Worth the Risk: (A Contemporary Bad Boy Romance) Read online

  At the sound of his name on her lips he shoved himself as deeply inside of her as he could and let go, finding his own release. "Oh fuck," he groaned, thrusting inside her until his cock stopped spasming. As the last tremors of his climax receded, he lay alongside her, panting.

  Dani smiled, barely holding on to consciousness. It was the most powerful sexual experience she'd ever had, and it had sapped her strength. She closed her eyes, trying to rein in the overflow of emotion that followed their intense intimacy.

  Chapter 5

  His heart pounding hard enough to burst from his chest, Caleb caught his breath. Damn, that was... He'd promised to make her come harder than she ever had, but it looked like the professor was the one who made good on his promise. He was drained, and his body wanted to sleep. But his mind wouldn't let him.

  He sat up, glancing at the woman beside him. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was heavy, regular. She was asleep.

  Caleb slid to his feet and began dressing quietly so as not to wake her. When he was dressed, he risked a quick glance at the professor. Her chestnut hair was tangled around her head, her lips swollen and pink, her nipples in the same condition.

  “Fuck me,” he whispered roughly. “Is one night really enough?”

  He knew it wasn’t, but that was the promise. Good luck with either of them keeping it.

  He hardened before tearing his eyes away from her and heading toward the tent entrance. When he stepped outside it was almost dark. Caleb walked to his ATV, opening the storage hatch and pulling out a flashlight. He was ready to leave, but there was one thing he had to do before making his retreat.

  Although her tent hadn't seemed disturbed to his eyes, he didn't doubt Danielle's perceptions. She was bright, if a bit obsessive, and she wasn't the type to cry wolf. He'd check out the area around her campsite and see if he could find any hint of who might have rummaged through her things. The flashlight helped light up his way as he circled her tent.

  As he scanned for tracks, he worked hard on calming his mind. Caleb had bedded plenty of women in his time, but always with the knowledge that it would go no further than sex. It had never bothered him before; in fact, it made him feel safe enough to risk the intimacy, knowing that it was just that and nothing more.

  But tonight, when he'd been deep inside the professor, he hadn't needed a safety net. Even now he wanted to storm back to the tent, strip himself naked, and spend the rest of the night with her. Rest of the night, shit, how about the rest of the week?

  Caleb scowled. These weren't the kind of thoughts to be having, especially since the woman would be staying in his park for the next few months. He'd planned to get her out of his system tonight but instead bit his lip in frustration, wondering how he was going to resist the temptation of having her again when she was so close.

  He swung his flashlight nearer to the tree line and froze as he spotted a footprint. It was large, a man's work boot. A few paces away he found another, then several more as the land got muddier closer to the water. Another pair of work boots joined the first, and Caleb followed the trail down to a nearby stream. The tracks went right up to the water and disappeared.

  It wasn't definitive proof, but he would lay odds that these tracks belonged to men involved with the mining operation. In the last six months since he'd taken possession of the cabin and began his work on the park, Caleb had seen only three people on the land. Two were hikers who'd gotten lost after deciding to forge their own trail along the river. One was a hunter who'd soon been made aware of the changes in hunting regulations, as the state now held the land. That had been four months ago.

  Caleb started back toward the campsite, anger fighting frustration for control. How dare these assholes try to fuck with my park? With my woman? He stopped. His woman? That was just ridiculous. She meant nothing to him, just a night of phenomenal sex, a night that wouldn't be repeated. Especially now that he had proof of outsiders in the park.

  The situation actually made things easier. He'd hustle her out of the park, professing concern for her safety. Getting her out of harm's way. When she was gone, he wouldn't have to worry about keeping her safe from the miners. Or safe from him. He strode back into camp, pausing when he noticed the fire blazing outside the tent.

  * * *

  Dani had awoken almost immediately after dropping off and rolled over to find an empty bed. Geez, he sure wasn't kidding. Apparently, anything that happened directly after sex was considered a relationship by the ranger. She stood and gathered her clothing. Her body felt lighter as if tension she hadn't even realized she was carrying had been relieved. I guess a couple of exceptional orgasms are good for one's health.

