That thought made David remember just how tight and slick she'd been when he'd taken her last night against the tree. He cleared his throat and focused on the conversation before he became physically uncomfortable. "Maybe you should get a variety, just in case."

"I can do that."

"And some condoms."

Caleb did smile now. "Do you want those in size small, too?"

David shook his head. "Fuck you, Stone."

"Not even on your best day."

Noelle closed her laptop and straightened the chaotic pile of notes on the scarred table. It was after dark, and she could hear men's voices out on the porch, joking and laughing together. She could pick out David's voice, and every time he laughed, it made her smile.

It was a wonderful sound. One that she wasn't going to be able to hear for much longer. She was nearly done. A few more lines of code to debug, and she was sure her program would work.

After that, she knew David would take her back to Monroe and he'd go back to his life without her.

It was a bleak thought and one that she refused to dwell on right now. She had too much responsibility to let any part of her brain be occupied by borrowed trouble. David was still here and she would use what little time she had to make plenty of memories she could keep with her even after he was gone.

She poured four mugs of coffee and carried them outside, using an old cutting board as a tray.

As she pushed through the door, the men fell silent and all six eyes were on her. "What?" she demanded, squirming under all that masculine attention.

"We just didn't expect to see you detach yourself from your work," said Grant.

David stood and took the mugs from her, handing them out. "Everything okay? Are you stuck again?"

Noelle shook her head. "I'm just at a sensitive point and if I start wading through my code without a clear head, I'll end up doing more damage than good. I'll start again in the morning when my mind is fresh."

David sipped his coffee, staring at her over the rim of his mug. "That sounds suspiciously like you're planning on actually going to sleep tonight. And not at the table, either,"

Noelle offered him a shy smile. What was it about the way he looked at her that made her go all syrupy inside? "I thought I'd give the sleeping bag another try. I'm less likely to fall off it than I am the stool."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Caleb nudge Grant with one thick arm. "We should get going," he said.

"Uh, yeah," stammered Grant. "We've got a lot to do tonight. You know, building a fire and ... stuff."

Caleb shook his head at Grant's fumbled he and finished off his coffee. "Night, Captain. Noelle."

Grant set his mug on the porch and followed Caleb back into the tree line, where they had camped last night.

"Why don't they stay in the cabin with us? They've got to be freezing out there."

David stood and offered her his hand. "I promise you they don't even feel chilly. We've been cold before, and this isn't close. Besides, they don't want to intrude on us."

Noelle's cheeks warmed. "Oh."

"But if it will make you feel better, I'll go get them and order them to sleep inside. They won't like it, but they'll do it."

"Uh, no. That's okay."

He was staring down at her, his blue eyes dark in the dim light of the porch. Only the soft glow from the lantern inside lit the space. He still held her hand, and he was standing close enough to her that she could smell his skin. He was just watching her, waiting for her to do something.

If she were a seductress, this is where she'd say something sexy and pull him in for a kiss. But she wasn't and she didn't really know how to tell him that she wanted to be with him again before they parted ways. She thought that he still wanted her. He was looking at her with hungry eyes, and he wasn't moving away. But he wasn't moving closer, either.

He was letting her make the next move. If this had been chess, she'd already have him naked, sliding inside her.

Checkmate. But this wasn't something she knew, and her insecurity was driving her batty.

Noelle refused to be shy or girly about this. She knew what she wanted, and even if she wasn't sure how to go about taking it, she would at least let him know what she wanted so there would be no question. "David," she began, then faltered.

"Yes, honey?"

The sweet endearment made her shiver with warmth and gave her courage. "If you're not too busy and if you wouldn't mind terribly, I think I'd like it if we could go back into the cabin and make love."

A masculine smile curved his lips and Noelle found herself staring at them. Wanting. "I don't suppose I'm too busy right at the moment."

"No?"

He shook his head slowly. "And as far as minding terribly, well, you tell me." He pressed her palm along the ridge in his jeans, the hard, unmistakable proof that he wanted her.

Noelle's insecurity vanished. He wanted her. And she wanted him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, rose up onto her toes and kissed him. His lips were warm and firm and he tasted of sweet coffee.

His hands slid around her waist, gripping her, holding her close. She could feel his erection hard against her soft belly and it made her insides liquefy.

Her tongue played along the slick inside of his bottom lip, her teeth grabbing gently and tugging on his mouth.

David groaned and cradled her head so he could kiss her more deeply. Noelle's head swam with sensation and she just let herself float in the midst of it. Nothing else mattered right now except David—his mouth on hers, his body pressed firm and hot against her.

Suddenly, he pulled away his eyes dark and hot on her mouth. His hands flexed, one against her scalp, the other along her hip. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I need you David. Want you."

