Page 60 of Hero's Heart

“Why don’t you rest for a bit?” He fought the urge to smooth the hair back from her face, to pull her into his arms and just hold her. “We’ve got eighteen hours until we reach Barcelona.”

“Barcelona,” she repeated. “I can’t believe we’re actually going to make it.”

“Yep. Then onward to home. Finally able to move on with our lives.”

Sloane tried not to take Callum’s words as something negative. After all, making ithomewas the primary goal, right?

Even if it meant goodbye.

“Like you said, at least we’re safe. Even if we are stuck in close quarters again.” She pointed to the small bed. “How about if we use that thing for a little something more than just resting? If we only have eighteen hours left until Barcelona, we should make the most of it.”

Not boohoo over things that could never be.

Callum’s face softened, and he hooked an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.

“About that…” He pressed a tender kiss to her lips. “How would you feel about spending two or three days together in Spain before heading home? Just us enjoying time with each other. I could get Lincoln to cover for us, let everyone know we’re safe but need some decompression time.”

“Where would we stay?”

“We could get Linc to find us another safe house. Or hell, an actual hotel. We won’t be on the run, so we could do what we want.”

Sloane’s heart soared. It didn’t mean anything permanent, but it at least meant Callum wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with him, even if it could only be for a few days.

“I would love that,” she breathed, rising up on her toes to claim his mouth in a searing kiss. Desire ignited low in her belly as she pressed herself against his muscular frame. Rational thought scattered, and she gave him a playful shove, toppling them both onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and laughter.

Her hands roamed over his broad shoulders and down his chest, reveling in his solid strength. His lips blazed a trail of fire along her jaw and down the column of her throat, each brush of his mouth stoking the flames of need higher.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured against her skin, callused palms skimming reverently along her sides.

Sloane’s heart clenched at the raw emotion in his voice, the vulnerability he allowed her to glimpse. This man, who had endured so much loss and dedicated himself to protecting others, deserved all the love and happiness in the world. She yearned to be the one to give that to him, even if only for a little while.

Callum slid his fingers under the hem of her shirt, rough skin igniting sparks everywhere he touched, as always. Sloane arched into the contact with a breathy moan, craving more. She tugged impatiently at his clothes, desperate to feel every inch of him against her.

He obliged, stripping them both with quick, efficient movements until nothing separated them. Sloane drank in the sight of his bared body, all hard lines and scarred skin. Evidence of a life lived in service and sacrifice.

She traced the marks with gentle fingertips, marveling at the resilience of this incredible man.

“You amaze me,” she whispered, pouring her admiration into every word, every touch. “So strong, so brave. I’ve never felt anything like this before.”

Callum’s eyes darkened with desire and emotion, pulling her flush against him. “You’ve turned my world upside down in the best way, angel.”

Their lips crashed together in a fevered kiss, bodies moving as one. Sloane lost herself in the drugging slide of skin against skin, the exquisite fullness as Callum filled her completely. Each powerful thrust drove her higher, pleasure coiling tighter and tighter.

Release crashed over her in a blinding wave, and she clung to Callum as the storm swept her away. He followed her over the edge with a hoarse cry, his face buried in the crook of her neck.

She would never tire of the sound of her name on his lips as passion overtook him.

They collapsed back onto the bed, limbs entwined and hearts racing. She nestled into his embrace, luxuriating in the way he made her feel cherished and alive. The future was a looming question mark, but she refused to let it taint this slice of perfection.

For now—and for the next couple of days—she had more than she ever dreamed she would have.

Nothing could erase the smile from her face.

They were out on deck the next morning as the ferry docked in the Barcelona port. Anticipation bubbled through Sloane’sveins. A few days alone with Callum, exploring the city and each other, sounded like heaven.

As they took the pedestrian gangway onto the dock, the bustle of the port greeted them. They went through immigration, their fake passports barely garnering a glance from the agent.

They’d really made it.

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