Freefall. Jill Sorenson

in shipping.”

      “Shipping?”

      He nodded. “I work for a company in Las Vegas.”

      Las Vegas. Close enough for a friendly visit, but too far for anything serious. That suited Faith just fine.

      The others gathered around the fire a moment later. Jay eased his arm away as smoothly as he’d introduced it, giving her an apologetic glance. Maybe he didn’t want to invite comments about how cozy they were getting.

      Ron boiled water for freeze-dried meals and served them in the bag with plastic forks. The beef stew tasted awful to Faith, but Jay ate it like a starving man. She offered him her portion and shared a handful of trail mix with Paula, who was a vegetarian. Hot cocoa was the highlight of the evening.

      There were no roasted marshmallows or campfire sing-alongs. Faith felt certain that someone would request a round of “Kumbayah,” but no. Ron and the other women went to bed early. Caleb brandished a flask and a smile. He unscrewed the cap and held it out to Faith, who accepted with enthusiasm. After tossing back a shot, she coughed and grimaced. The men laughed at her girlish reaction.

      Jay also took a drink, swallowing easily. They passed around the flask until it was empty. By the time Ted rolled a joint, Faith was already buzzed.

      “This is good shit,” Caleb said, holding in the smoke.

      “Tastes local,” Ted agreed.

      Faith declined a toke. The liquor was strong enough, and she hardly knew these guys. Getting wasted out of her mind wasn’t a smart idea. Jay didn’t hit the joint, either, which seemed to surprise them.

      “You don’t want any?”

      He shook his head.

      Caleb and Ted continued to share the pot. Soon they were in la-la land by themselves, debating on the other side of the campfire about how ancient civilizations had been influenced by space aliens.

      Faith giggled at Caleb’s wild gestures and turned her attention back to Jay. He was studying her again. Although her face felt naked without makeup, she reminded herself that firelight was flattering.

      “Warmer now?” he asked.

      “Yes,” she said, with some regret. The combination of alcohol and masculine attention made her cheeks hot. If she wanted another excuse to cuddle with him, she’d have to move away from the fire.

      First things first.

      She met his eyes. “Do you have a girlfriend?”

      “No,” he said, seeming amused. “What about you?”

      “No girlfriend,” she said coyly, twirling the end of her braid. “I tried that once in college but it didn’t work out.”

      His mouth went slack at the implication.

      “No boyfriend, either.”

      He shook his head, as if to clear it. “Why not?”

      “I haven’t felt like dating anyone since my last breakup.”

      “What happened?”

      “I guess we didn’t have anything in common. He was a total jock, and...”

      “You don’t like sports?”

      She hesitated, not wanting to admit it. She knew that men appreciated women who rooted for the home team, drank beer and ate hot dogs. But Faith hated hot dogs. Besides, her sister was the sporty type, and being so hadn’t improved her love life.

      Maybe Faith should have made a better effort with Tom. She’d rarely attended his events or watched games with him. He hadn’t taken an interest in her social activities, either. They’d never been able to compromise.

      “I like some sports,” she said.

      “Which ones?”

      She thought hard. “Dirty dancing.”

      He laughed at her answer.

      “Are you a sports fan?” she asked, hopeful.

      “Yes.”

      Her spirits sank. “What’s your favorite?”

      “Boxing.”

      Tom hadn’t been into boxing. He’d followed most of the popular sports, so he’d been glued to the television every night. “That’s it?”

      “Pretty much.”

      “No football or baseball?”

      “I like soccer, but I don’t understand football, and baseball is boring to watch. Not physical enough.”

      She wasn’t sure what he meant, but she shivered in response to the word physical. He had a unique way of speaking, a brevity that appealed to her. Everything about him was spare and lean, from his taut body to his clipped sentences.

      Leaning toward him, she whispered in his ear, “I have to pee.”

      He rose to his feet, eager to assist. She took his proffered hand and stood up, swaying a little. Caleb and Ted were too busy arguing about the space-time continuum to notice their departure.

      Although Faith was afraid of bears, she could have squatted behind a bush without help. Jay stood guard at a nearby tree while she tinkled in the moonlight. She prayed that the leaves near her backside weren’t poison oak.

      When she was finished, she fastened her pants and returned to his side. She tripped on the last step by design, stumbling into his arms.

      Oh my.

      His biceps were very firm beneath her palms, and his chest felt like a warm, hard cocoon. She clung to him, not caring if her pratfall was convincing.

      “Are you all right?”

      “Mmm-hmm.”

      He placed a hand at the small of her back, holding her steady. The action also brought her lower body flush against his. They were much closer than polite distance allowed, and he was making no move to extract himself.

      She twined her arms around his neck, encouraged.

      Not only did he take the hint; he took control, turning her toward the tree and slanting his mouth over hers. She parted her lips on a gasp as her shoulders met the rough bark. Groaning, he dipped his tongue inside.

      He tasted smooth and hot, like campfire whiskey. She hadn’t kissed a man since Tom and it was nice to cleanse her palate.

      Jay did a thorough job, exploring her mouth with silky strokes. He wasn’t pushy or overeager. This was a man who could wait for the main event. His lips were deliciously firm. In her experience, sloppy kissers were sloppy lovers, and anyone who rushed first base didn’t deserve to get waved on to second.

      She moaned and sucked on his tongue, appreciative.

      He must have enjoyed that, because he made a sound in the back of his throat and slid his hands lower, cupping her bottom. Faith approved of the maneuver, and of the desire she felt swelling between them. She pressed her breasts against his chest. Her skin tingled with awareness and heat blossomed between her legs.

      As if reading her mind, he lifted her higher, fitting his erection into the notch of her thighs.

      Unh.

      That was good.

      Still kissing her, he rubbed his hard denim button fly against her cleft, stimulating a riot of sensations.

      She dug her fingernails into his shoulders and swooned, dizzy from arousal. He was going to make her come with her clothes on! She shouldn’t have gone so long without sex. This was embarrassing.

      It wasn’t his fault that she was teetering on the edge of orgasm, and if they had a private place to retreat to, her extreme horniness wouldn’t be a problem. But there was no way she’d let him screw her against