Heart of Fire by Linda Howard

to get something settled, and I'm not it I'm not sharing a tent with anyone, and certainly not with you!" "I figure that's the only way Dutra will leave you alone." "I appreciate your gallantry, Mr. Lewis, but I'm not falling for this little gambit. Did you really think it would be that easy to line up your 'supply,' as you so charmingly phrased it last night?"
    Damn, she wasn't going for it. But these were the early stages, and he was enjoying the game. He grinned at her, totally unabashed. "It was worth a try."
    "I'll be sleeping with the pistol in my hand," she informed him.
    "That's good to know, because I really wasn't kidding about Dutra. You may be safe enough on the trip in, because Kates won't want Dutra to harm you, but as soon as we find this place, if we find it, you'd better stay right with me. Okay?"
    "Okay."
    He looked surprised at her ready agreement. "What? No arguments? You'd better watch it, or I might start thinking you like me."
    Jillian gave him a mockingly sweet smile. "I think I can prevent that from happening. I wouldn't want you going so far off track."
    He gave a deep chuckle of appreciation and got to his feet. Instantly she felt a little overwhelmed by his nearness and tried to take a step back, but the bed was right behind her. He noticed the movement and sauntered even closer, so close that she could feel the intense heat of his muscled body.
    Her breasts brushed against the hard wall of his upper abdomen and a hot tingle shot through her nipples. She stopped breathing, because even that small movement was too potent.
    He wasn't doing anything, just standing there so close that his body was touching hers. She could feel his gaze on her face but refused to look up, both because she didn't want to see the sensuality of his expression and because she didn't want him to see her own involuntary response. His heat was wrapping around her, beguiling her, sapping her strength. She hadn't realized he was quite so big, but he had to be a couple of inches over six feet, and she already knew that he was all muscle. He would overwhelm a woman in bed—
    No. She halted the wayward thought, appalled that it had slipped into her mind. She didn't want to think about him in bed.
    "Jillian." He said her name in a softly cajoling tone. "Look up at me."
    She swallowed. "No."
    Another of those deep chuckles rumbled from his chest. "Stubborn." He moved then, sliding his left hand into her hair at the back of her head and pulling gently, forcing her face up. Just for a second she saw his eyes, glittering and intent, all amusement gone; then he bent his head and firmly angled his mouth to fit over hers.
    She quivered, then stood very still, her eyes closed. The sudden flood of pleasure took her unawares. She had expected to endure it, nothing more, but found instead that she was tempted to open her mouth to his probing tongue. In a flash she saw that she had vastly underestimated his seductive skills. His mouth tasted clean, and smoky with whiskey; his lips were firm-textured but gentle in the way they moved over hers. She could have withstood brute force without even a scintilla of response, but force wasn't what he used; he lured with light, tender kisses that lingered; he tempted her with a hint of passion that she only glimpsed before he controlled it, beguiled her with his animal warmth and hard strength, invited her to rest against him.
    Oh, God, he was dangerous.
    She clenched her hands into fists, sinking her nails deep into her palms with her inner effort to resist. She didn't open her mouth to him, she refused to open her mouth, but she wanted to so fiercely that she shook under the strain.
    He ended the torment himself, lifting his head after one last, lingering kiss that almost broke her resolve. "Sweet," he murmured, and brushed his thumb over her lower lip. Then those blue, blue eyes met hers, and he seemed satisfied by what he saw there.
    "I'll have you yet," he said lazily. "Be sure to lock the door