  She'd skipped lunch to hike to his cabin, and her stomach refused to be ignored any longer. Dani gathered a few supplies and headed outside, barely able to concentrate. Her mind couldn't ignore what had just happened, and her body wasn't ready to let go of the memories.

  The sex had overwhelmed her. But predictably Caleb had left, true to his warning, and the feeling it caused annoyed her. Dani knew the score, knew he wasn't a long-term option, and at the moment she'd assumed she could handle it.

  Shit, I would have given him anything just to keep him touching me. But now that it was over, she felt strangely numb. Empty.

  Maybe she'd been a fool, throwing herself at him, accepting his stupid proposition. Dani sighed, setting down her supplies. This wasn't the time for self-doubt. If Caleb wasn't interested, it didn't matter. Forget it and focus on something else. She couldn't afford the distraction right now anyway.

  She started building a fire. She'd read up on the proper technique and had even purchased a flint striker to be doubly prepared. It was dry today, however, so she had no need for fancy tools. Dani piled some kindling on the empty patch of ground Caleb had cleared for her before her arrival. She balled up some old newspaper pages she'd brought for this purpose and placed them in with the kindling. Lighting the edges of the paper, she watched as the kindling began to flame. Finally, she could start piling firewood on the growing blaze and stood back to admire her handiwork. See, this camping thing isn't so hard.

  Dani sat before the fire in one of her two camping chairs Always bring a spare was another of her mottos. Poking her long fork into the flames, she began cooking herself a hotdog. The smell of meat and flames always reminded her of summer barbeques during her childhood in the suburbs near Dallas, Texas.

  Her family would spend the whole day outdoors, talking, playing games, and enjoying each other's company. They'd end by counting stars in the evening, and most times she'd wake up in her bed the next morning, her father having carried her sleeping form into the house. These memories, and the accompanying smells, never failed to put a smile on her face. Despite the turmoil she felt inside, these thoughts of home calmed her, and she focused on them now.

  She heard footsteps and glanced up, surprised to see Caleb staring down at her. He was still here? She'd been so focused on her memories that she hadn't noticed in the growing gloom that his ATV was still parked nearby.

  Dani's thoughts tumbled around her head, and she was unsure of how to react. Her body cried out in joy, anticipating another session of extreme lovemaking. Her mind didn't share her body's enthusiasm. That wasn't lovemaking. That was fucking. And judging by the expression on his face, she didn't think she was going to like whatever happened next as much.

  * * *

  Caleb took the empty seat across the fire from the professor. She ignored him, concentrating instead on her cooking, a ghost of a smile on her face. The firelight played across her features, warming her skin and making Caleb's stomach clench with need. He steeled himself against it and stared into the fire, wondering how best to start.

  She broke the silence before he could. "Want one?" She held up her hotdog, its juices falling into the fire and sizzling noisily.

  Yeah, he was hungry. Not for hot dogs. "Sure." He didn't look up as she pushed another dog onto the fork and held it over the fire. The sile
nce built between them, filling the campsite until his muscles felt rigid under its weight. Still, he said nothing. Why couldn't he get the words out?

  The professor stared at him, and for the longest time, he avoided her gaze, seeing her posture straighten, her muscles go stiff, and finally her mouth tighten into a fierce line. "What are you still doing here?" she asked when the silence was almost unbearable.

  Her words launched his brain into action. He knew what he needed to say, what he had to do. "I found a glimmer of a trail that faded just a few yards beyond your campsite. The prints headed down to the water and got lost in the reeds near the stream. They might have come in boats."

  "They?" she asked, pulling the hotdogs out of the fire.

  "There were two sets of prints. What looked like work boots. Definitely not your typical hiking boots."

  "Mm-hmm." She laid out two buns, then filled them. "Ketchup? Mustard?"

