Page 52 of Trapped

She kept her gaze fixed on him. “Don’t we have a little time?” She didn’t say, time for what. She simply wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her. This was like the dream. They were warm and cozy and finally together again after so many years of separation.

But his body had stiffened.

“Sophia . . .” His voice held the sound of refusal.

“Don’t deny us what we both want so much. Come here.”

He made a low sound as he cradled her against himself. In surrender, his mouth came down on hers, for a hot, thirsty kiss. The taste of him was familiar—and heady.

Electricity arched between them as past and present merged. She remembered that night so long ago and all the emotions he had kindled in her—emotions that she hadn’t dared to share with him because that made her too vulnerable.

She had thought nothing in her life could ever be that good again. But here he was, back in her arms. And it was everything she had dreamed of.

She opened for him, telling him with her mouth and body and hands that slid over his shoulders and down his back that she was his for the taking.

He lifted his mouth a fraction. He was breathing hard, yet his words tore at her.

“You should be afraid of me.”

She kept her gaze locked with his. “Why?”

“My mind’s a mess.”

“I understand why you feel that way. You’ve been through a terrible experience.”

“It’s not over.”

“It will be. You grew up tough. You know how to cope.”

His face hardened. “I grew up tough—and no good.”

“Don’t say that. You turned into a man who should be proud of the life he’s made for himself.”

“How do you know?”

“Like I said, I read about your career. You went on some amazing missions.”

“That was then. This is now.”

“Cash, don’t sell yourself short. Even when you don’t remember specifics, it’s obvious that you’re drawing on the training you got in the Special Forces. If you need it, you reach for it, and it’s there.”

When he only stared at her, she went on.

“I may have had the trail markers, but you were the one who got us out of that cave, across the river and then through the backcountry to this cabin. You have most of what you need. And we’ll get the rest of it back.”

“How?”

“We can start by getting in touch with more of your memories.” She struggled to keep her voice steady. “Like memories of that night.”

“Which night?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t remember.”

She knew from his expression that he knew exactly what night she meant.

“I missed you so much," she whispered, then knew she had given a lot away. Maybe too much. Because if he didn’t feel the same, something inside her would shrivel and die.

She waited with the breath frozen in her lungs.

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