Page 24 of Wait for You

Desire pooled in his mouth while warmth filled his chest. Seeing her in his clothes was a huge turn-on. Like she washisagain.

“The shorts didn’t fit.” She shrugged with the statement and straightened, the drop of her arms making her breasts bounce.

Before he could form sentences, she threw the too-big clothing at his head. All he heard was her laughter as the shorts hit him in the face and fell into his lap.

“Guess I could say the same.” He grinned at her as he tossed them aside. “Nice aim.”

Because she grinned back, he stood up and slowly walked toward her. When he reached her, he leaned in, caging her in the doorway.

The pink had gone from her cheeks. Testing him, she tilted her chin. “I borrowed your toothbrush.”

“Did you?” Mat breathed in the mint on her breath. “Then you won’t mind if I do this.” Though it wasn’t a question, he moved with deliberate slowness, gliding his hands down her sides before tugging her into him. When she melted in his arms, he placed his lips on hers. She opened that tempting mouth for him, and he tasted the toothpaste she’d used with his tongue. Layered within it was a sweetness that was all Imogen.

Again, she pulled away first, tucking her forehead against his chest. He felt her fast breaths tickling his bare skin. She might be affected by the kiss, but her hands fisted the waist of his jeans to keep him at a distance.

Though he felt more than ready to make up for lost time, he wouldn’t rush her. Kissing the top of her head, he whispered, “Talk to me, Gen.”

“Can you just hold me tonight? I don’t . . . I can’t . . .”

He reached for her hands and pried them from his pants. Linking their fingers, he told her, “Whatever you want,amor.”

Her breath stuttered at the word love, but she nodded. “Thank you.”

Mat tried not to read too much into it. “Give me a minute, and I’ll join you.”

When he stepped away, her eyes pinched with sadness. “Okay.”

Worry settled into his gut as she climbed into bed. His instincts had been honed under years of law enforcement. And right now, they told him she didn’t trust him—not fully anyway.

CHAPTER 9

Imogen

Imogen bolted awake with a gasp, the nightmare she’d had addling her nerves. It clung to her, playing on her fears. In it, she’d followed Mat to the lieutenant’s safehouse only to be discovered. One of thenarcoswho’d dragged the hooded man into the courtyard had taken her toEl Jaguar. Mat had to reveal his true identity, trying to save her, and the lieutenant shot him right in front of her.

Now, a shiver raced down her back. What if Mat died tomorrow atEl Jaguar’shand? She’d regret not spending their last night together. Not telling him how she felt. Because she wanted him. Needed him. The only reason she’d held back was out of fear.

Mat might be a man of the law, but he’d committed a crime. He’d stolen her heart five years before, and she’d never gotten it back. Not completely.

Even if he left her again, did she really want to pass up the chance that he might not?

No.For once, her heart and brain were in agreement. She didn’t know how long he’d stay this time, but she’d risk it because her heart belonged to him.

Ready to reach for Mat, she froze. As the last vestiges of the dream cleared, Imogen became all too aware of how dark the bedroom was.

She’d fallen asleep with Mat’s arms wrapped around her, the light from the bathroom shining in. He must’ve turned it off before going to bed himself. Because this? It was blacker than black. She couldn’t see her hand as she waved it in front of her. The pitch darkness triggered her claustrophobia, and anxiety took hold of her body. Her breaths started to hitch, backing up in her lungs as the room spun.

Light, she just needed to turn on a light.

But she couldn’t even see the way to the bathroom. She swung her legs and fell out of bed with a screech, not realizing how close she’d been to the edge.

“Imogen?” Mat’s sleepy question sounded farther away than the two feet she knew he was.

She pushed herself to her hands and knees on the chilly hardwood floor, then gasped, “Light.”

The bathroom.

She had to get to the bathroom. Sweeping her hand in front of her, she crawled in the direction she thought it was. A part of her brain registered Mat moving, but she couldn’t focus on that. Her heart beat so fast inside her chest she feared it might explode before she made it. Not to mention, it kept getting harder to breathe. She’d just started saying a Spanish prayer in her head when the bathroom light flooded her eyes.

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