Free Chasing Joshua by Cara North Page A

surprised to see her in the hammock, a fresh bag of ice on her eye. Damn if that didn't make him want to find those bastards. He wondered if her story was true, had she really hurt them? He just couldn't see it. Her little toes wiggled, and she tried to make the thing swing. She was cute, too cute to be running around kicking people's asses.
    Joshua loomed over her, and she smiled. “Lay down with me.” She patted the hammock.
    "It might break.” He didn't move.
    "It won't.” She patted the hammock again. “Pu ... come on you big baby."
    He was sure she was going to say please, and then she changed her mind. All right, it's a start. He sat on the hammock, and it dipped and began to swing as he laid back. He crossed both arms behind his head. Evelyn pushed and squirmed and then settled. Gravity pulled them both to the middle, and her body ran the length of his armpit to his ankles. Her warmth pushed through his cotton T-shirt and boxers. She hadn't changed out of them; of course she had nothing to change into either.
    "You're getting mighty comfortable in my underwear, woman.” Joshua gazed at the night sky. He loved that he could see the stars clearly. It was a crisp night, and a chill was settling on the air. He tried not to think of her in a sexual way, but that was difficult, especially when she touched him. And as if she read his mind, she did.
    "You can borrow a pair of mine if that would settle us up.” Evelyn felt brazen, like a madwoman driven by a force bigger than herself. She crossed her left arm over and placed her hand on his abdomen. She had to touch him. His body warmed her side and reminded her of his chest.
    She weighed a hundred and forty pounds last time she stepped on a scale. That was lean for her five-five frame, but heavy as dead weight. Yet he didn't seem phased the least as she slept right on top of him this afternoon. She had let her guard down in a big way, yet he didn't take advantage of it.
    "I'm not a thong kind of guy.” He smiled. Her hand spread, and his stomach fueled the fire throughout him. Stop talking about underwear, stupid.
    "Yeah, like I'd wear a thong.” Evelyn opened and closed her fingers slowly.
    It just felt nice to be here. She had never shared a moment like this with a man. Sure she stargazed in the field atop Hummers with other Marines. It was great in Okinawa. She spent the years mastering different fighting styles, and the night sky held different constellations. The men there were more like brothers. If they ever saw her sexually, they were smart enough not to say it.
    Joshua let out a guttural growl. He didn't mean to, but the thought of her ass in a thong was a little more than he wanted to envision right now. Friends don't picture friends naked. Even hot, deadly, redheads that could kill you in your sleep.
    Somehow that last thought was meant to settle him but kinda turned him on instead. A lady, I need a lady in my life, not a killer.
    "Okay.” Joshua sat up. “I need to get to bed. You've worn me out."
    "Funny I was thinking the same thing.” Evelyn's voice was silky, sexual.
    He cleared his throat. “You're tired too, huh?"
    Evelyn pushed up and laid a hot hand on his back burning right through his T-shirt. “No. I thought about taking you to bed and wearing you out."
    "All right-y then. See you in the morning.” Joshua sprang up straight and walked quickly into the house. He felt like a scatterbrained teenager. Driven by a sense of duty, and derailed by a sense of lust. She was toying with him, and he didn't like it.
    "You can't run forever. I'm a hunter, and I always get my man,” she whispered aloud to herself. She had never really wanted a man, but the more Joshua treated her kindly and respected her as a lady, the more she wanted him. She didn't consider herself a lady, but liked the way it felt to wear that disguise. Of course it would have to go down her way, but she could convince him of that, too. She had time, unless he kicked her out.
    Joshua