The crinkle of the foil packet sounded extremely loud to her ears, unnatural amidst the sounds of nature.

“Done,” he muttered. He caught her hips in his hands, positioned his cock at her opening and pushed inward. There was no pause, no hesitation as he pushed past her body’s natural resistance until he’d seated himself to the hilt.

She felt deliciously stretched as he invaded her, giving no quarter. She squirmed, trying to take him even deeper. It was a tight fit in this position and there was slight discomfort as her body adjusted to his, but it hurt so good.

He pulled back until only the tip of his cock was lodged in her pussy. Then he slammed home again. She arched her back and cried out.

He froze. “Topaz?”

“Again,” she moaned. God, she needed him to fill her, to drive out all her insecurities and misgivings. All she wanted to do was feel.

His hands tightened around her hips and he drove into her over and over, pushing them both closer to the edge of oblivion. Around them the sounds of the forest grew quiet until all she could hear was the sound of their heavy breathing and the occasional groan of pleasure. He shifted and the snow scrunched beneath his boots.

She should have been cold, half-naked as she was. But she was hot, burning with need.

John banded one arm around her waist and reached his free hand down between her legs. His thumb grazed her clit, setting off a series of small explosions in her core. She cried out and then caught her breath when he pulled her away from the tree, so she was standing upright with his cock buried deep in her pussy.

The position made his cock seem even larger and she wasn’t sure how he fit inside her. The pressure in her groin grew with each passing second until she knew she couldn’t hold out any longer.

John held her close, his hips rocking hard against her ass. His movements were fast and frantic now. She cried out his name and gave herself over to the explosive orgasm that ripped through her.

He swore under his breath as his arms tightened around her. His hips jerked and his cock rippled, setting off another round of spasms within her. Her vision dimmed and she gulped in mouthfuls of cool air. A shiver snaked down her spine. She suddenly felt the cold air on her bare legs and butt.

“God almighty, but that got out of hand.” John withdrew carefully from her. In spite of his effort to be gentle, she flinched. She was feeling raw, physically and emotionally.

She used one hand to steady herself against the tree and tried to pull up her clothes with the other. It was harder than it should have been. Her limbs weren’t responding to her commands. Her legs felt like jelly and her arms weren’t much better.

“Here. Let me help you.” John tugged her panties and jeans around her and zipped them shut before pulling her sweater back down. He pulled the sides of her jacket closed and pulled her into his arms.

She buried her face against his chest and breathed in his musky, woodsy scent. This man could make her do things that no other could. He could make her forget herself and her surroundings. He could make her lose herself in passion. It was crazy. It was addictive. But mostly it was dangerous to her peace of mind.

“Everything will be okay.” His promise brought tears to his eyes. She didn’t know how everything would be okay, but she didn’t want to argue with him. Not now. Time was growing short.

He leaned back and caught her chin with the edge of his hand. His blue eyes studied her face. She had no idea what he was looking for or if he found it. He kissed her forehead and stepped back, taking the time to zip her jacket closed. “Are you too cold to keep walking? Do you want to go back?”

She jammed her chilled hands into her coat pocket and pulled out her gloves, slipping them on. “No, I’m okay.” She didn’t want to go inside just yet, was afraid she’d feel the walls closing in around her if she did.

“The brook isn’t far from here.” He grabbed his jacket and slipped it on. Then he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her down the rough trail. Five minutes later they came out at a small, burbling brook. A large boulder had settled on its side next to the water. John drew her to it and sat, pulling her down in front of him. He wrapped his arms around her and urged her to lean back against his chest.

They were silent for several minutes as she waited for him to speak. She could tell he had something on his mind. The time had come for them to talk and she knew there would be no putting him off this time. She braced herself for what was to come.

John felt Topaz stiffen in his arms but he didn’t let her go, nor did it deter him from what he was about to say. They needed to talk. Time was running out. Soon they’d both be back to their busy lives and if they didn’t settle their relationship, he was afraid she could easily slip away from him.

