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Ash yanked her shirt over her head and moved to her feet to tear off her boots. “You okay, Peachy? Talk to me.”
She said something that would totally shock the strong, independent woman who’d flown to Alaska only yesterday. “I could g-get used t-to you guys taking c-care of me.”
Chapter Six
“Ash, you built that fire faster than I’ve ever seen you.”
Ash threw him a wry smile that didn’t touch his eyes. No, concern for Sylvee’s welfare still burned in them. “Well, you stripped a woman faster than I’ve ever seen you.”
“I never thought I’d be competing for fastest time dressing one too, but damn, she was freezing.” Between them, they located dry garments and blankets in their saddlebags and got her warm.
Ash raised from his crouched position and moved a few feet to where Sylvee sat in the wreath of Piers’s arms. “Here, Peachy.” He held out a flask.
She looked up at him before snaking a hand out from under the thick wool blanket and accepting the leather-covered bottle. She uncapped it and brought it to her lips.
When she made a face, Piers and Ash both laughed. “You two always did go for the hard stuff. I thought your tastes would change since high school.”
“What did you expect? California Zinfandel?” Piers chuckled as she tipped the bottle back and downed another swig.
Ten minutes later, Sylvee seemed fit for continuing their journey. He assisted her onto his horse and mounted behind her, while Ash took charge of leading her horse.
Sylvee snuggled against Piers’s chest. The horse jostled them with each step it took along the trail. “If I die, at least I’ll die warm. Even if we had to get back on the trail so quickly.”
Wrapping the blanket tighter around her, he checked the low snarl of refusal burning in his throat. “You’re not going to die, Peachy.”
She tucked her head under his chin and dragged in a deep breath. “And I’ll drift off to the other side smelling you.”
Her lips grazed the base of his throat, sending a bolt of desire through him. He cupped her head to hold her immobile. If those sweet, tormenting lips touched his skin again, he—
There was no stopping the groan this time.
His throat threatened to clamp off. “What do I smell like?”
“Like leather.” She sighed happily. “And man. I used to love the way you smelled back in high school. Those times you’d give me your football jersey to wear, I never washed it. I even slept in it a few times.”
Fuck, now his cock was as hard as steel. “I didn’t know that.”
“I never told you I had a crush on you. I had a crush on Ash too.”
“At the same time?” He fixed his gaze on Ash riding some distance in front of them. Occasionally, he had to guide his mount off the trail to drive one of the cows back onto the path.
“I liked you first, then Ash. Then both of you at the same time.”
A hot, wet lash of her tongue against his skin damn near launched him out of the saddle.
At this rate, he wasn’t going to survive the ride to the cabin.
“Just how much did you drink from that flask Ash gave you?” He only carried a small amount of alcohol with him on the trail, not nearly enough to knock down her guard.
“Not much. But you know I can’t hold my alcohol unless I’ve had food too.” She nuzzled his neck. “I’m not intoxicated, if that’s what you’re thinking. I just…want you.”
Could he fuck on a moving horse? He’d never given it a try, but there was a first for everything.
“Do you know how long it’s been since I felt this alive?”
Her question sent his brain on a detour. Knowing that a woman as vivacious as Sylvee had spent even a minute of her life slogging through some drab routine and feeling less than gorgeous and amazing made him want to smash shit.
He smoothed a hand down her side. “You’re safe, Sylvee.”
