“Yeah, I know the feeling.” He shook his head. “But you’re right—people don’t scare me, and I can get along with them if I want.”

She sighed. “I wish I could.”

His brows drew together. “I had men like you in my command. Some guys, like Bull, thrive on company. A few at the opposite end needed alone space, or they’d get weirded out.”

Alone space. That was it exactly. “I guess that means I shouldn’t try to be a joiner.”

“Wrong.” He nuzzled her cheek. “Solitary isn’t healthy for herd animals. But in your case, you’ll want to indulge in quiet time, too, or you’ll feel like people are crawling inside your skin.”

His advice made sense.

He bent down and kissed along her jaw before taking her mouth in a slow, gentle kiss. As he nibbled her lower lip, excitement heated her blood. She realized he’d abandoned her hair and was playing with the buttons on her shirt.

She grabbed his wrist.

He studied her, his gaze watchful. Controlled. “We can stop at this point if you want.”

She didn’t want to stop—and he knew it. Her whole body hummed with desire. But she didn’t release her hold. They were outside, for heaven’s sake. “What in the world are you thinking?”

He pulled free only to cup her chin, forcing her to meet his intent gaze. “I was thinking I’d like to strip you bare—right here—and take you, hard and fast and very, very thoroughly.”

Oh, the thought of him touching her, being inside her, made her heart kick up and stomp the insides of her ribcage. “B-b-but, here? Now?”

“Ah, having sex is fine, but being outside is what’s throwing you?”

She nodded.

He undid one button. Another.

“No one can see us, sweetheart.” He moved his hand down between her opened buttons and ran his knuckles over the tops of her breasts. “This is a yes or no question. Yes to continue or no to stop.”

The word slipped out. “Yes.”

She was rewarded with a devastating kiss. Slow and sensual, tongue and lips, nibbling and sucking. Then he kissed down her throat, between her breasts. Without a pause, he undid the front catch of her bra so he could fondle her breasts.

Oh, the feeling of his callused hand on her breast was amazing. Lust pooled low in her belly.

Slowly, his gaze on her face, he rolled her nipples between his fingers, pressing until the sensation was all she felt, the carnal pain sending her somewhere else.

His lips grazed over her stomach, then he was unzipping her jeans and pulling everything down to her calves.

She felt a second of worry. “What if something comes—a bear or…”

“We’ll hear it. And I won’t take your pants all the way off, Julie. I just want them out of my way.”

“Is that possible?”