Free Stranded but not Alone (Midnight Moanings Collection) by Cora Blu

think it’s safe enough for a fire? We haven’t heard anything in hours.”
    “You done sharing your body heat with me?” he asked, his hands firm on her ribcage. There’s that comfortable tease that was becoming very attractive , Simone thought. He kissed her nose in the dark.
    “Lie on your stomach, tuck your arms in. You’ll stay warm. I’ll see if I can find more dry branches,” he said.
    Simone stretched her legs out, her knee tender but better. Drifting off to sleep, her mind drifted back home and she found herself curled up on the sofa. Seth snuggled in behind her. His rich deep voice seduced her.
    “You finally got some rest, back there,” Seth said as he squat low in front of the entrance, looking intently into the night.
    “I was asleep?” she said. Rubbing a hand over her eyes, the fresh scent of pine invaded the small space. It made her long to get back to the states, Michigan in particular. “How long was I asleep?”
    No answer came. She watched him deep in thought. His fingers clasped together over his knees. His profile was chiseled out of stone.
    The ground proved hard and cold, as she knelt on one knee and did a weird knee-to-foot crawl over to him. Simone slid her arms around his slim waist, resting her head on his back. The soft thump of his heart brought a measure of comfort to hers. Seth’s arms folded over his chest, portraying restraint and composure. The attraction between them remained constant. She let him have his quiet and rubbed her hands up and down his torso to warm him. A low rumble told her he enjoyed her touch.
    He inhaled then slowly exhaled. “Don’t worry. I’ll get us out of here.”
    “I’m not.”
    He reached back and tapped her hip. “Go get off your knee.”
    “I’m not on it. The swelling’s gone down. Still tender though.” She withdrew from him. His hand shot out and grasped hers, stopping her mid turn.
    Night shadows played over his face, catching a sparkle of moisture in the corner of his eyes. Had he been crying or were those unshed tears forming? Something was eating him up on the inside and beginning to surface. Then she heard it when he spoke. “You trust me?” This confident man needed reassurance from her.
    Simone brought her hand up, searching for his jaw. When she found it, she pressed her lips pressed against his. His lips moved with hers. Slow and patient. A faint moan hit the air and he deepened the kiss, cupping his hand behind her neck. Closing a hand over his jaw, she pulled back and felt his mouth curve under her touch. Simone took in a breath when her hand came away moist—tears. “I don’t know if I’ve ever trusted anybody more.” Pressing a hand over his heart she said, “I’ll be over there if you need more reassuring.”
    “Don’t tease me, Simone.”
    “I’ll be over here.”
     

 
     
     
     
    Seven
      
     
    She jerked as someone began shaking her.
    Simone processed the voice telling her to get up; the spicy scent of man had her cracking open her lids. Seth’s large form hovered over her on the ground. He tapped her face.
    “Sim, get up! We need to go—got company.”
    The blurry space came into view. “What?” She sat upright and banged her head on the low ceiling at the back of the cave. After a few curses, she oriented herself enough to join him by the entrance.
    “There’s a pack of wolves down by the water. We need to get out of here.”
    Clutching the slightly swollen kneecap, she scooted out to the entrance. “Wolves now? What next, moose?” She grabbed their things and scrambled to her feet, biting her lip when the ache in her knee hit her. She threw her bag over her shoulder, followed by her bow, and they abandoned the little cave.
    Scrabbling up the wet roots poking out of the ground, they made it to a tree higher up. The darkness made for a precarious climb. Slippery roots were used as ladder rungs to move over the wet terrain. The fresh scent of crushed pine needles came up through the snow to