Page 33 of Dancing With Temptation

“Roxie. Babe. I’m fine!” He called out to her. He smiled when he saw her turn with a tear-streaked face, his heart clenching in his chest at her expression filled with hope. “I’m fine, princess. I really am.”

She rushed to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her face pressed into somewhere around his ribs. “Oh, thank fuck for that. Fucking hell, that bus plowed right into you while I was standing there watching. I thought I’d died just then.”

“It’s alright, princess, I’m here.” He held her tight as the other men patted him on the back on the way to the other bus. That required some getting into because the front had smashed so far in, the door was nonexistent now. Some of the quick thinkers in the village started to bring over ladders and they climbed up to help the families off. “I’m going to help them, Roxie, and after that, I’m not moving from your side for the rest of the night. Go on now, go inside, you’re shivering and soaking wet.”

It was still raining but Lincoln didn’t care. He had to help get those kids out. The men formed a chain, one in the bus handing down babies that were passed down a line of men until they reached Lincoln who carried them to the villagers still inside the center. He saw Roxie, staring at him with pure admiration and almost blushed except he was too damn cold. He went back out for another baby, this one followed by her mother, and then more.

In total there were 27 babies, 33 children under ten, and twenty younger adults on the bus. Younger in comparison to the old people Lincoln had helped off the other bus. By the time they’d finished clearing the bus, everyone was saved except the driver. He hadn’t survived the impact and was crushed by the weight of the engine. That cast a deeper pallor over the evening that couldn’t be brightened even when he sank down into Roxie’s arms.

They’d worked hard to keep most public displays of affection to a minimum, but he didn’t care right now. He just wanted to inhale her scent and feel the soft skin on the inside of her wrist until his body stopped aching. He kissed her neck quietly, quickly, and sighed in happiness.

Roxie wasn’t having any of his polite cuddles at all. She tilted his face up to hers, kissed him passionately, and ignored the giggles of the teenage girls in the room. The kiss brought him back to life in a way that was not conducive to being in public and he pulled away. “Later. When we can go back to your tent, I’ll ravish you to within an inch of your life, but not right now, babe.”

“Ravish me? Oh, indeed.” Her eyebrow perked up and she laughed a soft, dirty laugh that made him twitch all over in need.

“Don’t make this harder on me.” He implored her, but that only earned him another one of those throaty chuckles.

“And how hard is it, Lincoln? Is it throbbing and hot, or solid and aching?” She whispered that into his ears and this time he did feel the heat in his cheeks.

“Both, you little tease. That’s it, you’re Princess Lolita from now on.” He whispered back and felt her move in surprise.

“Princess Lolita? Why?” She seemed curious, as he knew she would be.

“Because you’ve tortured me since you were a teenager with your gorgeous eyes and sultry lips that beg to be crushed in hot kisses. Because I want to drag you out of here like the tease you are and fuck the tease out of you.”

“Oh. Oh my.” Hers were the cheeks that turned red this time.

Lincoln smiled in satisfaction. He’d shut her up, at least.

* * *

Four hours later they were warm, dry, and snuggled up in Roxie’s tiny bed. Her naked body was warm and comforting against his, soothing away the soreness that was starting to form in his joints. “Well, at least I can say I know exactly what it feels like to be hit by a bus and mean it.”

“Oh, that’s not funny, Lincoln.” Roxie protested but she kissed his neck right under the side of his jawline.

“No, but it is if you’re the one that got hit by a bus. While on a bus.” He laughed softly, his body starting to respond to the intimate touch of her hands over his skin. “Mmm, that feels good.”

“I should hope so. You should just be happy you can feel anything. After getting hit by a bus.” She let out a quiet giggle and scrunched up in his arms when he dug a finger into her waist.

“Don’t take the piss.” He replied with one of his British sayings that always made her eyebrows rise up on her forehead. This time it only made her laugh.

“Just be glad you can still piss.” She started, but he finished it.

“After getting hit by a bus? Yes, I suppose I should be.” He laughed with her before he pulled her tightly. “But I promised you a spanking after.”

“Maybe I don’t want to be spanked. Maybe I want more of what you gave to me a few nights ago.” She looked straight into his eyes, inviting far more intimacy than a mere fuck would give them.

“But I thought you didn’t like vanilla sex. Wasn’t it too boring for you?” He asked the question meaning to continue the teasing game they’d started, but the game had suddenly turned serious.

“Not with you, Lincoln. It’s never been boring with you.” Her tense eyes told him she felt vulnerable and was probably holding far more back than she let on.

“Are you sure, Roxie? I don’t want you to do something you don’t want to do.” Like get attached, then leave him again, or worse, let him get attached and then leave him again.

“I’m sure, Lincoln. I like what you’ve taught me.” Roxie said with an easy wink. “It’s been enlightening, being here with you.”

“I see.” He answered, but he wasn’t sure he did. What did that imply about their relationship? Would it turn into an actual relationship now or would it continue as a contract? He’d already decided he wanted to extend the contract, if she insisted on keeping it, for far longer than they’d initially planned. But would she accept an offer for more than that from him?

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