“That’s it; I’m coming,” he growled.
Bella shrieked when he rustled the plastic curtains as if he was tearing through them and he was disappointed he couldn’t make good on his threat, but that wasn’t possible—not while they were being filmed.
He hurried to wash the rest of himself before the water ran out. Still, when the water slowed to a drip and stopped all together, he wasn’t ready for the shower to be over.
He dried himself on the towel he’d left right outside his stall and slipped out to pull on clean clothes. Making his way back toward the campfire now burning brightly, he met up with Bella. He walked beside her, and when one of the crew members dropped a camera, causing everyone else on the set to turn his way, Evan reached for her hand, squeezed it, and let it go again, his fingers trailing over her palm.
He hoped her answering squeeze was a promise of things to come. As much as he was determined to win this show, he wanted to make the most of what could possibly be his last night with Bella. He didn’t think he could stand it if they didn’t make love again. It was hard enough to imagine going back to life as usual after the show ended tomorrow.
She glanced up at him and smiled, a quick, intimate smile. He grinned in return, a lustful, wolfish grin, and making sure no one was looking, reached out and gave her ass a squeeze.
Bella squeaked and the camera crew around them swiveled her way. Biting back her laughter, she put her head down and hurried the remainder of the way into camp. She stowed her gear away, sat on a log near the fire, and made a big show of stretching and yawning widely.
Madelyn appeared just as Evan took a seat nearby.
“Okay, kids, we have one more day of filming—one more day to make this show a success. Your run with us may just about be over, but all of us,” she waved a hand to encompass the crew members hard at work around them, “still need to make a living. We’re counting on you to convince our network we need another season of the show. Think you can do that for us?”
“Sure,” Evan said.
“Okay,” Bella shrugged.
“We need drama, passion, chills, thrills—give us something we can work with.” Madelyn surveyed first one and then the other. “I know there’s something going on between you two. Sparks are smoldering, if they’re not flying outright. How about you let them ignite tonight?” She waggled her eyebrows at them lasciviously, a sight Evan thought would haunt him to his grave. Time to put an end to that bit of speculation before she spooked Bella and their last night of passion became a bust.
“We’ll provide all the drama you could want tomorrow during the contests,” Evan said evenly. “I’m afraid you’re wrong about the sparks, though. Bella will make me a perfectly adequate wife, but I don’t call her Betty Bumpkin for nothing. I’m used to a little more…sophistication…in my bed.”
He hoped Bella understood what he was trying to do, and didn’t take that personally. He stood up. “Speaking of bed, I’m going to hit the hay. Give me a minute then feel free to join me…Betty.”
Madelyn turned to her, eyebrows raised high. “You going to take that lying down, Betty?” she asked, laughing uproariously at her own joke.
“Ha, ha. I can be sophisticated any time I want to,” Bella said, meeting his gaze with a glint of humor in her eye. Evan relaxed a bit. “But a wealthy man isn’t automatically an interesting man—or an endowed one. I don’t think Moneybuns is packing much below the belt, if you get my drift.” She arched an eyebrow at him, obviously saying, take that!
“Whoa—strong words!” Madelyn said. “Are you getting all of this?” She looked over her shoulder at the crew.
Nita gave her a thumb’s up.
“I’m calling it a night, too,” Bella said. “Early to bed, early to rise and beat the crap out of my opponent.”
Evan headed out into the bushes to heed a final call of nature for the day, but Bella’s last words stuck with him. He still had to beat Bella in this stupid contest and she was three points ahead of him. Somehow he had to throw her off her game, because now more than ever he was positive he wanted to win. He wanted a whole year with his sexy, little veterinarian to convince her she wanted to spend a lifetime with him.
How could he knock her off balance enough to take the lead tomorrow?
The answer brought a groan to his lips.
* * * * *
By the time Bella crawled into the tent and slid under the covers, Evan had already piled on all their extra clothes. He tugged her all the way under them and drew her into a long, hot kiss. When he released her, he lifted one of her hands to touch his mouth and she felt his smile. He kissed her fingertips, and made as if to turn her over. Thoughts of their previous night swirling in her head, she quickly complied and nestled herself in the crook of his arm.
His sensual onslaught began almost immediately. His hands slid up and down her body, finding her breasts, kneading them and squeezing them until she had to stifle a moan. He kissed the side of her neck and under her ear, nipped at her earlobe and pulled her even closer.
She could feel his hardness hot against her back and longed to have him inside of her, but she knew that would come in time. For now, she relished every stroke of his fingers over her skin and wondered how she would bear to part with him tomorrow night.
Maybe—just maybe—when she was a millionaire and the stray animals of Chance Creek were safe in her care, she could see Evan now and then. Maybe take a trip to California, or he could fly to Chance Creek. She tried to picture him in a cowboy hat and giggled aloud.
“Shh,” Evan whispered and trailed one hand lower, finding the heat between her legs. Her eyes closed and she arched her back in a state of sensual overload as he dipped and swirled and stirred her to life.
She wanted him badly, bit her lip as she imagined him pressing into her, how she’d feel when she pushed back against him and they rocked together until their bodies exploded with desire. She smiled when a moment later he fumbled with something, and pressed against her core, his hardness already sending shivers of pleasure radiating through her body.
“Are you ready?” he whispered.
She nodded, knowing he’d feel the movement, knowing he’d taken care of protection, too. Thank goodness he’d had the foresight to bring some. He pushed farther inside her and the sensation made her want to cry aloud. She wished they were alone and she could give vent to everything she was bottling up inside her right now. Someday she’d make love to Evan and scream if he moved her to.