Free Whistleblower by Alysia S Knight Page B

his body, then she opened those incredible amber eyes, and he was trapped in their honeyed depth. Fear and trust wrapped around him in one.
    “Marley.” Her name was torn from him in a groan. Unable to stop himself, he dropped his head, taking her slightly open mouth with the storm that raged through him, spurred by adrenaline and the feel of Marley pressed so intimately along him. He detected her little gasp then her untutored lips followed his in the dance of tasting and caressing.
    She was as sweet as the honey of her eyes, and he wanted to feast on her forever. For a moment, there was only Marley, then a rock bit into the skin of his arm, and reality burst back on him.
    “No.” He ripped his mouth away and shoved up in one movement. He knelt over her, gulping in the air that had escaped him.
    Marley’s eyes were open and dazed. Her breathing was just as labored as his. Her lips were full and rosy from his kisses. As he watched, her tongue came out and touched them in a light caress. It was a tempting but innocent gesture. He wondered if she could taste him there. Her taste was branded on him, and he wanted to drink again.
    “No!” He forced out again, tearing his eyes from her, scanning the area. Never had he lost focus in a dangerous situation. He wanted to tell himself it was from being out of the military that his instinct had gotten lax, but he knew that wasn’t it. Marley pulled at him as she had since he first laid eyes on her, even before he knew her name.
    “I’m sorry−” His apology didn’t get far.
    “No!” She cut him off.
    Her hand locked on his arm. He didn’t want to look back at her but couldn’t stop himself. She was up on one elbow. Her hair was an array of wild waves of mahogany around her face. But again, it was her eyes that held him. This time, they glowed like molten gold.
    “Don’t you dare apologize.” There was no stuttering of the words, but it was as if she had to force them out each individually.
    “Marley,” his voice softened on its own accord.
    “No.” Her fingers shot out to cover his lips, her head shaking. “Do not apologize. I have never been kissed like that. Don’t you dare ruin it by apologizing.”
    Reaching up, he caught her fingers, pulling them away from his mouth but not releasing them. “It’s not safe,” he started to explain but she took over.
    “No, it’s not. I’ve realized I might die. But for fifteen seconds of my life, I felt desirable. Please don’t take that away from me.” Pleading was strong in her voice.
    “It was a lot more than fifteen seconds.” Zan didn’t realize he said the words aloud until the shocked looked and color blossomed on her face.
    “I …”
    This time, he knew the words wouldn’t come out because she was flustered.
    “We’ll talk more about you being desirable later, since I find you utterly so. For now, I plan on doing everything I can to keep you alive. And that means not kissing you, because I can’t think of anything else when I do.” He felt satisfaction at the stunned expression on her face.
    “Come on, we need to get to the top.” He used his hold on her fingers to help her up. At the last moment before releasing them, he brought her fingers to his lips brushing them lightly. Zan turned, reaching for a handhold, pulling himself up.
    ***
    Marley couldn’t take her eyes off the man who had just rocked her world. Zan Masters thought she was desirable. She wouldn’t have believed him, except she could still feel the hunger in his lips on hers. She hoped it wasn’t just her imagination because she knew she’d never shake him from the place he had burrowed so easily in her heart.
    The rope on her waist gave a little tug bring her back to reality and reminding her she was supposed to be climbing. She managed a deep breath then followed after him, surprised at how rejuvenated she felt.
    It was only another twenty minutes until they reached the top. Once again, Zan’s hand extended down to pull her