Cisco would, eventually, find the proper time to tell Hilly that Marty was behind bars, but for now, he needed to put all work and criminal activity out of his brain because he felt drained. The only thing that had kept him going throughout it all, was the thought of seeing Hilly tonight, and getting to be with her, 24/7, for an entire weekend.

He swung his leg over the seat and dusted off his dirty boots with a deliberate swish of his hand. He needed a shower, and food, in that order, then he’d convince Hilly to settle down in front of the camp’s Friday night bonfire, where he’d ease her off to the side and attempt to propose again.

But this time he was determined to get lucky. He had ammunition. The ring he’d ordered made for Hilly had finally come in at the jewelers earlier that day, and the velvet box now lay nestled in an interior pocket in his leather jacket, just waiting to make an appearance. Cisco couldn’t help his suddenly elevated mood, and he whistled as he approached the cabin. If all went well, the ninth time asking would be a charm, and Hilly would officially be his fiancé before the night was over.

Huh. It was odd, though. Normally when Hilly heard him drive up, she was waiting for him on the porch. He knew she’d been going farther and farther afield this week, resuming some of her duties around camp as she healed, but she’d never lost track of time before.

His heartbeat picked up. Maybe she’d had a relapse.

Cisco didn’t wait around speculating. He dashed to the cabin, up the one step, crossed the small porch, and was inside in a flash. He blinked a few times for his eyes to adjust, and⁠—

Cisco’s jaw fell slack.

“Hilly?” Was that his voice that had just cracked?

Uh, yeah. And he knew why. His woman was standing in the shadowed room, flickering candles all around, with romantic music playing somewhere in the background. But it was what Hilly was…or wasn’t wearing that had Cisco practically drooling.

It was two, no three small bits of material in a deep forest green, attempting to cover all her luscious lady parts.

“Do you like it?” she asked, doing a slow spin. As she presented her back, Cisco’s hands twitched to follow the thin strip of material that disappeared between her ass cheeks.

“Like it?” Cisco rasped; his throat suddenly tight. “I love it. And you’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.”

“Then come here and prove it to me,” she purred.

Cisco took one step forward, then groaned. He remembered why this was a bad idea. His brows drew together and he sighed unhappily. “You’re still recovering, Hilly. We can’t take any chances that⁠—”

“It’s my body, Cisco,” she responded with certainty. “And I’m not in pain anymore.” To entice him further, she placed her hands beneath her silk-clad breasts, and raised them up, slipping her thumbs over her hard nipples in the process.

Cisco moaned. “You’re not playing fair, Hilly.”

“And you haven’t been playing at all,” she returned sharply. “I’m through waiting, Cisco. And if you won’t take care of me, I’ll take care of myself.”

One hand smoothed slowly down from her breast, to slip beneath the small triangle of green.

Cisco knew what was down there. Hilly’s copper curls. His palms itched to cover the crisp hair, imagining himself parting it to find her small, stiff clit.

His breathing increased. “You’d tease me like that?” he rasped.

“If that’s what it takes,” she answered boldly, and threw her head back as she pleasured herself, baring the long, smooth column of her neck; a neck that was no longer bruised, he noted.

“I need to kiss you,” Cisco strangled out.

“Then kiss me,” she responded languidly, her digits still moving between her legs.

Cisco growled and closed the distance between them. He wrenched her hand from its berth and replaced it with his own, immediately encountering Hilly’s slickness.

“So wet,” he managed.

She boldly placed her hand on the front of his uniform breeches. “So hard,” she returned.

Cisco groaned. “I’m afraid I’ll hurt you,” he admitted, dropping his head to nuzzle the side of her face that hadn’t been injured.

“You won’t hurt me,” she assured him. “Everything is pretty much healed except my ribs. If we use my bed, you can hold your weight above me, or…” she looked around the room. “…we could take advantage of the counter.”

The counter was a damned fine idea. “I’ll give you ten seconds to change your mind,” he grunted.

When she didn’t answer, but bit down on his earlobe instead, he scooped her up under the ass, filling his hands with her warm flesh. She wrapped her ankles around his back as he carried her over toward the perch that would be the perfect height.

“Do you like these panties?” he asked. His hand was poised to tear them off.

She slipped her feet from around his hips, to the floor, and in one quick move, they were in her hand. “I just bought them. So as hot as it would be for you to rip them from my body, I think we should keep them for a few more rounds.”

“Agreed,” he growled, taking the scrap from her and holding it to his nose, inhaling. Her scent drove him wild and his steel cock throbbed as he shoved her panties into his jacket pocket. “I’ll keep them safe.”

“Mmm, I’ll just bet you will,” Hilly murmured, then leapt back into his arms. “Now where were we headed?”

“Right where I want you.”

An hour later, after mind-blowing counter-sex with Cisco half in, half out of his uniform, they went for a completely naked round in Hilly’s tiny shower that had required some very Houdini-like moves.

Now Cisco, dressed only in pair of sweatpants, sat across from Hilly, eating a fine chicken dinner.

Thankfully, Hilly had donned a robe over the sexy green bra she wore again, but the minx had left it to fall open, so every time she took a bite, he caught a glimpse of her barely clad breasts.

He wanted all barriers between them, gone.

“Later, we’re going to do it on your bed,” he said, enjoying a bite of his mashed potatoes. He’d never seen her lovely, naked body completely spread out and flushed, her gorgeous hair loose around her bare shoulders. His dick stirred again.

“We were fully naked in the shower,” she teased.

“Yeah. But with only a few inches of room to spare in there, I couldn’t look my fill.”

Her eyes smoldered as she teased a carrot with her tongue. “Then we’ll just have to remedy that.”

With little fanfare, he was hard as stone again, but…

He had something more important to take care of before they lost themselves in each other once more.

He sent a hand into his pocket, where he’d put the precious box before ditching his leather jacket. He took the small cube out and held his breath as he slid from his chair and went down on one knee.

“What…?” Hilly’s hand went to her mouth, but this time he didn’t see any reluctance in her gaze.

“They say the ninth time is a charm,” Cisco began, clearing his throat.

Hilly laughed, chokingly. “I don’t think that’s a saying.”