Page 20 of Fast Vengeance

“Tough day for you, huh?” he asked quietly.

She nodded against his shoulder. “I thought maybe I would feel a sense of closure once the verdict came down, but I don’t. All I feel is empty.” And also sad that she would be torn away from her one source of comfort so soon.

“I think that’s pretty normal.”

Well it wasn’t normal to her. Before Ruiz’s attack, she’d had a full, rich life. What she faced ahead looked like a barren wasteland by comparison. “I guess.”

“What have you decided to do with the next phase of your life?”

“I want to make a difference.” That was all she’d ever wanted, and why she’d gone into journalism.

He made a low sound of acknowledgment. “You will.”

He sounded so certain of that. His faith in her buoyed her flagging spirits a little. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet. I was thinking either going back to school to become a counselor, or writing a novel.”

“You’d be great at both. I read your books when I was at Bagram, by the way.”

She smiled. “You did?”

“Yep. And I was damned impressed. I bet you’d write great fiction too.”

The praise warmed her. “Thank you.” Her therapist thought it was still too soon to be thinking about taking on a new career, but what choice did she have once she left D.C.? She had to find a way to make money and support herself.

“What else, though? Any dreams or bucket list items you want to make happen?”

“Too many to count.” A lot of them for her dead family members. Things they’d never had the chance to do. Trips they’d never be able to take. “All that’s going to have to wait until I’m settled in my new life.” The WITSEC people were going to let her know her destination sometime in the next few days.

He squeezed her tighter, pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “It doesn’t matter what you do next, as long as it makes you happy.”

She wasn’t sure if that was even possible now. Part of her wanted to stay hidden, to remain isolated, while the other craved social interaction again. “Maybe I’ll volunteer at a library or something to start.” That way she could be surrounded with books and be able to do research for the book she’d been toying with at least. Maybe she could even inspire a new generation of children to be readers.

He chuckled. “Oh, man, now I’m picturing you in sexy librarian mode.”

She snorted softly. Sexy? Not anymore, with her physical and mental scars that had left her apprehensive about physical intimacy. Speaking of which…

She curled up closer to him, bit her lip. He was still hard beneath her, but not doing anything about it. His restraint boosted her sense of safety and courage. Her security was coming for her at six. That didn’t give them a lot of time to work with, and since he seemed in no hurry to get things going, it was up to her to be the instigator. He was holding himself in check out of respect for her, because of what she’d been through.

Angling her head to nuzzle the edge of his jaw, she breathed in that delicious, clean scent and forced her mind to go blank about everything but him. The bulge under her bottom hardened even more. Again, she wasn’t afraid. He made her feel safe and protected and cherished, was nothing like the men who had brutalized her.

Encouraged by both their reactions, she kissed just below his ear, trailed her lips toward the corner of his mouth.

“Tori.”

Yeah, she really liked how it sounded when he called her that. “Hmm?” She nibbled at the spot gently, the first tendrils of arousal blooming inside her. Fragile. Hopeful. Like a brand new flower unfurling its tender petals toward the spring sunshine.

His fingers speared into her hair, cupped the back of her head as he turned to meet her eyes. “Don’t force this if you’re not ready.”

“I’m not.” Not forcing. More like jumpstarting. She wanted him, was attracted to him.

Once she got past the insecurity and anxiety, maybe it would be okay. Maybe she could enjoy him like her old self would have, because it wouldn’t be just sex. They both cared about each other. She just needed to be careful she didn’t let things go farther than that, because her feelings were already leaning toward much more.

Brock didn’t answer, merely searched her eyes as if he was trying to decide whether or not she was being truthful, even though she’d already made her intentions plain the other night and granted her consent. She was definitely consenting now, too. And if things had been different, if he didn’t have to be so careful of her, she knew without a doubt he would have taken charge from the start. That kind of control and consideration was hot in its own right.

She shifted on his lap, a tiny thrill shooting through her when his body tensed subtly, the slight hitch in his breathing when she rubbed over his erection. She loved knowing that she held the power to turn a sexy man like him on. Sliding her hands up his neck, she wrapped them around his nape and leaned forward to press her lips to his.

He made a low, soft sound and angled his head, taking over the kiss. He nibbled at her top lip, then the lower one before stroking his tongue across it.

She opened immediately, gliding her tongue along his. The sweet, slow caress sparked a fire low in her belly, made her breasts tingle and swell. Awakening her arousal by degrees, her position on his lap giving her a sense of control—because he was giving it to her. And he would stop if she wanted him to.

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