Another quirk of Declan’s lips. “Maybe.”
Layne nibbled on her bar. “What if we can’t find it?”
“Zerzura?”
She nodded.
“Well, life goes on, Rush. If at first you don’t succeed, you work out where you went wrong, and you try again.”
“And you keep trying…with Anders. You keep trying to stop him.”
“Yeah.” A scowl.
She hated seeing that dark look settle over him, the storms boiling in his eyes.
Layne shifted into his lap, settling her knees on either side of his hips.
He lifted his head. “What are you doing?”
She fiddled with the buttons on his shirt, slipping them open. “You told me to take a break.”
“So I did.” He leaned back, his hands settling on her hips.
“I do like the way you’re made, Declan. All lean, hard muscle.” She spread his shirt open and ran her hands up his chest. She loved the way her touch made him suck in a breath. Layne leaned forward and kissed him.
“God, Layne.” He dragged his mouth from her and pressed his lips to the side of her neck.
She arched back, feeling heat arrowing through her. She ground against him and felt the hard bulge of his cock pressing against where she was hot and achy.
“I want you.” His hands started tearing at her tank. He helped her slide it over her head. “I always want you. Can’t seem to get enough.”
“Good,” she panted.
They tore at each other’s clothes and moments later, she sank down on his cock.
Declan groaned. “Ride me, Rush. Make me lose my mind.”
Dec leaned back against the wall, holding Layne in his arms as she slept.
He felt pretty damn good.
He’d dozed through the night and while the rock beneath him wasn’t comfy, the woman in his arms felt perfect. He realized now he’d spent a hell of a lot of time avoiding this. He’d avoided relationships and just had one-night stands. He’d rarely spent the entire night with a woman. He’d never cuddled, never stroked a woman’s hair, or listened to her breathing.
Hell, he’d never wanted to do any of that before.
Before Layne.
She just burned with life, with passion, and he wanted to feel that every day. Wanted to see her smile, wanted to kiss her every day.
He went rigid. Oh, no. He pulled air into his tight chest. He was falling in love with her.
He closed his eyes, felt her heart beating against his and the warm puff of her breath on his chest. He’d gone and done the one thing he thought he was incapable of.
Soon she stirred and lifted her head. “What time is it?”
“Early.”
She sat up, pushing her hair back. “Thanks for being my comfy bed.” She frowned at him. “Did you get some sleep?”
“A little.”
“God, I shouldn’t have been lying on you and—”
“Rush.” He gripped her chin. “I got some sleep. Now, how about a kiss?”
She touched her tongue to her lip. “We both know if I kiss you, it’ll turn into something else, and we’ll get naked and have sex.”
Amusement hit him. “And your point?”
She waved a hand at him. “You’re just too masculine and virile. Stop it.”
“I can’t stop it.” Hell, he wouldn’t stop it if he could.
“We need to find this damned lost oasis.” Her shoulders sagged, some of the life going out of her eyes. “Or just find a way back to civilization.”
“Rush. We’re going to find it. You know when I first met you, I thought you were a pain in the ass?”
Her nose wrinkled. “Right back at you, Ward.”
He smiled and stroked his thumb down her cheek. “Then I watched you work. Got to know you. Got zinged by that mouth of yours a few times. I realized you weren’t what I thought you were.”
She smiled now and pressed her hand over his. “And I thought you were a tough, macho, alpha pain in the ass. I’m not sure I was wrong.”
He laughed. “But you learned to like it.”
Her face turned serious. “Yes. I’ve learned to like it a lot.”
His heart skipped a beat. “Good.”
“You aren’t going to run off to brood and tell me you’re no good, too dark, and I’m better off without you—”
“Shut it.” He pressed a slow kiss to her lips.
Her mouth clung to his for a second, then she pushed him away. “Uh-uh, no kissing. That means sex, and I really kind of want that, and then we’ll be here for hours. Long pleasurable hours…” Her nose wrinkled. “I can’t remember why I’m complaining about this.”
“Lost oasis, valuable treasure, bad guy.”