Rev (Jack 'Em Up #4) (27 page)

“That’s it?”

“What do you mean?”

I tilted my head. “That’s all she said to . . . all of that?”

“No, that’s not all she said, but that’s between me and her. All you need to worry about is that I meant every word of what I said and she’s good with it.”

Somehow, I found that hard to believe. “She’s
good
with it?”

He stood and grabbed his backpack. “As good as she’s going to be for now, anyway. I’ve still got to deal with your father and brothers, but she let me know what would happen to my man parts if I fucked with you.”

I laughed. Now,
that
sounded more like my mother.

Micah

J
ewel Jackson was full of surprises.

After being stalked, beaten, and nearly raped by her scumbag ex, she wanted to go camping. More specifically, she wanted me to take her to my spot.

I didn’t bother asking her how she knew about it. I was quickly learning my friends kept nothing from their women, and honestly, I was becoming exactly like them.

She helped me pop up the simple tent and spread out our sleeping bags. We worked in comfortable silence, the heat not as oppressive in the thick thatch of trees we found far away from the usual camping spots.

We were alone. Utterly alone.

I watched her work, organizing our food and pulling out water bottles. She handed me one with a twinkle in her eyes. I fought to ignore the bruises. “I see why you like it here so much.”

“You do?”

The sunlight filtered through the treetops onto her golden hair like a halo. “Yeah. It’s peaceful. And beautiful.”

“Can I show you something?”

Her gaze snapped back to mine. “Sure.”

I took her hand and led her along the hiking path I knew well. We ascended the hill until we reached the top. She kept up with me, her breathing only slightly labored and her face flushed, as she shielded her eyes and took in the scene below us.

Today, the greens were more vibrant than I remembered, the sky a bright and pure blue. Peace filled my heart and I tugged her into my arms in front of me and rested my chin on her shoulder. “Whatdya think?”

She leaned back into my chest. “I think it’s perfect.”

We stood in silence for a long time, both of us content with our own thoughts. I wondered how long it would take her to heal from what Nolan had done to her. If she ever would. God knew, I was still battered from the horrors of war. I could feel some of her pain.

I slid my fingers over her curves in a lazy, comforting caress, and she let me. Her head lolled to the side as my lips found her throat and I tasted the saltiness of her skin. “I love you,” I whispered against her flesh.

“I love you, too.” Her hands found mine and our fingers intertwined against her stomach.

I took my time, bathing the skin I could find on her neck and shoulders with kisses. I had no idea where this love inside of me had come from, I only knew its intensity scared me.

She seemed to sense my emotion, spinning in my arms to wrap me in her embrace and kiss my lips. She dove in when I tried to be gentle. “You won’t hurt me,” she murmured against my mouth.

I pulled away and thread my fingers through her hair, cradling her head. “Your body’s healing, baby. If I did everything to you that I wanted to, I would most definitely hurt you, and I don’t want to do that. Ever.”

She kissed me again, her soft body writhing against my hardening one. “I trust you.”

I pressed one last kiss to her lips and stepped back. “I don’t trust myself.”

She didn’t argue. Instead, we sat and soaked up the quiet like a balm. I hadn’t realized how on edge I’d been with her ex on the loose. Now that she was safe, it was like a thousand pound weight had been lifted from my soul.

She leaned her head on my shoulder. “So, what do you do out here all by yourself? Other than think deep thoughts and eat berries.”

I smirked. “Depends. Sometimes that’s all I do. Sometimes I read or fish. Sometimes I sleep a lot. I get tired, and there’s something about this place that soothes me.”

Deep green eyes peered up at me. “Did you ever think about me when you were out here alone?”

“All the time.”

Her smile was priceless. “Really?”

I kissed the tip of her nose. “Really.”

“What kinds of things did you think about?”

“You don’t wanna know.”

“Of course I do.”

“You really don’t.” I stood and dusted my hands on my shorts. “Ready to head back and eat lunch?”

She frowned and stood. “Was it bad?”

“Was what bad?”

“Whatever you were thinking about me up here? Were you pitying me or thinking I should lose weight? What?”

“Damn it, no. Never.” I took her shoulders and studied her mottled face. I wasn’t sure how this conversation had so quickly gotten out of control. “The only things I was thinking were how fucking beautiful and perfect and sexy you are and about all the dirty things I want to do to you.” I took her in a fierce kiss. “Okay? Happy now?”

“Why didn’t you just tell me that?” She still looked wary.

A wry laugh escaped me and I pressed my forehead to hers. “I didn’t want you to think I was some kind of pervert who’d take advantage of you. I have more restraint than that.”

“That’s the problem,” she mumbled.

“What’s that?”

“Nothing.” She started back down the path to our campsite. “Let’s go eat. I’m starving.”

I rushed to follow, smiling to myself at her epic cuteness. She was apparently just as sexually frustrated as I was, and I couldn’t have been happier about her misery.

After a lunch of turkey sandwiches on whole wheat, I talked her into a game of cards. She stared at me like I was crazy, but I needed something to distract my mind from her ass in those shorts.

“Tell you what,” I said as I shuffled. “Winner gets to pick their prize. That sound fair?”

Her eyes narrowed. “What kind of prize?”

I shrugged. “Whatever you want.”

