Need You for Always (Heroes of St. Helena)(74)

“You taste amazing,” he said.

“I taste like brownie contraband,” she admitted. “I brought a bag with me but lost them in the scuffle. I’m pretty sure they’re all mushed by now.”

“Let me see,” he said as if that was the excuse he needed to get his hands on her. The truth was he’d been waiting to get his hands on her since that hug in the forest. Hell, since San Francisco. It was all he could think about at times. But tonight, surrounded by a bunch of girls, he’d have to settle for an old-fashioned make-out session—pj’s required.

That didn’t mean he couldn’t feel his fill, which he did, making her giggle, then slid his hands down her bottom. When he could see her eyes heavy with need, he said, “Can’t find them.”

With one hand in her hair, the other on her delectable ass, he slanted his head and covered her mouth completely. She turned up the heat and everything seemed to shift to perfect, so damn perfect and right, he wanted more. More of this. More time. More Emerson.

So much more that he heard warning sirens blaring for him to slow down. Take a step back and assess the situation like a trained soldier should. Unfortunately, the only situation that mattered right then was what was going on beneath the T-shirt, and it seemed that road was dead ahead.

Silencing those sirens, he slid his hands down to the bottom of the worn cotton shirt and gripped the hem. His fingers dipped beneath to play with the strip of silky skin above her waistband.

“They’re not under there,” she whispered but lifted her hands above her head in surrender and gave a wicked smile.

“Then I guess I’ll just have you for dessert.” He tugged the hem past her belly button and pressed a kiss there. Her flat stomach rippled under his touch, the moonlight reflecting off of her very bare, very silky skin. “Much better than brownies.”

“Did he say brownies?” a tiny voice whispered.

Dax froze. His lips a scant inch from heaven.

“I like brownies.” Hushed agreements, and a few not-so-hushed agreements, followed. “Especially ones that don’t got nuts.”

Emerson smothered a laugh and Dax closed his eyes. Outside a flashlight clicked on, illuminating four shadows on the other side of the tent flap. They were small, with braided hair, and carrying stuffed animals of some kind—and pillows.

“Are you freaking kidding me?” he whispered.

Or at least he thought he whispered.

“That’s a bad word, Lovely Co-leader Mister.”

Lovely Co-leader Mister dropped his head to his Lovely co-leader’s stomach and closed his eyes and wished for them to go away. Her hands came up to thread through his hair, gently running her nails down his neck, and Dax had a hard time focusing. “They won’t leave now that they know you’re awake.”

On cue, there was a loud tap at the tent as though they were being polite and checking to see if it was okay to disturb the family of the house. “Can we come in?”

With a small tear for all that was lost, Dax lifted his head and said good-bye to dessert, then sadly lowered the shirt.

“Lovely Co-leader Mist—”

“Yup,” he said, sitting up. “Come on in.”

A flurry of whispers echoed off the hills behind them and the tent flap opened. Four heads peeked in. Flashlight beams went in every direction, forcing Dax to squint against the blinding glare. A short scuffle, a few giggles, and lots of slippers on sleeping bags later, they were all sitting crisscross applesauce in his tent.

Even Emerson, who was looking way too amused for his liking.

He ran a hand down his face and sighed. He heard a small gasp, located Freckles, who was sitting right next to him, and forced a grin. And damn if the girl didn’t grin back. Bright white teeth cutting though the dark quarters.

“Why are you in here, Lovely Co-leader Emerson?” Shirley Temple asked, and Dax raised a brow. Yeah, explain that one, Lovely.

“She was talking to him about going in the castle,” Violet said and, huh, Dax had never heard it called that before.

“Yup, I sure was,” Emerson said, sending him a reprimanding glance when he chuckled.

“So are you going to take us?” Glasses asked. She was vibrating with so much excitement she looked like one of those jumping beans. “Are you going to take us to see the castle?”

“If I say yes, will you all go back to bed?” So that he could get back to Emerson’s castle.

After several head movements that he took to mean affirmative, he agreed. Only the girls didn’t leave. In fact, they all scooted closer, grabbed hands, and started squealing.

“Shhh,” Emerson said, placing a finger to her lips, but she was smiling too. “We’re supposed to be asleep.” Then she looked at Dax. “Are you serious, you want to go?”

Okay, obviously this was another example of just how little he understood women. Even Freckles was on the same page and the kid didn’t speak. “Go where?”

“Disneyland, silly,” Violet said.

Emerson rested a hand on his knee, but it didn’t help his heart—which was racing so hard he thought he was going to pass out. “Disneyland?”

With four kiddos, a flag, and built-in troop mom?

“Since our team won the Loveliest Survivalist we get to represent our region at the state level. This year it’s at Big Bear, which is only a few hours from Disneyland,” Emerson explained, and the excitement in her eyes had something pinching tight in his chest. “I told the girls I’d look into maybe staying an extra day or two and taking them to Disneyland. We’d love it if you could make it.”