Page 12 of Concerto of Crows and Cowards

“You said you were here for a couple of reasons.” His voice was seductive and low, and she finally found the courage to meet that endless blue gaze. “The first is the mission. But you haven’t told me what the second reason was.”

“That was careless of me,” she whispered.

They stared into each other’s eyes, completely lost to anything else around them. It was a stare that lasted too long and saw too much. A stare that heightened the senses and changed how each breath was drawn, so they were completely in sync with one another. It was like being caught in a spell, so body and mind were no longer theirs to command.

Jade drew in a shuddering breath and glanced down at his sensual lips, ripe and full and so tempting she could have spent hours there. But then she remembered he was waiting patiently for her to see to his cuts and heat rushed to her face at how easily she’d been distracted. Only he could do this to her—only when he was near was her ability to focus on the job at hand sorely tested.

The splinters were gone and she wiped the cuts with an antiseptic pad before placing a couple of butterfly bandages over the deeper ones. She froze when she felt his hands on either side of her knees.

“You didn’t answer me, Jade. What was the other reason for coming here?”

She couldn’t keep herself from touching him, from feeling the coarseness of his stubble beneath her hand. Her thumb skimmed across his bottom lip and his nostrils flared at the boldness of her touch.

“Answer me.”

His fingers flexed against her skin with impatience. He reminded her of a big golden tiger locked in a cage, waiting for the opportunity to pounce on whoever opened the door.

“You told me before—” She licked her lips and ran her fingers through his damp hair, massaging the back of his skull. “You told me to come find you when I was ready to live for real.”

“And?” he asked.

“It looks like I’ve found you,” she whispered. “Now what are you going to do about it?”

Chapter Four

Jade could see the surprise in his eyes, and the way her challenge affected him. He pulled her closer, so their lips were only a breath apart.

“You’re under my skin, Max Devlin. All these years of separation, and I still couldn’t get you out of my head. There are no ghosts between us now. Memories—yes. But no ghosts. We’re just a man and a woman, and I know what I’m asking for. Give me this one time. Just to make the ache go away.”

She kissed him in earnest then, lips and tongues melding. His hand clasped against the back of her head, holding her in place as he took control. If he hadn’t been holding her steady, her knees would have buckled because kissing Max was like sending an electrical current through her system.

“You think just once is going to do it?” he asked, pulling away. “You’d better be sure what you’re asking me because I promise, the kind of living I have in mind is like nothing you’ve ever experienced. I want forever.”

She shook her head in denial. “I need to be touched. I’ve missed it so much. Please.” Unspeakable pressure was building inside of her. She’d been married and widowed, but never in her life had she felt anything like what was happening to her now.

“I’m going to touch you, sugar. But I know you, Jade Jax, and I see through you. Coming to me is the perfect excuse for you to get what you want and not have to face the consequences. Yes, you’re ready to live for real. I can see it when I look at you now. But you’re still feeling your way back into the world, and you think I’m a safe choice for testing your wings. You won’t use me and cast me aside.”

She froze against him as his words mirrored her thoughts. She shook her head to deny him, but the fire burning between them wouldn’t be doused so easily.

“Don’t push this, Max,” she said, her hand pressing against his chest. “I want you. My body comes alive for you. Let it be enough for now.” She didn’t bother to add he’d probably lose interest before long anyway. She knew exactly what she was getting into. A man like Max could never really love her—not when he discovered the real her.

“I’ve wanted and waited for this too long,” he said. “Since I met you, even when I couldn’t have you, it’s only been you who’s haunted my dreams. Once you give yourself to me, you’re mine.”

She shook her head, denying him the one thing she couldn’t give.

“You’ll give me everything you have. There won’t be any hiding when you’re with me. Is that something you’ll be able to live with?”

Jade’s mind was cloudy with the promises he made, and there was no turning back now—not after she’d come so close to satisfaction.

“I won’t be a bystander in this affair,” she said. “And I won’t be bullied. I may not have as much experience as you when it comes to certain things, but I’m a fast learner and I can hold my own. You may call the shots in the bedroom, but we’ll stand side by side when it comes to the job. One has nothing to do with the other. I want your promise on that or I walk out the door right now. Are we clear?”

“Crystal,” Max said, smiling. “And don’t threaten to walk out my door. Because I’ll just hunt you down and bring you back. You’re mine, Jade.”

And then he kissed her, flooding her senses with the memory of his taste and the texture of his lips. He was intoxicating, and she was already drunk on the promise of what was to come.

She was way out of her league, and as passionate and daring as she’d thought sex with Donovan had been, she realized now how sheltered her experience had been. Not that Donovan hadn’t made her blood race, because he had, but the sheer chemistry she felt with Max made her realize how wide the spectrum of pleasure was.

She wished she was the kind of woman who owned sexy lingerie, but she’d never taken the time to learn to be a girl. Her whole life had been about survival, from the time she’d been a child in the orphanage to adulthood when she’d sworn to serve and protect.

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