  "Both," he said, standing and walking over to the table that held her supplies. She handed him a plate, and he took it without a word, staring down at her. Danielle met his gaze then turned away, picking up her own plate and returning to her seat.

  He stared at her back for a moment, hating the awkwardness of the situation. He'd always left when things got uncomfortable, shit, before then if possible. But this time he wasn't ready to go.

  He latched his gaze onto the fire, methodically chewing his hotdog until her voice forced his eyes to meet hers. "So what do we do now?"

  "Although we have no evidence of a crime, as I said earlier, I'm convinced that it might be more dangerous for you out here than anticipated. I think you should pack up your things and postpone your research, at least until we can make sure it's safe."

  "What?" She jumped up from her seat, her plate spilling off her lap and the remains of her hotdog hitting the dirt. "That's not possible!"

  "Hear me out," he said, holding up one hand in an attempt to calm her. This woman jumps from zero to sixty faster than a German luxury sedan. Lord knows she's as sexy as one.

  "You've only been here two days, and already your campsite's been tampered with. We have reason to suspect that there are criminals in the park, ones that might not want to leave any potential witnesses around to jeopardize their plans. It's too dangerous to remain here alone."

  "Nonsense!" Her cheeks were bright red, and not from the heat of the fire. "First of all, you said that you only suspect that criminals are somewhere in the park. What hard evidence do you have? None. Secondly, who knows if it was even anyone involved in this supposed mining operation that invaded my campsite? It could have been hunters, or hikers, or even some kids passing through. Just because you've heard a rumor of a potential threat doesn't mean that I'm in danger."

  She reached down, jerking up her pant leg and exposing a small holster, a little black pistol nestled inside it – again, as if she were bragging. "Besides, I can take care of myself."

  Caleb shook his head. A flash of mystified anger was followed by a fierce craving that made him sweat. A fucking handgun. The little professor was packing heat. Would wonders never cease?

  He stood up. "You're right. I don't have proof. But these aren't the type of guys to leave clues lying around. If there are miners somewhere in the park, I might not be able to find them, and I know the land around here better than anyone. These guys are professionals, backed by someone with a lot of money to risk on an even bigger fortune. They aren't the type to hesitate when someone threatens to interfere with that fortune. You'd be a fool to stay."

  And I'm a fool to want you to stay.

  He nearly flinched at the thought. No, he didn't want her to stay; he wanted her to get the hell out of his park and away from danger.

  Her dark eyes narrowed as she stepped around the fire and closer to him. Crossing her arms over her impressive chest, she glared up at him. "Then I'm a fool, albeit a rational one. I'm not going to let some unsubstantiated menace frighten me out of the biggest opportunity of my short career. Unless you can prove that my life is seriously at risk, I'm staying!"

  Caleb took a step closer, lowering his gaze to meet her eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms and shake some sense into her. But he was afraid that once he got her in his arms, shaking her would be the last thing on his mind. "Is your career really worth it?"

  She nodded up at him. "Yes. Isn't yours?"

  He considered her words. His career was everything to him, his one safe harbor in a world that had been filled with chaos. He would do anything to defend his park, even if it put his life in danger. In fact, he was already putting himself at risk deciding to go after the criminals without assistance.

  But more than that, he wanted her to stay. He realized it now, watching the firelight reflected in her eyes, mirroring the same fiery spirit that burned inside of her. She was different, like someone from another world, a world his own had never connected with before. Yes, her staying here was dangerous, but Caleb wasn't sure if her going might not be worse somehow. Before his rational mind could interfere, he spoke. "You're right." He straightened and looked out over the forest. "For now, you're right. But I'll be keeping an eye on you. Let me see your phone."

  Confusion showed on her face, but she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell, handing it to him. He took it, typed in his contact information, and handed it back to her. "Now call my phone." The professor pushed a couple of buttons, and his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and saved her number, listing her under "Professor Greenhorn."

  "You've got my number," he said and slid his phone back into his pocket. "If you see anything, call me immediately, then call 911. I've put signal boosters in a few trees so your phone should work through most of the park. I'll come if you call."

