Forty-eight hours later . . .

Reaper’s eyes snapped open, his vision clearer than before. Oppressive heat penetrated his senses, but this time it wasn’t generated from the inside out, rather the outside in. Howler monkeys screeched in the distance, and birds chirped from the open window to his right. Thick, hard ropes dug into his back through a worn quilt thrown over his cot.

How long had he been out? Surely, it couldn’t have been for more than half a day. He leaned up and looked out the window, trying to judge the time by the sun’s location, but the thick canopy of trees surrounding the hut blocked his view. He’d have to get outside and find a clearing to determine whether it was morning or afternoon.

He swung his legs around with caution and let them dangle over the edge of the bed, his feet on the floor. No dizziness or weakness assaulted his senses. He rolled his neck and did a quick scan of his surroundings.

His field medical kit lay open near the head of the bed, supplies in disarray. The energy bars he’d had stashed in one of his pockets were stacked neatly in a line down the wall next to it, only two missing from the five he brought with him. His other supplies—his knife, pistol, and various other small items—lay in a pile right beside that.

Dirt and dried leaves covered the floor and Caroline’s hospital gown still lay crumpled in the corner. The only thing missing from this picture was Caroline.

Reaper jerked to his feet, and a twinge of pain pinched his shoulder. He needed to check the wound, but not until he found Caroline.

There was a chance that she’d simply gone outside to get some fresh air, but there was an even higher chance that she’d been taken.

Reaper went for his gun, grabbing his sidearm off the floor. He stared at it for a moment, realizing that if they’d taken Caroline, they probably would’ve taken his weapon and him too. Either that or they would have killed him. It would have been easy in his helpless state.

Still, he couldn’t wait around tending to his injury if there was even the remotest possibility that she’d been kidnapped or injured. Reaper loaded his pistol and jammed it into his waistband. The thought of any harm coming to her sent a coil of fury ripping through him. If any one of those fuckers had laid a hand on her, he’d rip their heads from their shoulders.

Shirtless and barefoot, Reaper crept through the doorway and into the jungle. His ears immediately pricked at the sound of water splashing about a hundred yards to the south.

What the hell?

He crept around the side of the hut, ready to spring at a moment’s notice. The splashing grew louder as he walked, and when he finally located the source of the noise, his body went numb.

Caroline was treading water in a perfectly round aquamarine lagoon, the back of her head and shoulders just visible above the surface.

Was she crazy? The piranhas found in this area could pick an animal’s flesh clean off the bone within seconds. But she wasn’t screaming in pain or struggling. Instead, she cupped the water in her hands and let it gently fall over her head in a cascade of liquid delight.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

She looked like a woodland fairy straight out of his dreams with her wet skin glowing in the sunlight.

And then she disappeared beneath the surface so quickly that he lunged to the bank, ready to dive in after her. But she reemerged seconds later, giggling, and flipped onto her back, spread out her arms and floated on the water’s surface with her eyes closed.

Reaper’s stomach constricted and his cock swelled.

She was completely naked.

The hospital gown had given him tantalizing glimpses of her perfect ass and the slick folds of her sex, and he’d felt those soft curves under his hands, but this was different. Her entire body was on glorious display. Her breasts formed perfectly proportioned mounds, and their beautiful rose-colored nipples begged for his touch. He’d known she had a tiny waist, but now he saw that her hips rounded out into a perfect hourglass figure that left his mouth dry and his mind blank.

And then his eyes landed on the blonde curls at the juncture of her thighs and his knees almost gave out right there.

He stumbled forward, his hand on the fly of his pants before he reached the water’s edge. He needed to get the hell out of here, run as fast and as far from her as he possibly could, but there was no force on Earth that could stop him from approaching her.

Naked, he eased into the water, uncaring of the fact that it would soak his bandage or even possibly infect his wound. His entire world was focused on her.

She was beautiful. She was perfect. And she was his.

A warning flickered somewhere distantly in the back of his mind that he had no right to take her. But then Caroline’s bright blue eyes flew open, her gaze landed on him, and any second thoughts vanished.

* * *

Caroline gasped and then fell beneath the surface of the water, almost gulping in a large swallow and choking on it. When she surfaced again, Reaper was less than a foot from her, his midnight eyes blasting with such intensity it stole her breath.

“How long have you been here?” she cried out, all at once embarrassed and turned on by the fact he’d seen her completely naked, which was totally screwed up. She should be furious or at least alarmed . . .

Only he was naked, too, and she’d never seen a more glorious sight. Her breasts were tingling and achy, and she wanted to reach out to him. She’d seen his exposed chest before, but he’d been weak and ill. Now, he was in complete control of his body, and the glory of seeing him this way—all power and strength and raw masculine energy—was something she’d never forget.

“Just a minute,” came his hoarse reply.

Dear God, was he feverish again? The last time he’d stared at her like this, he’d been burning up.