His nostrils flared as if pulling in her scent and his jaw bunched with tension. "God, I love hearing you say that."

She offered him a smile of feminine approval. "Let's go inside."

Noelle took his hand and led him through the door. David watched her as he stripped out of his jacket and vest, then continued undressing. Noelle watched with complete attention as he shed his boots, socks, jeans and shirt. He stood before her completely naked and aroused, completely immodest. His chest was covered with a dark swath of hair that narrowed as it led down his body. In the dim light, the muscles in his arms and legs were accentuated with deep shadows, making her fingers itch to slide over the masculine contours. His penis jutted out from a nest of dark hair, pointing proudly toward the ceiling, its tip glistening in anticipation.

Noelle's mouth watered at the sight of him.

David's voice was low and rough with arousal. "Look your fill, because as soon as I get you naked, we'll be pressed too close together for you to see anything."

He reached for her, but Noelle stepped back, dodging his hand. "Let me," she said, wanting to give him the same thrilling show he'd just given her. "I'm no professional stripper, but you'll have to forgive my lack of experience."

A low rumble of approval sounded from his throat and his eyes fastened on her fingers, which were opening the buttons of the flannel shirt she'd borrowed from him to keep warm.

"I'll take enthusiasm over experience any day."

She shed her layers of clothing, her hands shaking with excitement. Never once did David's eyes move away from her. He stood there, his feet braced apart, his hands fisted at his sides as if he was trying to keep himself from reaching for her. As she watched him, his body tensed, his erection twitched and Noelle stared in amazement.

"That's enough of a show," rasped David as he closed the distance between them and pulled her mostly nude body into his arms. Only her panties and socks remained, and when their bodies met, the silky brush of his body hair against her skin lit every one of her nerves on fire. His heat enveloped her, making her feel boneless, melting.

"Kiss me," she demanded, and he obeyed with a triumphant smile.

Noelle opened her mouth to his passionate onslaught, sighing as she tasted him once again. His arms were hot bands around her body, holding her upright in spite of her wobbly legs. The world tilted and Noelle relaxed, trusting David to carry her safely down to the cushion of the sleeping bags laid out on the floor.

The air was cold, but it didn't chill her, not while she was being held in the furnace of David's body heat. With the slippery sleeping bag at her back and David lying atop her, blanketing her body with his own, Noelle felt utterly safe and protected and wanted. It was a heady combination, one she relished with every bit of conscious thought that remained.

Her body thrummed, vibrating wherever his hands stroked. Noelle wanted to slow down so she could savor every moment, but her body had other plans. She ached with emptiness, knowing the only thing that could ease that ache was David. She shifted her legs, parting them in eagerness, but David didn't take the hint. He moved to her side, pulling away from her mouth with an audible kiss. "I want to watch you this time," he said.

Noelle had no idea what he meant. He always watched her. She cursed her lack of experience but refused to give up the heat building between them. She reached for him, trying to pull him back atop her, but, he didn't budge.

"Like this," he said, and shifted her body until she was straddling his thighs.

Noelle looked down at the marvelous expanse of man beneath her. He was laid out like a sacrifice, and Noelle wanted nothing more than to take what he offered. But instead, she held still, forcing herself to slow down. This was probably the last time they'd ever make love, and she wanted it to last.

The hair on his legs tickled the sensitive insides of her thighs, which were spread wide to reach either side of his body. She splayed her fingers over his ribs and leaned forward to reach his mouth. She wasn't quite tall enough to reach, so she settled for kissing his neck instead. Bis penis pressed hot and hard against her stomach, and the contact made David moan. Noelle's tongue swept out to taste his skin, dipping into the hollow of his throat in a wet kiss. She felt the sinuous length of the thin gold chain around his neck, but she didn't let herself think about why it was there.

"Mmmm." She made a humming noise, enjoying the salty taste of aroused man. "Do you taste this good all over?"

She felt him tense and reveled in the knowledge of her feminine power. Her lips trailed over one thick shoulder and she sank her teeth delicately in the hard pad of muscle.

David hissed, and Noelle gave a dark smile against his shoulder. "You liked that."

"God, woman! You're driving me out of my mind."

"Want me to stop?"

"Hell, no."

"Then you don't mind if I enjoy you? Explore you?"

She felt his chest move in a low chuckle. "I've never known a man who died from lust, but if I do, at least I'll die happy."

Noelle took that as consent and let her hands and mouth wander over his chest, down his abdomen. She loved the texture of his hair and the smooth heat of his skin beneath. He smelled like the forest at sunset, beautiful and wild and clean. The hardness of his body intrigued her as much as it excited her. She'd never known what such power felt like until his steely strength was flexed under her palms.