Chapter 11

Rayne rolled over and stretched, pushing her arms free of the sleeping bag. A good thing about camping was no alarm clock, which she could get used to. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked towards the window, it was daylight and the storm was gone. She wondered if her tent had floated away. Rayne was congratulating herself for braving it alone when a noise inside the cabin made her stiffen. Turning quickly, she saw something large and furry sticking out of one of the bags. She shrieked and jumped up, kicking free of the sleeping bag and bolting for the door, flinging it open so hard it bounced off the wall behind it. The creature made some sort of noise, she responded with a high-pitched noise of her own and flew out the door, bounding right into a hard chest. Without so much as looking up, she wrapped herself around the solid body and climbed it. “There’s something in there!” She tightened her arms around Devin’s neck and clung to him.

Devin turned away from the cabin, picking her up with one arm and took a few steps, lifting her with ease. He ran a soothing hand down over her hair and cradled her against his chest for a few seconds. “Stay here, I’ll go look.”

She nodded against his chest, but didn’t let go. He didn’t put her down either, just stood there holding her. Leaning down he whispered in her ear. “You have to let me go so I can check.”

Rayne nodded again and reluctantly dropped both feet to the ground, easing her arms from around his neck. Looking up into his grey eyes, she found a tenderness she hadn’t expected. Slowly, he stepped back from her and turned back to the cabin door. She heard another movement from inside the building and jumped towards him, hugging his back.

He stopped as she glued herself to his spine and wrapped her arms around his waist. Reaching around, he wrapped a strong arm around her and took the last few steps towards the cabin. She didn’t look up, but heard the door bang open and realized he’d gotten close enough to push it open. There was scratching on wood, so Rayne peaked around him just as a large raccoon scurried out the door and ran right past her leg as it headed towards the tree. She screamed just as Devin turned around and she climbed his hard body once more. He stood there and held her tight against him, while she had one leg wrapped around his and her arms squeezing his neck, hiding her face against his chest, every inch of her shaking.

His soft chuckle vibrated through her. “It’s okay. I think you successfully scared the hell out of him, he won’t be back.” He ran his hand down over her hair again. As the shaking slowed, she chanced a glance at him. He watched her silently, as she eased her arms down his chest and rested them there. Rayne could feel his heart pounding against the palm of her hand and now felt a little silly for acting the way she had.

“Sorry,” she whispered, “I had just opened my eyes and...”

“It’s okay.” He continued to run his hand down over her hair while his other one was wrapped firmly around her waist. “You almost stopped my heart with that scream though.” He grinned down at her.

She smirked, realizing how it must have seemed to him.

With a gentle touch, he brushed the hair back from her face as his eyes searched mine. “Are you all right now?”

She nodded, still trying to get her heart back under control. She held her breath when he looked at her mouth. Licking her lips, she glanced at his mouth. She wanted him to kiss her though she knew that was something she shouldn’t be thinking about, but couldn’t help it. As if he could read her mind, he lowered his head slowly towards her, allowing her more than enough time to back away or turn her head. She knew she really should, yet didn’t.

His warm breath brushed over her cheek and he stopped there for a few seconds before his mouth lightly touched hers. Electricity flashed through her. He lifted his lips away and she was just about to object when they were against hers again with another feather-soft kiss. It shocked her that it could feel that way. He lifted his mouth away again and ran his tongue over her bottom lip. Rayne heard herself gasp as it sent tingles through her entire body. His eyes met hers before he covered her mouth again in a more demanding kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gasped when he lifted her feet from the ground.

He parted her lips with his tongue and Rayne’s whole body felt like it was engulfed in flames when his tongue rubbed against hers. With one arm, he held her against his hard form as he moved the other into her hair and lightly gripped it, holding her head to continue. It was unlike any kiss she’d ever had. He coaxed her to taste him back. Rayne’s heart was beating so fast, but she couldn’t stop, not yet.

His body was pressed up against her stomach and she could feel how hard he was and it sent heat shooting between her legs. She moaned against his mouth when he bit her bottom lip gently. Logic appeared and she realized she was kissing a complete stranger in ways she had never kissed another man. He lifted his mouth from hers, almost as if he’d thought the same thing. Devin rested his forehead against hers as she watched him close his eyes for a few seconds. She fought to catch her breath, shocked that she was panting.

His hold loosened slowly as he lowered her to the ground. Her body objected, her brain said ‘no’ but she stayed silent not knowing what would come out of her mouth.

“I –didn’t...” He stopped and looked down at her, still resting lightly against his body.

Rayne slowly slid her hands down his chest until they rested against his waist. What she wanted to do was lift his shirt and run her hands all over his skin. She felt her face flush at the thought and lowered her lashes to hide away from his gaze.

“Are you going to be all right now?” His voice rasped and her body responded with another heat flash. He cleared his throat.

She nodded, but still didn’t look back up at him, afraid to see the expression on his face. He probably thought she was a hussy, climbing all over him like that.

His large hand cradled the side of her face as he gently tipped her head up so she would have to look at him. “Are you sure?”

Rayne nodded briefly again. “Thank you–again,” she whispered as she watched his eyes move over her face, pausing on her mouth more than once. She knew it wasn’t what he wanted, but she wanted nothing more than him to kiss her again, maybe more. She could still feel how hard he was and she wanted to rub into him and persuade him.

He tilted his head to the side. “No problem. I love screaming women jumping into my arms.” He smirked at her as she blushed. Dropping his hand away from her, he straightened up to his full height.

Rayne just stood there, holding her breath, watching him.

“I have to go,” he said, as his eyes moved over her face. He took a step back. She could only give him a little smile and nod before he turned to stride away.

Shakily, Rayne touched her lips and finally let out a breath. She wasn’t sure how, but she wasn’t the same after that kiss. She had never felt like that, even with Aiden. Devin hadn’t tried to swallow her face or choke her with his tongue, and she had liked it more than any kiss from Aiden. What did that mean? Somehow she was going to get Devin to kiss her again to see if it was just that one time. It could have been the adrenalin firing from the scary animal in the cabin. Rayne thought of how his body felt against hers and had to bite her lip so she wouldn’t sigh. She definitely wanted to kiss him again, but with the way he’d reacted, she wasn’t sure the feeling was mutual.

Running both hands back through her hair to distract herself, she looked at the cabin. A fact just decided; she was never sleeping in there again. She headed back inside to see what the raccoon had gotten into.