Page 41 of Rami

She drew back her head. “I—I don’t know.”

His knuckle caught her chin, and the contact sent a shockwave of need through her core. “I think you know.”

Her lips parted as she watched him drink her in. God, god, god. This was the kind of trouble she’d tried to avoid.

“Well?”

She firmed her lips. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”

He studied her carefully, his gaze softening. “Must be hard to live with all that. Coming back to normal.”

Tears stung her eyes and realization dawned on her. “Did you have that problem too? Ivy said you were in black ops with August.”

He nodded. “Besides pulling that trigger, the hardest thing I ever fucking did was come home. I thought bombs were loud—but the silence back home was deafening.”

Rami was the one person who understood what she was going through. Her experience was nothing like war, but they’d both suffered. Both had to envision their own deaths day after day to make sure they survived.

He’d had to kill to stay alive and she’d had to resist death with every damn injection.

Tears swam down her cheeks, and she locked her arms around his waist. His hand came to the back of her head, and his other wrapped around the small of her back. “It’ll take time, but you’ll remember what normal feels like.”

She closed her eyes as he spoke, wishing she could stop the tears but not having the strength. “I still see them in my dreams. When I fall asleep at night, I can hear them arguing, can hear Wayne getting the needle ready—it’s like I’m still there.”

“You’re not.” The words came out like the violent snap of a whip.

His body heat radiated through his T-shirt—through muscles so hard and capable that just the feel of them promised to push all the bad from her mind forever.

She needed this. Connection. Warmth. Another human being to lie next to. A man to fill her.

She needed him.

Pulling back from his chest, she met his stare. Reined-in desire burned in his eyes and his smooth lips parted, waiting for her.

She rose to her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his. His scent, leather and soap, filled her nostrils. His fingertips dug into her hip bones, drawing her close to his body. A growl rumbled from his throat, sending shivers racing through her. The bulge in his pants pressed against her belly and she groaned.

Logic fled her mind along with every reason she thought getting naked with Rami would be trouble.

Because having Rami inside her was the exact trouble she needed.

CHAPTER 12

Jesus Christ.

Rami kept his hands clamped to Ivy’s hips as he slipped his tongue between her teeth, tasting her sweet mouth. He’d failed miserably at keeping his hands to himself. Goddammit, she needed his protection, not his tongue down her throat.

Maybe if he’d taken the job under contract, he wouldn’t be all over her right now. But shit, she’d made the move. He pulled away, pressing his forehead to hers. Desire arced between them. “Honey, I don’t think you know what you’re getting into.”

Her hands skimmed his waist to find his belt buckle. “I want you,” she breathed.

He caught her wrists before she undid his pants, his grip too rough. “You’ve been through a lot. I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret.”

Hell. If they slept together and she had banger’s remorse, he’d never forgive himself. He needed to back away. End this before he got in over his head.

She coiled away a fraction. “I’m sorry. I don’t blame you. You probably think I’m dirty.”

Fuck. He caught her face with his palm. “I told you not to do that.”

Disease hadn’t crossed his mind since she brought it up in the motel room. He hoped like hell she wouldn’t have to face that demon.

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