His body was still humming from the orgasm he’d just had. He still couldn’t believe he’d stripped her pants down to her knees and taken her in the middle of the cold woods. Really smooth there, Knight.

Still, he couldn’t really regret his impulsive actions. She’d been right with him all the way, her sweet pussy closing around his dick and clenching it tight. His cock stirred again, but he ignored it. He’d only put one condom in his pocket and he’d already used it.

Plus, he was determined to find out why she seemed so opposed to an actual relationship with him. If he were a less self-assured man she’d have crushed whatever ego he did have weeks ago.

“Talk to me, sweetheart.” He kept his voice low and neutral. “Why are you so afraid of what we have together?”

He waited for what seemed like forever, but his patience was finally rewarded. “You lead such a different life than I do, John. You were in the military. You’ve done things I could never dream of.”

He stiffened. Was it his past that was keeping them apart? He’d spent more time in war zones than he wanted to remember, had done things no man should ever have to do. But he’d done them because they’d needed doing and he wasn’t ashamed of his actions.

She continued to speak, totally unaware of his internal turmoil. “I mean, you jump out of planes and blow things up and do all kinds of death-defying things. The most dangerous thing I’ve ever done is hit an after-Christmas sale at Macy’s.”

John relaxed slightly. “What does that matter?” He was totally perplexed and wished he understood exactly what was going on inside her mind. Women were complicated creatures. Men were much more straightforward and easy to understand.

She turned in his arms and looked up at him. “What does it matter?” She was looking at him as though he wasn’t very smart, which might have been amusing under other circumstances. Now it was frustrating as hell.

“I’ll tell you why it matters,” she continued. “You’ve lived with adrenaline and adventure your entire life. Even after you left the military you chose a profession that was filled with more thrills and danger. I can’t live like that. I’m a homebody. I want security and a man who is content to stay home with me.”

Topaz paused and fear clouded her eyes. “I wouldn’t be enough for you, John. Maybe at first, but over time…” She let her words trail off and he thought his heart might split in two when a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

He caught the tear on his thumb and wiped it away. “Hey. That’s just crazy.” He had to make her understand how he felt about her. “I’m forty years old, sweetheart. I’ve been shot at more time than I care to think about and bailed out of more than enough airplanes to last me a lifetime. I’m ready to settle down and live a quieter life.”

She pulled out of his arms and turned, sitting tailor-style on the rock facing him. “That’s not true. Not really. You’re a professional bodyguard, John. That means you’ll still be in danger and people might very well be shooting at you.”

“The chances of me being shot because of my work are very slim. We specialize mostly in corporate security, going into businesses and finding the weaknesses so we can plug the holes.” Not only was it satisfying work, but it paid a hell of a lot better than the military ever had.

Topaz frowned at him. “But you’re a bodyguard too.”

He shook his head. “Only in very rare cases.” He reached out and ran his fingers over her hair. “When I saw you for the first time last year, I knew I couldn’t let anything happen to you.”

She licked her lips and his cock jerked in response, but he held a tight rein on his body. This was too important for him to fail now. This was the most important mission of his life. He could not fail. Topaz had to give them a chance.

Topaz felt a warm fuzzy feeling in the vicinity of her heart, but she had to stay strong. John was trying to refute the reasons they couldn’t have a real relationship but she wasn’t quite ready to believe him yet.

Oh, she knew he meant it when he said he was finished with all the excitement in his life. It was one thing to say it, another to actually live it.

He touched her cheek, his eyes steady and warm. “Give us a chance. Give me a chance to show you I mean what I’m saying.”

Could she do that? Could she risk her heart? “But we don’t really know one another.”

John laughed and shook his head. “Babe, we’ve been living together for weeks this winter, not to mention our time together last summer.”

She felt her cheeks heating and knew she was blushing. She detested the weakness and pushed onward with her objections. “That’s not real. The situation was tense. You were my bodyguard.” He couldn’t refute those facts.