Page 40 of Don't Let Go

The last thing I wanted to be was coy. I’d been a bit hesitant to lock gazes with him, more out of fear of seeing the judgment or disapproval that seemed to radiate off of McQuade. Yet, staring in his eyes now, all I saw was real concern. Before I could offer another word of assurance, however, I spotted the bruise shadowing his jaw.

“You’re hurt.” I closed the distance, and grasped his chin with light fingers. He didn’t resist when I tilted his head to study it in the light. The bruise stretched from his jaw down to his throat.

Now it was his turn to raise his brows. “What was that for?”

“Kissing it to make it better.”

“Oh, well, in that case…” He rolled his shirt up to show me another bruise on the side of his forearm.

At his glance, I wrapped a hand over his wrist and pressed a kiss to the newly revealed bruise. His skin was warm and the light sprinkle of hair along his skin tickled my lips.

“Any others?”

The corners of his mouth quirked a bit higher. Reaching for the two buttons on his shirt, he opened it from his collar to his sternum. The bruise on his pec was easily the size of my fist. Entertainment and curiosity gave way to a fresh wave of worry and anger.

I put a hand lightly against his chest as I closed that distance between us and I kissed the edge of the bruise, then the center, and across to the other side of it. The steady pound of his heart beneath my fingers reminded me that he was here.

“You’re a sniper,” I scolded him. “How did you let them get?—”

I never finished the question as he fisted a hand in my hair and tugged my head back. Then his mouth fused to mine. The liquid heat from earlier flamed back to life. My heart threatened to combust as Remy leaned into me. The tilt of his head to mine had me drifting backwards and then his arm banded around my middle.

He hauled me upwards with such ease, it made me dizzy. His tongue swept through my mouth, as if determined to lick up every nuance of flavor and I abandoned any pretense of keeping his coat closed as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

The injuries left me with so much to worry about, but he was here, safe, and in my arms. I drank in all of him that he shared. Renewed hunger flared in my system, I trailed my fingers into his hair as my scalp lit up from the tug he applied.

The only thing keeping my legs from wrapping around his waist was the dampness I was keenly aware of, but then mythoughts scattered as he sucked against my tongue. The steel band of his arm kept me tethered to earth as his kiss sent me soaring higher.

Biting at his lower lip, I delighted at the very low hum of a growl he released. It was damn near a purr and I bit him again. The sound rumbled against my chest and my skin lit up as currents of electricity danced over every part of me.

When he sank his teeth into my lower lip, I groaned. Then he was kissing a path to my throat. The smoothness of his skin was almost a revelation. I traced my fingers over his jaw. It was silken, hot, and demanded to be stroked.

The scrape of his teeth over my pulse point made me vibrate and then he stilled utterly. I wanted to protest. I damn near dragged him closer, but he’d gone so very rigid.

“You need to clean up,” he whispered against my throat. Every syllable a hot tease of the delight he’d already shared. “Then rest.”

My heart stampeded and my breath came in sharp pants. The earlier satiation was gone and Iwantedwith a visceral, and violent need. “I don’t want to rest.”

No sooner did I give voice to the protest than I slapped at myself for my greed. He wouldn’t have said anything if he didn’t need it himself.

“I’m selfish,” I whispered. “Sorry.”

“Never apologize, luv,” he said in a soothing voice even as he mouthed a damp path of kisses to my ear. “I mean it. You never need to apologize to me.”

Still, we clung to each other and the coat was open and my breasts were against his bare chest. When he dipped his gaze downward, his lips quirked upward again.

“Though if you want to stay like this, I hope you don’t mind me looking. You really are beautiful.”

An entirely different type of heat swarmed through me. My cheeks scalded, and I swore even my ears burned. There was something in how these men looked at me. I wasn’t so insecure I wasn’t aware of my own attractiveness. Nor was I so vain as to expect it.

No, it had less to do with that thanwhoit was looking at me. Remington was a beautiful man and he made me feel so damn beautiful when he stared at me like that.

I had no idea how long we’d stood there and indulged ourselves, but he was right. I needed to clean up. We needed to get back to McQuade and Locke. I needed to know if they were all right.

In the same breath, I didn’t want this moment to end anymore than I had the time spent with Locke. Sighing, I closed my eyes and tilted my head back. I needed to get my breathing and my heart under control, not to mention my hormones.

I was not the only one taking longer, slower breaths and then with the kind of gentleness one might show a kitten, he set me on my feet. Not that he released me. The coat still hung wide open and the cooler air was so damn welcome against my flushed skin.

The lightness of his grip remained on my hips until I opened my eyes and met his gaze. The amusement in his expression was utterly indulgent, and more than a little smug. It was the latter that chased away the self-consciousness.

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