Shadowed(65)

“I guess we’d better get going before more people come in,” she said, still not looking at him directly.

“Shouldn’t you dry off too?” Reddix asked. “You were just saying how cold you get.”

“Well…” She bit her lip, clearly uncertain, but she was already shivering.

“It’s okay.” He turned away from her though he was still holding her hand. “I won’t look.”

Nina seemed to make up her mind. “Okay.” She nodded. “Just hand me that towel…”

Reddix handed it to her and looked away though he was dying to see her lush body naked. He waited, the damp towel slung around his hips, as she fumbled with her dress. She seemed to be taking forever. Finally, he heard her give a soft, frustrated curse.

“Problem?” he said, still resisting the urge to look at her. “Need some help?”

“It’s this damn dress. I’m really not that much of a seamstress—it’s really just a glorified toga sewn together at the side and knotted at the shoulder. Only I can’t…get…the damn knot…loose.” She appeared to be jerking at the offending knot with every word but without much success.

“Let me help,” Reddix said, turning back to her.

“Oh, I don’t know…” Her cheeks were pink all over again. He admired her modesty, but he was getting tired of standing around in a wet towel.

“It’ll be all right,” he assured her. “I won’t look below your neck—I promise.”

“Well…all right. But hurry.”

“I’ll go as fast as I can. Just keep one hand on me so I can work on the knot,” he said.

Nina turned to him and put one soft little hand on his chest. Reddix felt a shiver run through him, but he fought not to show it and concentrated on the wet knot at her shoulder.

“You’re so warm,” she murmured as he worked. “How can you be so warm all the time?”

He shrugged. “I’m just bigger than you—I run hotter. Give off more body heat.”

“You certainly do,” she murmured, and he realized that she was staring at him, taking in his half naked body the way he was trying not to take in hers. For the first time in years the feeling of a woman’s eyes on him gave him pleasure instead of pain. Reddix felt himself go hard under the thin, damp towel he wore, but he forced himself to keep working. At last, the stubborn knot gave way, and the sodden blanket dress fell in a heap at her feet.

“There you go,” he murmured. And though he tried not to, he couldn’t stop himself from looking at her—her high breasts with their tight dark nipples, her curving waist and full hips. Her lush, heart-shaped ass…

“I thought you promised not to look.” Nina’s voice was breathless, but he noticed she made no move to cover herself.

“You promised the same thing, but you’ve been looking at me this whole time,” he pointed out softly. “Gods, you’re beautiful, Nina.”

“Th-thank you.” Her cheeks went deep pink again which only made her more beautiful as far as Reddix as concerned. “I…we should probably get going.” She reached for her towel with one hand, keeping the other planted firmly on his chest.

“Here—let me.” Reddix wrapped the furry towel around her, securing it in front with a quick knot. “Now do mine,” he said. “I think it’s slipping.”

Biting her lip, Nina quickly readjusted the towel he was wearing, clearly trying to ignore the hard bulge just under the thin fabric. Reddix put a hand on her slim shoulder to keep skin-to-skin contact, but he would much rather have touched her other places. His hands itched to palm her full breasts, to run down her sides and cup her lush ass. He’d never wanted a female so badly in his life.

She’s not for you, he reminded himself, keeping his hand on her shoulder through sheer force of will. Not now and not ever. You don’t deserve her so just leave her alone.

Which would be easier to do if he couldn’t tell she wanted him too. But the sweet, feminine scent of her arousal was in the air, filling his senses, making him long to press between her legs and taste her need right at the source. To spread her sweet pussy lips and lick her honey, thrusting his tongue deep inside her to get every last drop. Gods, he was losing his mind here…

At last when he thought he couldn’t stand another minute, Nina finished and took his hand.

“Let’s go,” she murmured. “I think your towel will hold up—for now.”

“Right behind you,” Reddix growled hoarsely. He wondered if they would be sleeping in the same room and then realized that of course they would have to. Gods, how would he make it through the rest of the day and the night keeping his hands to himself? How could he stop himself when he was so hungry for her, so starved to touch and be touched? And not just by anyone—it was Nina he hungered for and Nina alone.