answer. He—I can’t believe I’m saying this—he wants you to right those wrongs, to protect the forest that’s his home.”
“Yes.”
Staring, and yet not staring at him, she breathed deeply. While she’d always stood up for herself and what she believed in, she’d never thought of herself as confrontational or an activist. This time, however, she was too deep into whatever this was to be satisfied with anything less than the absolute truth. “What about me, Stark? How do I factor in?”
Nostrils flaring, he lifted his chin. “I can’t do it alone. I don’t want to.”
“Do what?” she asked and closed her eyes so she could concentrate fully on the words she sensed would change her life.
“Protect this forest by stopping those who are harming it.”
“Say it!” she snapped. “Damn you, say it! How do you propose to put an end to what Cougar Spirit exposed you to?”
“Look at me,” he ordered. He was beyond beautiful, beyond handsome. Like the cougar who’d been watching them, Stark symbolized everything that was wild and real about the part of the world she loved most.
“Why do you think I approached you the way I did?” He jerked his head to indicate her bound hands. “I couldn’t track and lead you the way Cougar Spirit did to me. No matter how hard I tried to get away, I couldn’t fight Cougar Spirit’s power over me, but if I attempted his techniques, you’d have shot me.”
“I’ve never so much as aimed my gun at anyone.”
“But you would if you believed your life was in danger.”
Would she? Probably. “What’s your point?”
“I watched you for a long time before I approached you.”
Unnerved, she started to lean away only to start to lose her balance. Grabbing her around the waist, he pulled her close. Maybe she should have resisted, but she didn’t when he positioned her between the V of his legs so her back and arms were against his chest and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to his heat.
“Mia, Cougar Spirit found a way to make me believe in him, but I couldn’t do the same to you, so I chose another way.”
“By turning me on.” Why hadn’t she mentioned being grabbed, disarmed, tied up and stripped?
“Yeah.”
“You thought if I was so, what—horny?—that I’d fall to my knees and worship you the moment you…you know.”
“Fault my technique if you have to. You have every right. But the bottom line is I want someone beside me who has the same values I do, who shares the same commitment.”
Although she knew he was talking about doing whatever it took to stop the attack on the forest, she lacked the courage to ask for details. “You could have asked.”
“Would you still be here if I had?”
He was right, damn it. The moment he’d shaken her hand and started in about how some four-legged beast had shown him what a handful of evil people were or had been doing, she would have thrown her “good-bye” over her shoulder as she hotfooted it away from a madman. The way he’d worked things out, leaving had become the last thing she could—or wanted—to do.
What was she doing nestling against him? Being turned on had gotten her in over her head. If she had the sense she’d been born with, she’d be demanding back her clothes and freedom. Once she had those essential trappings in place, she’d ask for proof of what he and Cougar Spirit had explored. Then she and Stark would formulate a plan, call in the authorities, watch the wheels of justice turn.
Only those wheels didn’t always turn.
Sometimes the bad guys won.
Chapter Seven
Stark’s arms provided a sensual cocoon for her to bury herself in. His strength reminded her of the differences between man and woman, and his cock pressing against her buttocks… How could she even think of moving from that firm and undeniable contact? He might have freed her legs, but she was still his prisoner, and she wasn’t sure she wanted it any other way.
How could being surrounded by a
“Yes.”
Staring, and yet not staring at him, she breathed deeply. While she’d always stood up for herself and what she believed in, she’d never thought of herself as confrontational or an activist. This time, however, she was too deep into whatever this was to be satisfied with anything less than the absolute truth. “What about me, Stark? How do I factor in?”
Nostrils flaring, he lifted his chin. “I can’t do it alone. I don’t want to.”
“Do what?” she asked and closed her eyes so she could concentrate fully on the words she sensed would change her life.
“Protect this forest by stopping those who are harming it.”
“Say it!” she snapped. “Damn you, say it! How do you propose to put an end to what Cougar Spirit exposed you to?”
“Look at me,” he ordered. He was beyond beautiful, beyond handsome. Like the cougar who’d been watching them, Stark symbolized everything that was wild and real about the part of the world she loved most.
“Why do you think I approached you the way I did?” He jerked his head to indicate her bound hands. “I couldn’t track and lead you the way Cougar Spirit did to me. No matter how hard I tried to get away, I couldn’t fight Cougar Spirit’s power over me, but if I attempted his techniques, you’d have shot me.”
“I’ve never so much as aimed my gun at anyone.”
“But you would if you believed your life was in danger.”
Would she? Probably. “What’s your point?”
“I watched you for a long time before I approached you.”
Unnerved, she started to lean away only to start to lose her balance. Grabbing her around the waist, he pulled her close. Maybe she should have resisted, but she didn’t when he positioned her between the V of his legs so her back and arms were against his chest and wrapped his arms around her, holding her to his heat.
“Mia, Cougar Spirit found a way to make me believe in him, but I couldn’t do the same to you, so I chose another way.”
“By turning me on.” Why hadn’t she mentioned being grabbed, disarmed, tied up and stripped?
“Yeah.”
“You thought if I was so, what—horny?—that I’d fall to my knees and worship you the moment you…you know.”
“Fault my technique if you have to. You have every right. But the bottom line is I want someone beside me who has the same values I do, who shares the same commitment.”
Although she knew he was talking about doing whatever it took to stop the attack on the forest, she lacked the courage to ask for details. “You could have asked.”
“Would you still be here if I had?”
He was right, damn it. The moment he’d shaken her hand and started in about how some four-legged beast had shown him what a handful of evil people were or had been doing, she would have thrown her “good-bye” over her shoulder as she hotfooted it away from a madman. The way he’d worked things out, leaving had become the last thing she could—or wanted—to do.
What was she doing nestling against him? Being turned on had gotten her in over her head. If she had the sense she’d been born with, she’d be demanding back her clothes and freedom. Once she had those essential trappings in place, she’d ask for proof of what he and Cougar Spirit had explored. Then she and Stark would formulate a plan, call in the authorities, watch the wheels of justice turn.
Only those wheels didn’t always turn.
Sometimes the bad guys won.
Chapter Seven
Stark’s arms provided a sensual cocoon for her to bury herself in. His strength reminded her of the differences between man and woman, and his cock pressing against her buttocks… How could she even think of moving from that firm and undeniable contact? He might have freed her legs, but she was still his prisoner, and she wasn’t sure she wanted it any other way.
How could being surrounded by a
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