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"Yes, we do."
But he didn't budge and the smile that tugged his lips went beyond sexy. My hormones did an excited little jig. Of course, my hormones never needed much of an excuse to get excited about a fine-looking man, and if we'd been anywhere else but in the middle of the forest with hairy monsters and psychos with guns chasing after us, I might just have given my hormones free rein.
"But first," he continued softly, "a kiss to thank my savior."
"This is hardly the time or place - "
"I know," he interrupted, "and I don't care."
As his lips claimed mine, his hand slid around my waist, his fingers pressing heat into my spine as he pulled me close to his warm, hard body. For half a second, I resisted, but he felt so good, tasted so good, that I just gave in to the moment. And as my resistance melted, the initial tentativeness gave way to passion, and the kiss became fierce and explorative.
After what seemed like hours we came up for air. The rapid pounding of my heart was a cadence that filled the silence, and it was accompanied by the heated rush of blood through my system.
The full moon might have passed, but the fever still burned in my veins. An indicator, perhaps, that while sex had been on the menu during the eight days I couldn't remember, satisfaction had been absent.
But I was not ruled by my hormones - at least not until the moon was full. I might want this big, strong shifter, but not enough to take what was being offered right here and now.
That could come later, when we were out of the woods - literally and figuratively.
I pulled out of his arms and stepped back. "We'd best walk in the water for a while, to throw them off our scent."
The smile that tugged his lips was decidedly sensual. "Upstream, not down."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because most people would take the easy way and go downstream, and that's probably what they'd expect of us."
"I guess that's a good enough reason."
He nodded. "When the water gets too cold for your feet, climb onto my back."
"I'm shifting to my wolf shape."
He shrugged. "The offer's there when you need it."
"Thanks."
His eyes twinkled. "Never had a naked woman ride my alternate shape before. It's rather... erotic."
I grinned. "So Lady Godiva wasn't as stupid as I thought?"
"Not if that horse of hers was a shifter."
My gaze drifted downward, coming to rest on the tent pole he had going. That would certainly explain the silly woman's satisfied smile. I waved a hand toward the river. "After you."
He shifted shape, waited until I'd done the same, then led the way upstream. We walked through the remainder of the night. When the icy water became too much for my paws, I shifted shape and climbed onto Kade's back, moving in rhythm with him as he picked his way through the rock-strewn stream.
Dawn was beginning to taint the sky with flags of rose and gold when we finally left the stream. Kade walked to the edge of an outcropping of rock. Before us stretched a tree-filled valley, and nestled in its heart was a small town. The drop down to that town had my stomach flip-flopping, and I slid off his back, barely keeping my legs from buckling as I staggered away from the edge.
Kade shifted to human form. "You okay?"
I took several deep breaths, then nodded. "I hate heights." And cliff tops, thanks to the fact I was thrown off one when I was a pup.
He motioned down to the town I could no longer see. "Recognize it?"
"Not in the least. You?"
He didn't answer directly, just frowned. "Are those specks soaring above the town eagles?"