“Reaper? Are you okay?” she managed to get out.

He didn’t say a word; he just kept coming closer and closer. When he reached touching distance, he threw an arm around her waist and yanked her against his naked chest, his large and very hard erection pressing against her belly. That definitely wasn’t caused by any fever.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Swimming,” she stammered out.

“Naked?” His voice practically vibrated through her. Every single sinewy muscle was digging into her chest and it still wasn’t enough.

“I don’t have a swimsuit,” she said.

And thank goodness she didn’t, otherwise she wouldn’t be feeling this insane pleasure of his bare skin against hers. White-hot desire filled her veins. The lukewarm water lapped against her exposed skin, and his hard chest teased her sensitive nipples. Her fingers curled into his biceps.

“It’s dangerous,” he said in a harsh tone, and then dipped his head to her neck and nuzzled that sensitive spot near her shoulder making her toes curled in the water.

Please kiss me.

He froze.

No. No. No.

“What happened to your neck?”

She grabbed her throat, feeling for a wound.

Reaper continued in a rough, gravelly voice, “This is choke marks. Who came in the hut?”

Caroline closed her eyes and briefly considered lying to him, but she just didn’t have the energy. “You were delusional from your fever. I tried to check your wound and you thought I was attacking.”

His heart thundered against her and she leaned back, watching as his expression turned from fury to pain.

Her chest clenched. “Reaper, don’t. You were out of it. I shouldn’t have messed with you.”

“I hurt you.”

She cupped his cheek, willing him to understand. If he turned away now, she’d die. She needed him more than she need to get home. “I bruise easy. You barely touched me.”

Somehow, her words made his black eyes turn even darker. “Stop lying to me.”

“Stop looking for reasons not to kiss me.”

He shuddered in her arms and dropped his head back to her shoulder. “Caroline- “

His body didn’t feel hot or feverish anymore. Nor was it tepid and sweaty. What would it be like to have him clear-headed and intentionally want to kiss her? His lips brushed the hollow of her neck and she shivered, her thighs clenching instinctively.

“You smell like rainwater.” His hot breath tickled her flesh and she gave in to the urge to wrap her legs around his waist. The movement brought her core into direct contact with his hardness and she gasped at the sensation. If he stopped now, she would lose her mind. A hot, throbbing ache set up in her core, pounding with her heartbeat.

“This is fucking heaven,” he said seconds before he bit down and drew her skin between his lips.

Caroline cried out and threw an arm around his neck, anchoring herself to him so she wouldn’t fall into the water. Pleasure spiked out from her neck and radiated to the rest of the body, so intense she nearly lost it right there. “What are you doing?”

Reaper growled and ground his hips against her. “I’m doing what I’ve wanted to do since I first saw you.”

His mouth slanted over hers, their tongues dancing together in perfect unison. She moaned into him, tightening her grip around his neck, and gave in to the urge to rub against him. The movement caused her shoulder to brush his bandage.

Dread hit her and she yanked back. “Your wound.”

He didn’t even look; he just fisted her hair and tilted her head to the side. “It’s almost healed.” And then his mouth covered hers again and she forgot all about re-opening the stitches or the possibility of another infection.

God, she wanted him so bad. His skin rubbed against hers, flesh rubbing against flesh in a dance of ecstasy. With his other hand, Reaper cupped her hip and he began to move her against his length in a rhythm meant to imitate lovemaking. Caroline started to shake.

Reaper broke the kiss so abruptly she floundered, but he lifted her higher and closed his lips over her nipple. “Reaper!”

Had she thought his love bite intense? This was light years beyond that. He’d turned her into a ticking time bomb, ready to go off in a moment’s notice.

His tongue rasped over her hard peak, lapping at her until she was nothing but a writhing, moaning mass of need in his arms. Heat poured into her core and the throbbing intensified.

Dear God, she’d never had one before, but she was almost certain she was on the verge of an orgasm. She was drawn so taut, any other little touch, no matter how slight, would snap her in two. She was aware of every single place where their bodies were in contact, even the soft hair on his thighs rubbing against her calf muscles.

Her senses were so wrapped up in him she didn’t even realize he’d been moving her through the water until her back brushed against the bank. When his lips left her nipple, she ached. His hands splayed around her waist and he lifted her up onto the soft, mossy grass, and then he sprang up onto the land at her feet, standing over her, every inch of his body exposed for her exploration.

Water dripped from his golden skin. His thighs and legs packed as much muscle as his chest and arms did. There was no way he was human—no man was this perfect. But he was here, standing before her, alive and breathing and hard for her.

He was like a god.

Trembling, she scooted back from the water’s edge. Reaper went to a knee, pushing her legs apart. His swollen length protruded from the dark hair at his groin, reaching almost to his belly button. Caroline gulped. Would he fit?

