“I think you just tried to insult me, but I’m laughing too damned hard to care. Where is this mystery man? You go get your lady and I’ll take care of the mop-up. I’m heading back to the village to call up the unit. We’re going in after that church group.”

“Who’s guarding your worthless butts, Drake?”

Drake shrugged. “Conner is a crack marksman. He isn’t you, but he’ll handle it.” He held out his hand for the matches.

“I don’t like it, Drake. Breaking up the unit is a bad idea.”

“What’s the alternative? You can’t leave Rachael alone. Unless you bring her to the village. You know that would be risky. You two belong together. I don’t know how well that’s going to sit with them.”

Rio handed him the matches. “I’m heading home, Drake, call me on the radio when you’re going in.”

12

RACHAEL leaned against the cavern wall for support as she put weight on her injured leg. Surprisingly, the pain she expected didn’t flood her entire body. The puncture wounds had stopped draining. She felt strange, itchy. Something crawled under her skin. Her body seemed foreign to her—sexual, intensely feminine. She could barely stand the feel of the shirt against her skin and slipped the buttons open, wanting to be free of the slight weight of it. She would have torn it off of her but it retained Rio’s scent.

She inhaled sharply, drew him into her lungs, into her body, and held him there. Her breasts ached unexpectedly, nipples tightened and her feminine sheath wept for him. She burned. There was no other way she could describe what was happening, her skin burning with need, her body unable to stay still. She turned to the cavern wall and placed her hands high over her head, curled her fingers into the dirt wall and raked downward, leaving behind deep grooves.

Rachael felt his breath on the back of her neck and she stiffened, but didn’t turn around. His arms slipped around her body, his hands cupping the soft weight of her breasts, thumbs sliding over her aching nipples. His body, wet and naked, pressed against hers. She recognized the feel of him instantly, the hard frame, the thick, rigid erection pressing against her bare buttocks. Rachael closed her eyes and breathed his name with relief. “Rio.” She rubbed her bottom back and forth against him, nearly purring like a contented cat. “I’m so glad you’re safe.”