"There's running water, but no hot. I heated some over the fire for you.” He smiled at Allie and Mitch's gut clenched. “It's not much, but it might help warm you up. Toss your clothes out here and I'll hang them to dry."
"Thanks,” Allie managed to reply before Mitch clutched her elbow and guided her toward the bathroom. One look and he noticed there was no door. The bedroom didn't have one either. Great. Knowing she'd be naked in the tub again wreaked havoc on his resolve. But he knew she needed to soak in a warm tub to help relieve the cold from her system. If it were up to him, he'd slide in that old, claw-footed tub right along with her and help soothe her senses with a good dose of body heat. His body heat.
"Make it quick,” Mitch stated in a much gruffer tone than he meant. “We've got to keep moving as soon as you're rested."
"Thank you for stopping. I'll only take a few minutes.” She licked her lips. “The man who started the bath, what's his name?"
"Sergeant Lou Randle,” he practically growled on a low whisper. For some reason, it irked him that she wanted to know Lou's name.
Mitch turned on his heels, marched into the bedroom, and jerked the blanket off the makeshift mattress on the floor. He hung it haphazardly over the bathroom door, granting Allie a smidgeon of privacy.
"Are you sure this place is secure?” Mitch turned to Lou.
"According to a letter I found, they've gone to visit their daughter and newborn grandbaby in Kosong."
Mitch read the note and was reassured the couple wouldn't return anytime soon. The letter informed them of the birth, which occurred two days prior. Knowing the Korean culture, they'd probably stay a month with their daughter to help, especially since it was her first child.
What would a child of theirs look like? Where the hell had that come from? Mitch tossed the letter back on the table as he grappled for control over such ludicrous thoughts. Cold wet clothes landed at his feet. Turning he caught a glimpse of Allie's smile right before she closed the makeshift curtain. Every ounce of him hungered to cross that line between duty and desire. He gathered her clothes and hung them to dry. Think Marine. Think duty and nothing else.
While Allie soaked, they stripped off their outer layers and hung them to dry around the fire. Each left on his camouflaged pants and tank top undershirts. They checked their weapons, ate, and then took their places. Lou sat at the back door. Dean took the front and Eric moved into the bedroom where one of the two windows was located.
Allie lowered over the edge of the small claw-footed tub. Instant heat warmed her toes, her calves, her thighs, and then her bottom. Cupping the water in her hands, she brought the glorious heat to her face. She sighed as she sank into the half-filled tub. Eyes closed, she envisioned a certain hunky Staff Sergeant and wished the situation were different. Why couldn't she have met him in a better place?
Because you live in two separate worlds. Allie's eyes sprang open wide. Would she see him again once this was over? God, she hoped so. But she lived a quiet life, working in a science lab at her father's side. And Mitch was a Marine whose life was filled with adventure. Sitting upright, she quickly ushered the water all over her body soothing the ache and the cold to ease. Before the water lost its allure, she stood and got out. There was no way she'd slow them down.
She grabbed a towel from the single shelf, wrapped it around her. Noticing it didn't cover much, she lifted the edge of the blanket and looked into the room. Mitch stood with his back to her. Lou sat leaning his head back against a wall beside the back door. The other two weren't in sight. As quickly as possible, she lowered the blanket and wrapped it around her as well, leaving only her head visible.
The sight of him without his helmet, back turned to her standing in his undershirt, camo pants, and boots stole her breath. Sandy blond hair in a high and tight cut made her palms tingle with the urge to touch it. Was it soft? Broad shoulders stretched the green tank top taut. Biceps flexed as he removed some sort of instant meal from a pack. Allie's mouth watered and she doubted it had anything to do with the food. When he turned and lifted his gaze to hers, she swore her heart stopped for a millisecond. Get a grip, Allie. He's just doing his job nothing more.
Mitch battled the urge to close the short distance between them and gather her in his arms. Allie looked like a lost angel wrapped in a blanket. Those big, brown eyes presented him with an invitation he couldn't accept. Her lips were no longer blue, but held a rich rosy hue, begging him to taste. She was naked beneath that thin layer of cloth and that knowledge set his insides on fire. He swallowed hard and forced his voice to work and his libido to back down.
"Hungry?” He held an open container her way. “It's not much, but it'll take the edge off until we get you to safety."
"Thank you.” Their fingers brushed as she accepted the meal. Heat sizzled up his arm to pool in his chest. He couldn't help but watch as she lowered to sit in front of the fire while she ate. The way her feet folded under her tush turned him on even more. The blanket's thin fabric caressed her skin like a glove, clinging to her luscious curves. Every ounce of blood in his system shifted to one location causing him discomfort.
"What about you and the others?"
Her question snapped him out of his dumbfounded, teenage crush-like stupor. Shaking his head, he regained a grasp on his senses. “We ate the MRE's-meals ready to eat-while you bathed."
"Then I won't take long.” The sensual gaze she shot him across her shoulder nearly crumbled the fragile wall of restraint he had left. “I promise."
Forty minutes had passed since they'd first entered the house and he knew they pressed their luck. Mitch turned, grabbed his shirt and dressed. The others returned and followed suit. At least the inner layer was warm and dry. The outerwear still maintained a fine sheen of dampness, but it wasn't dripping anymore and at least was warm on the inside. When he turned to hand Allie her semi-dry sweats, she wasn't by the fire. He spun on his heels and caught sight of her coming out of the bedroom. The man's shirt and pants she wore gave her a tomboy appeal. The pants looked more like a pair of Capris.
"The gentleman of the house must be short,” he said.
She carried a worn pair of boots. Before she stuck her foot inside, he handed her the pair of socks he'd grabbed earlier.
"Thought you might need these somewhere along the line, ma'am."
His consideration astounded her. The look in his eyes warmed her heart. He'd thought about her needs when she hadn't.
"Thank you.” She managed to push past the knot in her throat and hoped he'd say something else in that rich Southern drawl. His accent tickled her ears and made her smile inwardly as a fleeting fantasy of him whispering sweetly ignited her soul.
The hidden promise within his eyes stated he was more than a Marine. He was a man in need of love. Allie broke their stare. Stop, she reprimanded. Stop thinking of this as some sort of romantic venture. Was she so desperate for adventure and excitement that she'd fantasize about her rescuer? Yeah. She was. She'd spent years in the lab with no one but her parents as companions. The only two men she'd dated were boring drones. Neither had the gumption of this hunk of male specimen. Just looking at him caused her heart to pump faster.
Determination not to disappoint him or cause this mission to fail set in her soul. She knew she slowed them down and guessed in a normal operation they wouldn't have made this pit stop. This was all because of her. From here forward, she planned to do whatever it took to help them get out of here in one piece. She shoved her feet into the boots and shimmied the rain poncho back on over her head. Digging deep she gathered her resolve and struggled to maintain a look of confidence, even though her nerves were strained and her muscles hurt.