  "For a guy who isn't into being tied down, you're certainly making yourself available." She blinked as if the words had flown out on their own.

  He stiffened. "This has nothing to do with what happened earlier. This is your safety we're talking about."

  "Right." Her eyes flicked away, her face not able to hide her embarrassment.

  "I'll call in once a day to check on you. If you don't answer, I'll assume the worst and come looking for you." He took one last look around the camp. Nothing seemed out of place, and he couldn't spend all night here watching over her. Besides, he needed to keep some space between them, for her sake as much as his. Caleb started walking toward the ATV but turned back before he reached it.

  "Do you know how to work that thing?" he asked, pointing to the holster that was poking out beneath her pant leg.

  "Sure," she said with a big smile. "I'm from Texas."

  He laughed, and it surprised him. She joined him, and their mutual tension seemed to ease. "Goodnight, Professor Greenhorn," he said with a salute, and she snorted, then slapped a hand over her mouth. He smiled as he climbed into the ATV and headed off into the night.

  Chapter 6

  It was midmorning a few days later when Caleb heard a vehicle approaching his cabin. He stepped out onto his porch, a cup of coffee in hand, and watched as a sleek black Mercedes pulled up between his truck and the professor's Outback. As the driver stepped out and headed over to him, Caleb wondered what business the man would have in his woods.

  "Can I help you?" he asked as he made his way down the steps toward the visitor. As with all strangers, he was cautiously hostile.

  "You're the forest ranger, I take it." The man's voice was cultured but had a nasal drone that was sure to annoy before long.

  "And you are?" Caleb's voice was less than friendly.

  "Dr. Fischer, Dean of Sciences at Central Willamette University. I'm here to check on a colleague of mine, Dr. French."

  Surprise flashed through him, followed by the inkling of an emotion he couldn't name. Why should it bother him that another man had come into his park, looking for the sexy scientist?

  Wait, Dean of Sciences? He must be her boss. The realization made him breathe a little easier, and he stuck out his hand to the man. "Caleb Hu
nt."

  The other man took his hand, limply moving it up and down. Caleb noticed the carefully clipped nails on the unlined hand and wondered if the dean enjoyed a good manicure now and then. He didn't seem the type who tended toward fieldwork.

  "Pleasure to meet you," Dr. Fischer said distractedly, his gaze jumping around from tree to tree. Caleb wondered how the man could simultaneously take in his surroundings while looking down his nose.

  The dean took a moment to compose the expression of a man who didn't like the outdoors into something resembling a polite smile. "Ranger Hunt, could you please point me in the direction of my colleague's camp? I'm anxious to check on her progress."

  Caleb fought the urge to raise an eyebrow at his words and lost. The man's arrogant tone got under his skin. The faster he got him to the camp, the faster he could hustle him back out of the park again.

  "Right this way," Caleb said, bowing slightly while extending his hands in the direction of the ATV, not caring if his mockery was noticeable.

  The ride to camp was possibly the most uncomfortable fifteen minutes of Caleb's life. The dean was not only a smug bastard, but he mistook his own haughtiness for charm. Conversation was near impossible. Everything that came out of the man's mouth sounded like a lecture.

  "Dr. French is a dear, dear friend of mine," he said, and Caleb gripped the wheel so hard his knuckles turned a ghostly white.

  Dr. Fischer seemed to take no notice of his companion's discomfort. "This little project of hers is quite amusing, don't you think? Although I don't buy her premise that one amphibian species is actually two, I suppose that even a null result is a result in some sense. Don't you agree?"

  Caleb grunted in response and was treated to what must pass for a dean's laugh but which came out more like the whine of a tea kettle. "Of course you probably have no idea what I'm talking about," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "Nevertheless, our dear Dr. French is a very ambitious woman, willing to put up with all this wilderness in the name of science, however misguided her attempts may be. Still, roughing it has got to be hard on the lady. I'm certain she'll appreciate my offer of a brief escape this afternoon."