Tell Me You Want Me (Search and Seduce, #2)(5)

“Shoot,” she said and righted herself.

She was staring at his ass when she should have been focused on staying upright. Now he probably thought she was helpless. Look at her, the girl can’t even walk straight.

“You’re going to bust an ankle walking in those,” he said over his shoulder.

“I’m fine,” she replied.

She knew this would be difficult, but that was part of the adventure, right? It wasn’t like she was going to starve, die, or be traumatized for living one night outside. And this only got her closer to checking off crucial items on her To Do list. She wouldn’t fail this mission and run back to her car. She’d see this through. Just like she’d see her own business through. Just like she’d establish a great life in this small town that was all her own. Because it was hers for the taking. Now if only she could just…succeed.

G.I. Joe just shook his head and continued on. He had a backpack not much bigger than her purse, which gave her hope that she’d brought just enough to manage the night in the woods. And she did have her essentials. This was an adventure after all. A step toward the independence she craved. And she would stay positive and take in every moment.

When the wind kicked up, she buttoned two pearls and hoped it wouldn’t get much colder…

“Let’s set up camp for the night here,” he said when they reached a small clearing surrounded by thick trees and low hanging branches.

She wanted to say, “Oh, thank God.” Because her feet were killing her. She made a mental note to write to Jimmy Choo and let him know the “sexy sleek black bootie meant for the rugged vixen in all of us” was misleading.

“You know, you never told me your name,” she asked, coming to stand next to the hulking man.

He shucked off his pack, the tight black T-shirt pulling even tighter over some seriously cut chest muscles, and her dry mouth watered instantly.

“Dex,” he said, hitting her with a dark green gaze she couldn’t look away from. His brown hair was slightly disarrayed. Many men strove for that careless yet crafted hairstyle with product, but it was clear Dex just woke up and rolled out of bed. Effortless hotness. Paired with his strong jaw shadowed with stubble, he had “sexy commander” down pat.

“I’m Michelle,” she said with a smile. When she reached out her hand to shake his, her ankle caught on a tree root. She barely cut off a wince of pain from her pinkie toe pinching inside her boot.

He caught her by taking her hand, and the way he effortlessly righted her made her feel even more embarrassed. To his credit, he didn’t make anything of it, just cupped her hand in a firm shake. His hand was rough, skin marred with callouses, and she liked the way they scratched against her palms.

Instead of shaking it and offering some manners and a kind smile, he turned her hand so he could examine it.

His thumb pressed over her fingernail as he looked at the pink polish covering it.

“Have you ever been outside?” he asked with disbelief as he kept examining her hands.

“Do you have a reason you keep asking me obvious questions?” she countered.

He just shrugged and let her hand drop like it was nothing more than an old beer can.

“Just not sure why someone like you is doing this when it’s clear you’ve never been dirty in your life.”

“I’m dirty!” she shot out. When he hit her with an amused grin, she folded her lips together and scrambled to rephrase.

“Ah, princess, I think you want to be dirty. And that’s why you seek out experiences like this.” He took a step toward her. The underbrush beneath his boots crunched, and her blood surged hotter. “But I don’t think you really have what it takes to get honest to God filthy.”

She swallowed hard and kept eye contact. Normally, in her four-inch heels, she’d be eye to eye with a man. Not Dex. She still had to look up, which meant the man towered over six-foot-two. Matched with all those hard muscles, his presence did a number on her bravado.

“I am looking for an experience,” she admitted. “And it’s my understanding that I’m paying you to give me one.”

A heated green flare lit up behind his eyes. She instantly wanted to call back her words. God, she sounded like the stuck-up people she grew up around. But Dex was playing hard ball. Trying to crack her defenses, and this was important. She had to make it through the night. Show him she could handle herself, handle adventure. Step outside her comfort zone and still thrive.

She had to.

Because the reality of all the things she was lacking was getting harder to bear. If she couldn’t even finish tonight, how could she finish all the other goals she had in life?

She shook her head, dislodging the thoughts, and put her game face back on.

“You want an experience?” he rasped, getting so close she could feel his breath hit her mouth. She couldn’t help but lick her lips and taste the residual minty, masculine taste of his nearness. “Let’s start with something basic.”

He took a step back and crossed his arms. With his feet spread wide, his stance was saying, I’m towering over you, ready to judge your skill. And there was no way she’d fail.

“Fine, what’s the first test?” she asked, ready to prove him wrong.

“Today in Gage’s class, you should have learned that using your surroundings to your advantage was key.”