gushing—that wouldn’t be her Rambo—but he was sincere and that was all that mattered.
He smiled. It was a beautiful smile. Amidst all the angst of their present situation and how closed off and impenetrable he was, she saw a ray of light.
Mia instantly forgave him. She was actually thrilled that he’d been jealous and stupid; it meant he cared. He wanted her and maybe he could even someday need her. She didn’t know, but she wouldn’t pass up this opportunity. She probably shouldn’t have done it, but here they were. There was a door and everything. As she stepped closer, he predictably backed into it. She smiled up at him and then she did something she knew would probably send him out of his skin.
She lightly placed her hands on each of his broad, burly, beautiful, bare shoulders.
Zeke didn’t jump out of his skin. He drew in a shaky breath, and then he shocked her completely by wrapping his hands around her lower back and drawing her close.
“Mia …” His voice was husky and awe-inspiring.
“Yes, Rambo?” She bit at the side of her lower lip and loved it when he pulled her even closer and groaned. Her pulse sped up, and she felt like they’d just reached the peak of a hard climb up a mountain. Now they were going to race down it with thrilling speed and insane joy.
“I’ve never seen anything so appealing as you in my shirt.”
“Truly?” She couldn’t help but laugh at that. She designed clothing to make a woman look appealing and feel confident, yet he liked her best in his too-big, shapeless shirt? “Better than me in my knickers?”
He groaned again and rested his forehead against hers. His hands splayed on her back, his fingers pulling her closer with alluring precision. He lifted her onto tiptoes and she leaned against his broad, perfect, defined chest.
“Now that image I am trying to get out of my head.”
“Why would you do that?” She didn’t want to forget this image of him with no shirt on. She wanted to be a moral Christian, but she also wanted her man to think she was irresistible in her knickers.
“Because.” He eased closer and his breath brushed hers.
Couldn’t handle touch? He was handling it like the champion he was.
Too tough to apologize and make her instantly forgive him with his raw honesty and admitting he’d been jealous and stupid? Not her Rambo.
Able to make her hot from head to toe? Oh, yes. Captain Zeke Hendrickson could definitely accomplish that.
What icy lake?
“If I think about you in your … knickers … I’m going to either have heart failure or pass out.”
She laughed. Loud. She wanted to kiss him so badly, but she also wanted to freeze frame this moment and record this conversation and every feeling in it. Her tough macho man? Passed out cold from seeing her undressed?
He grinned too but looked properly affronted. “You think I’m teasing? Try taking that shirt off … I’m just kidding, don’t.”
Mia couldn’t stop laughing. She still had a vicious stalker after her. She had to face her dad in a few minutes. Without her mum as a buffer. And Zeke and Blaine were liable to kill each other. Who cared? She was in Zeke’s arms. Truly. She hadn’t known that she’d ever get here, but it was happening.
Heat filled her. She was in Zeke’s arms. Her laughter died and she bit at her lip, hoping he’d take it as a signal to kiss her for a good, long time. Her dad and his busy schedule could wait.
The door pounded behind him.
“Mia?” Holly called. “Are you ready? Zeke’s not still in there, is he?”
“I’m hurrying,” Mia called back.
Zeke stared at her, not releasing his grip. She loved it. One quick kiss? No, this was their first kiss and she wanted to do it right. It felt like everything had been flipped on its head in the best possible way. She couldn’t quite compute Zeke willingly holding her so close, saying irresistible things to her, and looking at her as if he was as gone over her as she was him.
“Mia!” Holly yelled.
“Of all the rotten timing,” she murmured.
“I heard that,” Holly called. “Get moving, little girl, or I will have your hide.”
“Sheesh. She acts like she’s my mum sometimes.”