She’d never seen or touched a penis before. Besides that one event when she was a teenager, her sheltered life had kept her mostly away from men except in social settings, and honestly, she’d never been that interested. But now she was fascinated. She wanted to touch him, to feel him, and so she did.

Her fingers wrapped around his length, the tips not touching. Reaper jerked and threw his head back, the veins on his neck standing out as though he was in pain.

Scared she’d done something wrong, Caroline drew her hand back, but he shackled her wrist and wrapped her fingers around him once more. “Don’t stop.”

Emboldened, she traced his length, marveled at the satiny feel of his skin over such hardness.

Reaper held himself completely still, letting her explore and learn. A drop of wetness formed on the crown and she swiped her thumb over it, instantly curious. That tiny movement seemed to be his undoing and he yanked from her grip and pushed her back onto the grass.

“Now it’s my turn.” She tensed as Reaper lay between her spread thighs, unsure of what to expect. When his tongue touched her clit, pleasure bordering on pain zinged through her body and her hips bowed off the grass. Dear, sweet lord.

Seeming to read her mind, Reaper repeated that movement, his rough tongue rasping over her again and again. Her muscles clenched so tight she didn’t think she could take it another minute. She wanted him. She needed him. “Reaper, please!”

He just growled and kept going, his movements becoming faster and more urgent. When she felt his fingers slip inside her, she exploded, the orgasm knocking her completely off guard.

Bright star lights pierced her vision and she lay there at his mercy.

She was barely aware of him withdrawing and rising over her, of him lining himself up at her entrance. Her worry that he wouldn’t fit was gone. When he slowly inched into her, she felt only burning pleasure. He stretched her, dominated her. She wanted more.

He butted up against something inside her, her body not yet ready to take all of him. He dropped to his elbow in the grass, captured her lips in a fierce kiss and then pulled almost all the way out before slamming completely into her.

Something inside her had given way to his forceful thrust. A pinch of pain tugged at her insides and Caroline cried out into his mouth.

Reaper froze above her, his enormous size stretching her to the point of almost pain. He’d pushed in so deep, she couldn’t tell where she began and he ended. Panting, she drew in a breath and forced her body to relax so she could accept him. All of him.

“Did I hurt you?” Reaper’s eyes were pulled into tight slits, his strain obvious. Even though she was completely ignorant about sex, she knew he wanted to move. The effort he was expending to hold still, to make sure she was okay, was Caroline’s undoing.

She lifted her feet from the ground and wrapped her legs around his waist, arching into him, somehow taking in more of him. “No, you feel so good.”

As if that small action had broken his last dam of resistance, Reaper lowered himself down to her and took her lips in a kiss so tender it brought tears to her eyes. “I had no idea you were . . . If I’d known, I would’ve gone slower.”

She trapped his face in her hands and pressed a smattering of kisses across his strong jaw and soft lips. “You would’ve stopped, and I wanted you to keep going. I wanted this more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life.”

A giant shudder worked down Reaper’s entire frame. He was so sexy like this. Vulnerable and raw, yet full of masculine power.

The horrors of the last months were worth it. They’d gotten her here. She’d found the perfect man for her, someone she would never have met under different circumstances, and he’d given her more pleasure than she’d dreamed possible.

“Caroline, I need to move.” To punctuate his words, his cock throbbed inside her.

Her womb clenched and she grabbed his arms for support. “I need you to move too.”

Because another orgasm was building inside her—she recognized the tension for what it was this time. And she knew that the man inside her was the only person who could give her that bliss again.

Sweat beading across his chest, Reaper withdrew and then filled her again in a slow, methodic rhythm. There was no resistance this time, and no hint of pain either—just pure pleasure. He eased forward until his hips were pressed against her inner thighs and he was completely filling her once more. Caroline bit down on his shoulder to keep from crying out. Her entire body surrounded his, taking in his enormous size with rapture.

She was on the verge of having another orgasm, and Reaper was riding the clouds right along with her.

He began thrusting into her, taking her with a tender forcefulness that only served to push her closer and closer to the edge of shattering. Only now, she didn’t break, she just kept climbing higher with each thrust, so high it scared her. “Reaper, I want you.”

His body rubbed against hers, and she moved back and forth with him as he picked up the pace, his thrusts becoming more forceful. “Hold onto me. Just hold on, baby.”

Caroline did as he instructed. Unable to think logically, she wrapped her arms around him and held on for dear life. He slammed into her, hard and fast, over and over, pushing her to the brink. The tightly wound coil inside her snapped and she screamed out his name, “Reaper!”

Wave after wave of pleasure coursed up her body, wrapping her up in a cocoon of hazy desire. Reaper thrust into her again and then groaned, holding deep inside her. She felt him swell and then burst, his hot release filling her. Another wave of pleasure clenched and gnawed at her insides. She clawed his back, dug her heels into his hips. The pleasure was almost unbearable. She couldn’t breathe. And then she shuddered, her body let go and her orgasm completely took control.