“Like a kiss or something?”

Shit, that was easy. “Sure.” I began to deal the cards.

She was silent as I finished dealing. “If I win, I can pick anything I want? And you have to give it to me?”

“Well, Miss Confident, I guess I did say that, didn’t I? But don’t worry, you won’t win.”

There was a definite snap to her attitude. “Oh, really?”

“Really.”

She picked up her cards without peeking at them. “And what will you be claiming when you win?”

“You. Naked. In the lake.”

Her eyes flared. “Skinny dipping?”

I tapped my cards and lifted them to examine my hand. “Yup. Water should feel real good about now.”

“Huh.”

I kept my eyes on my cards, but I felt her studying me. I fought the smile. “What about you? On the off chance you beat me?”

“You. Naked. In the tent.”

My gaze flew up to hers. She was not kidding. Either way, we were going to be naked at the end of this. Thank fuck.

“What’re we playing anyway?” she asked without missing a beat.

I swallowed, focused. “Go Fish.”

The laugh that came from her was sweeter than a church bell. “Go Fish?”

“Yup. You go first. We have skinny dipping to do.”

She nodded once and schooled her face to seriousness. “Fine. Do you have any sevens?”

I handed over my seven of clubs and focused on my Queen of Hearts. “Queens?”

Her smirk was just a little too self-satisfied. “Go fish.”

And so it went as she beat me soundly at my own game. Scoffing at her luck, I tossed the cards down and stood to rip off my T-shirt.

Her jaw dropped. “What are you doing?”

“Getting naked. That’s what you said, right?”

Her stutter was fucking adorable. “I . . . well, that’s not exactly what I meant.”

“It’s not?” I tossed my shirt on the table and rested my hands on my hips.

Her eyes flew to my abs, back up. She’d seen about all of me there was to see and she was still blushing. I dipped my fingers into my waistband, teasing. “No?”

She stood, and with her eyes glued to mine, yanked her own shirt off. Seemed my woman was trying to best me at my own game. Again. I choked back a swallow as her breasts came into view, barely concealed behind her thin lace bra. “What are
you
doing?”

She wiggled out of her shorts, revealing matching panties. “Going swimming.”

“Uh . . .” I fought for control. “Swimming?”

“Yeah.” Flirty green eyes met mine. “It’s hot. Point me to the water?”

I never thought in a million years she’d be doing this to me, but I let her take the lead. “That way.” I indicated the other path that led to the lake.

“Thanks.” She sauntered off, and I’d swear she swayed her hips just to tease me.

I picked my jaw up off the ground and hustled to follow. I caught up with her right before she rounded out of sight. I smiled and grabbed her hand and we walked the rest of the way together. We found the lonely patch of gravel that made up the shoreline and I’d never been more thankful that I’d found this private spot. I was a greedy man and I had no desire to share her with anyone.

“Oh, my God. Micah.” She froze once we reached the water. “This is breathtaking.”

I didn’t take my eyes off of her. “It is.”

She glanced at me and her smile melted my heart. Slowly, she reached for the snap of her bra and let it fall to the ground at our feet. My gaze dropped to her perfect, full breasts and I literally ached to touch her.

Our gazes locked as the late afternoon sun kissed her skin, and I knew instantly this was her version of showing me how much she loved me. She’d trusted me before, but this was more. So much more.

She shimmied her panties down her legs to meet her bra and stared up at me, her expression wide and open. “I want to share everything with you, Micah. Please let me.”

The bubble of emotion that had encapsulated my heart all these months now threatened to squeeze it until it stopped beating. She was too much.

Too perfect.

Too beautiful.

Too unjaded by the ugliness of the world.

I didn’t deserve even a small taste.

She continued to stand still, letting me look my fill and sort my thoughts. How, after all that had happened, was I the one with my head spinning?

I stepped toward her and cupped her face in my palms. Her eyes drifted closed and I pressed my lips to hers, pressed her body to mine. Her heat and softness branded my chest. Skin-to-skin, her scent reached in and wrapped around my soul. Sunny and sweet. Honeysuckle and heat.

I slid my tongue along hers as she raked her nails up my back. Love words and pleas drifted in the air between us.

Her hands dipped to my shorts and she grazed my zipper. I sucked in a breath as she unsnapped and slid them down my legs, all without letting my mouth free from her electric pull.

She drew back with a smile, her eyes dropping to take in my erection. Her brow lifted in appreciation then she took my hand and drew me toward the water. We tumbled into the coolness, our hands all over each other, our mouths fused.

We made it chest-deep and she wrapped her legs around my waist, clinging to me like my second skin.

God, I wanted her.

God, I’d never felt so free.

So myself.

“Marry me.”

She froze in my arms and drew back. My whispered words lingered in the breath between us. “What?”

The haze cleared, but the words were still there. “Marry me, baby.”

A confused frown curled her brows downward. “Where did that come from?”

Dread coiled tight in my gut. Too much, too soon. My stupid impulsive mouth had been led to crazytown by my heart. Thing was, now that the words had been ripped from my subconscious, I knew I meant them with everything in me. “That came from my heart.” I tightened my hold on her ass as the gentle ripple of the water lapped around us. “But I know you’re not ready. I’m sorry.”