“Hell of a time to test it.”
“Relax,” she said. “You passed with flying colours.”
“Hmm.”
She smacked a kiss on his cheek. Grinning, pleased with herself. “Sullying you further would be a pleasure.”
“Time to switch places,” he warned. Rolling her onto her back, taking the top.
“Whoa.”
“Alright?” He pushed her dark hair out of her lovely face, rubbed his lips over the dent in her chin. Gave it a leisurely lick. “I gave you beard rash.”
“I’ll survive. Why so serious a face?”
“Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” she said. No hesitation. His heart jumped about in his chest.
“Natalie. I’ve got another plan,” he said, all seriousness. “About getting out of here and surviving. You and me. If that’s what you want.”
He felt the breath leave her, her body tensing beneath him. She went very still. “It’s going to involve me scaling the side of the building, isn’t it?”
“It’s going to involve you trusting me to help get you out of here. Can you do that?”
Her gaze slid off him. “Huh. Climbing the side of a tall building. Well, we’re going to need to wait until they calm down. You attracted a lot of infected with the shotgun.”
“A couple of days. I brought supplies, we’ll be fine. You didn’t answer the question.”
“I’ve seen your supplies.”
“Answer the question, Natalie.” He nudged her nose with his. “This is important.”
With a humph, she pushed her br**sts against him. Trying her hardest to derail him, apparently. “You were trying to soften me up with an orgasm, weren’t you?”
He just stared at her. Waiting.
“You’re meant to be young and impressionable. Easily sidetracked by boobs and the mention of sex.” She rolled her head to the side, looking out the dreaded balcony window. Her dark brows drew tight. He’d never faced this kind of thing. Walking into the fenced pool area below had been obvious, necessary. There wasn’t a damn thing he wouldn’t do for her. But he hadn’t lived with the fear of it for all of his life, following his every step. Not like she had with her fear of heights.
“I’m not leaving you,” he said. “However long it takes. I’m very serious about the you and me part.”
Dark eyes turned to him, the column of her throat moving as she swallowed hard. “Okay. For you.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
“Natalie,” he chuckled, taken aback. Probably blushing again. Bloody hell. “I’m honoured. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
Her sudden smile was brilliant. Breathtaking. God help anything that tried to separate him from her now. Not happening.
“I’m not sure I brought enough condoms.”
“We have somewhere safe to go, Nat.”
The ocean breeze was ruffling his hair. He was the picture of beachside magnificence. Tall and burnished. Hot. Mine.
“I can do this,” she said.
“Yes. Of course you can. You can do anything. And I’ll be beside you every step of the way.”
She grinned. “Let’s go.”