Page 30 of Wait for You

“But how . . .” She was missing an integral piece of the puzzle and needed Mat to supply it.

“A female Ranger will go in your place.”

Imogen opened her mouth to protest putting someone else in danger, but Mat pressed on.

“Think about it, Gen. He already knows what you look like. If I took you, I’d be implicatin’ myself.” He gripped her shoulders to hammer his point home. “This is the only way the plan works.”

She didn’t want to agree with him, but he was right. If she went as herself, they’d all be in danger. “Fine. But how does that help get Emil back? Now you’ll have two people who need to escape.”

Mat released her and tugged at his shirt collar with his index finger. He didn’t meet her eyes as he said, “I kill them. Th—”

“Kill who?El Jaguar? What about all his men?” She tried to give Mat the benefit of the doubt, but so far, this plan seemed rather reckless.

He cleared his throat. “No. I’ll kill Emil and the Ranger.”

Shock made her stumble back a step. “Wh—what?”

“I’ll kill ’em for show. The lieutenant’ll expect me to dispose of the bodies. That’s when I’ll leave with Emil and the Ranger, gettin’ everyone to safety.”

“Por Dios.” Her hand flew to her mouth in horror as she pictured that scenario. It sounded too risky. Too many things could go wrong. “What if—”

“That question’s not gonna do any of us any good.” Though he cut her off with the harsh statement, his hands were gentle when they captured her face. He brushed a loose strand of hair off her brow. “If I’m gonna make it through this, I need to know you’re safe.”

Make it through this . . .

His words cut like shards of glass. He had to make it through this; she didn’t want to consider the alternative. God couldn’t beso cruel as to bring Mat back into her life only to take him from her, could he?

Desperate need swept over her—Mat had to live. It blotted out reason, rushing frantically through her blood and pooling in her core. “How long?” Using his chest for balance, she pushed up on her toes to bring their faces closer together. “How long until you have to go?”

His gaze heated, but he said, “Not long enough.”

She trapped his bottom lip between her teeth, eyes shimmering with desire. She nibbled and nipped before stating, “Then we’ll be quick.”

When he twitched against her belly, she pulled his lips to hers for a kiss as crushing as the weight they were up against. Taking his hands, she slid them over her backside. Encouraged when he grabbed on, she started to work on the belt he wore.

He sucked at her neck as he groped her, and a thrill raced through her body, warming her belly like a shot of tequila. She needed to touch him, to score in her memory the emotion he stirred in her, so she’d have it to look back on, no matter what. But she did it with racing hands, fingers flying over the strength she could feel through his clothes. They didn’t have time for lingering touches or deep kisses that could leave you drugged for hours.

She felt the clock ticking like a time bomb as she undid his suit pants and lowered the zipper. Mat said her name, a desperate puff of air against her mouth, but she was just as lost as he was. Maybe it was the threat of death, but what she felt, what she wanted, was a primitive mating of their two bodies together.

Alive. He was alive now, and that’s what mattered.

She shimmied out of her bikini bottoms, then dragged him toward the couch. Half-clothed, he lowered them onto it andcovered her with his body. The hazel in his eyes thinned as she wrapped her legs around his waist and took him in.

Connected as they were, she surrendered to Mat. He had her body and her heart. It made her tremble. They stared at each other, exchanging words without speaking. It would never be enough. Whatever time they had together. Whether it was ten minutes or forever, what she felt and what she saw in Mat’s eyes had the power to outlast it all.

Understanding, he crushed his mouth to hers. From her tongue to her core, she met his thrusts as they christened his sofa. The leather squawked under them as they drove each other to madness.

The sounds of their coupling—the harsh, heavy breathing, the gasps and moans—grew louder, but Imogen barely registered them over the beating of her heart. Her body was so warm, her blood so hot, especially where it pulsed between her legs.

Tears filled her eyes, overcome with everything she felt. Ecstasy and resignation fought a battle in her heart, but the high hit first. “Mat!” Imogen’s back arched, her head lifting off the sofa as the orgasm ripped through her.

Salt met her lips as she sank back onto the leather, body quivering around Mat before he gave a final thrust and followed her into bliss with a grunted expletive.

She swiped at the tears as she drew in a deep breath. They’d stolen these few minutes, but he had to go. To leave her.

“I love you, Gen,” Mat murmured against her shoulder before he lifted himself with a sigh.

She pulled his t-shirt down over her bare bottom half while he pulled his pants up and redid his belt. Fighting the urge to cling to him, she stood while he finished adjusting his clothes.

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