“That’s how I know,” he said softly, his gaze on hers, his breath cooling the damp spot on her wrist his warm mouth had left. “Because it’s only been a few hours since we made love and I’m already impatient. By the time we make camp tonight, I’m going to be halfway to insane.”
“Ah. The proverbial mad scientist.”
“Exactly.” His gaze ran down her length and unmistakable appreciation fired in his gaze. “Have I told you how incredibly sexy you look in your hiking gear?”
“Not since we departed Cusco almost four hours ago.” She gave an injured sniff. “I’m feeling very neglected.”
“You look incredibly sexy,” he said immediately, placing another warm kiss against her wrist.
Dear God, she’d never be able to focus on the scenery if he kept that up. And speaking of looking sexy, she could sum him up in one word: yummy. Dressed in a pale-blue short-sleeved shirt, tan shorts and hiking boots that looked as if they’d trekked the globe, he looked rugged and tall and strong and muscular, and with his dark hair windblown and that hint of stubble on his jaw…
Yeah, yummy summed it up perfectly.
Kayla cleared her throat. “Thank you for the compliment, yet as much as I’m glad you think so, I feel compelled to point out that ‘sexy’ is not the way I’d describe myself while wearing dusty hiking boots, slouchy socks, khaki shorts and a plain white T-shirt, and lugging a bunch of crap on my back.”
“Then you don’t see what I’m seeing. Those boots make you look strong, like you could kick ass if you had to, and that’s very sexy. And your khaki shorts show off your gorgeous legs and what I’m labeling as the best ass on the whole freakin’ planet.” His gaze drifted over her chest, and her already hard nipples tightened further. “And the way that plain white T-shirt hugs your breasts…have mercy.” He leaned closer. “I’m going to have a hell of a time hiking with a hard-on.”
“Well, I guess then you’ll be the one ready for a massage tonight, won’t you?”
“Sweetheart, I’m ready for one right now.”
“Then you’ll be very happy to know that I recently bought a book entitled Mastering the Art of the Erotic Massage. Fascinating reading.”
The heat that flared in his eyes raised her temperature several degrees, as did the low groan that escaped him.
“Yes,” Brett said, his voice a husky growl. “I’m very happy to know that. Your timing in telling me, however, is less than stellar. Climbing rocks is going to be damn difficult when I’m as hard as one. I might fall down and break something important.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll kiss it to make it feel better.”
Another low groan. “Okay, now you’re just being cruel. How am I supposed to concentrate on the scenery when all I can think about is you? And kissing? And erotic massage?”
“Would it help to know that the book I read just prior to Mastering the Art of the Erotic Massage was The Art of Sensual Kissing?”
“That entirely depends on what you mean by ‘help.’ If you mean revving up my already raging libido, then yes. Unfortunately, it’s not helping to relieve the ache you started with your talk about erotic massage.”
“Can’t be worse than the ache you started on the bus when you mentioned getting me naked.”
More heat kindled in his gaze. “Ah. And I didn’t even tell you what I plan to do with you once I have you naked.”
She nearly stumbled. “Don’t tell me. Seriously. I need to concentrate here.”
“Good. Concentrate on the image of my tongue licking your-”
“Trail,” she interjected in a desperate hiss, glancing around to make sure none of the other hikers could hear them. “I need to concentrate on the trail.”
His sexy grin heated her down to the soles of her feet. “Right. On the trail I’m going to lick from your-”
“Truce,” she said, with a shaky laugh. “I’m now officially hot and bothered.”
“Welcome to the club.”
“I vote we focus our attention on the hiking trail…for now.”
“Good suggestion. Not sure how do-able it is, but I’m willing to try. Provided you behave and hold off mentioning your reading material until tonight.”
“Deal.”
Paolo halted, stopping the group. “We’re about to cross the river,” he said. “The bridge is strong, but narrow, so we’ll need to walk single-file.”
They fell into a line, with Brett indicating with a gentlemanly wave of his hand that she should precede him. “Ladies first.”
“How chivalrous.”
“I’m a very polite guy. But honesty forces me to admit I have an ulterior motive.”
“Which is…?”
His hand curved over her butt and she drew in a quick breath. “I really like the rear view.”
Another wave of heat rolled through her at the intimate caress. Given the fact that the sun was beating down with ever-increasing intensity, she needed more heat like she needed a hole in her head. And what had happened to the truce they’d called not thirty seconds ago? Well, two could play at that game. As she moved past him to assume her place in line, she deliberately brushed against him and dragged her palm over his groin.
“Like the rear view?” she purred softly so only he could hear. “Good to know. I’ll make certain you see plenty of it this afternoon.” She gently squeezed him, enjoying his quick intake of breath. “Happy trails, handsome.”
11
THE SUN’S waning rays were casting long shadows over the landscape when Paolo finally called a halt in a large clearing surrounded by dense trees and announced they’d arrived in Huayllabamba, the village where they’d set up camp. A collective sigh of relief arose from the group, one that Brett shared in. Shrugging off his backpack, he asked Kayla, “How do you feel?”
Her backpack and bedroll hit the ground, raising a puff of dry dirt around her ankles. “Well, let’s see,” she said, rolling her neck. “After hiking nearly seven miles in the high altitude-which is seven miles longer than I’ve ever hiked in my life-every muscle is screaming with fatigue and my back aches from lugging all that crap.” She pointed at her backpack. “I’m hungry, thirsty, dusty, dirty and, in spite of reapplying bug spray every half hour, I still have half a dozen bug bites-I am sooo wearing pants tomorrow-and I can tell that my hair has frizzed into a knotty mess.”
She paused for breath then shot him a smile so dazzling his breath hitched. “Yet, in spite of all that, I’ve never felt so…alive. So invigorated. My body is tired, but I’m completely exhilarated. With a deep sense of accomplishment. The thrill of having stepped outside my box to do something I’ve never done before-and living to tell the tale. Definitely a change, and I feel the gain.”
Her green eyes seemed to glow. “Then there’s the mixture of feelings this place infuses…the sense of history, of stepping back in time. It’s part excitement, part wonder and part quiet serenity. And I also really like our hiking group. Very nice people.”
She reached out and touched his hand. “One person in particular. I…I really enjoyed sharing this day with you, Brett. Experiencing the beauty of the trail, discovering the different species of plants, walking and talking with you. It was all…lovely.”
Unable to stop himself from touching her, Brett drew her into his arms. She nestled against him and felt…perfect. In a way that made it very difficult to remember that he was supposed to be focusing on what to do about his formula and his future. That the timing was inopportune at best for all these unexpected and unsettling things she made him feel. That with her uptown princessy-ness, she represented the exact sort of woman he was desperate to avoid. But instead of listening to the reminders, he flicked them away as he would a pesky insect and urged her closer.