Page 16 of Annika's Aurora

“Yeah, Sunfire?”

“Are we naked?”

Chapter 7

Annikastruggledtounderstandwhathadhappened,butherachingbraincouldonlyconcentrateonthefeelingofLogan’sskinagainsthers.Itwasluxurious.Hewassowarmitwaslikeshewasenvelopedinacocoonofheat.Hernipplesrubbedagainsthisfirmchest,comingtohardpeaks.Thefeelingwasscintillating.Shelovedit,butforthelifeofher,shecouldn’tunderstandwhytheywerenakedinbedtogether.

“Umm … yeah. Sorry about that. The fastest way to warm you up was with body heat. You were severely hypothermic.” Well, that made sense. “Now that you’re awake, I’ll go …” He started to move away from her.

“No! Not yet.” She snuggled deeper into his arms. “You’re so warm.” So deliciously warm.

“As far as I could tell, you don’t have any broken bones. Does anything besides your head hurt?”

She concentrated on her aches and pains for a moment. Nothing felt too different. The twinge in her shoulder was a little more pronounced, but that was probably normal after falling off a cliff. She shook her head, which she regretted when a flash of pain knifed through her.

“I would have given you warm fluids intravenously, but my med bag was sorely lacking in supplies.”

Intravenously? Did he mean an IV?“Are you a doctor?” she asked, shocked to think that he had gone to medical school too.

She felt him smile into her hair. “No, Paramedic. The SEALs taught me most of what I needed as a field medic. But when I joined the Nighthawks, Graham, my boss, wanted someone else to become a paramedic. I volunteered. Guess I’m not a very good one since I let the supplies in my kit get so low.”

She mulled that over. “There’s so much I don’t know about you.”

“I know. And I’m sorry about that. You have no idea how sorry. There’s so much I don’t know about you too.” He touched the scar on her shoulder, and she flinched. “I don’t know how this happened to you and I’m so sorry it happened at all. Will you tell me about it … when you’re ready?” She nodded. Her eyes were getting heavy; she was so tired.

“Go to sleep, Sunfire. Get some rest.”

“You … you won’t leave, will you?” Sudden tears filled her eyes. The thought of waking up alone again was terrifying.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here when you wake up.” She drifted off to sleep with his lips at her temple.

She knew even before she opened her eyes that Logan still lay beside her as his sandalwood scent wrapped around her. Opening her eyes slowly, she saw a now fully clothed Logan facing her. A flash of disappointment swept through her; she’d liked feeling his skin against hers entirely too much.

She took the opportunity to study his features while he slept. Mostly, he resembled the same boy she used to know with only a few minor differences. Same rugged jawline but sprinkled with beard stubble, unlike the clean-shaven look he had in high school. Same nose, although it seemed like at some point it had been broken. There was a tiny scar near his right eye. And another across his right cheekbone. His brow line was the same if a little more disheartened. His forehead had worry lines etched in deep.

What had his life been like these last fifteen years? If the scars were any indication, it must have been pretty rough. Her life hadn’t been a picnic either, but at least she’d had her parents to help her heal. He’d been alone.

This was Logan. Her best friend. A stoic man accustomed to doing things on his own. If she’d learned anything, it was how to let go of past hurts and live life. The ice walls she’d built up against Logan over the years were melting fast.

She itched to place her lips on his scars, to heal them from the outside in.

Aw, to hell with it. She leaned closer and placed her lips over the scar on his cheekbone. He woke instantly with a sharp inhale. She moved her lips higher and kissed the one near his eye as well. She threw caution to the wind and placed her lips just at the corner of his mouth on the left. Then at the other corner.

She drew back to look into his eyes. Eyes that were so dark and mesmerizing under thick brows, made of chestnuts so dark she couldn’t tell the iris from the pupil. And they were captivating her with an assessing emotion she couldn’t name hiding in their depths.

She stared, entranced, then, taking the biggest risk of her life, she brushed her lips across his in a barely-there kiss.

“Fuck, Annika,” he hissed. Threading his fingers into her hair, he stared down into her own eyes, her scalp tingled at his touch. His other hand settled on her cheek, his thumb gently stroking her jaw. He must have seen what he wanted in her expression because his pupils flared before his mouth came crashing down on hers, his tongue curled around hers.

Heaven. It felt like heaven. He kissed her with desperation, as if he were afraid he’d wake up and she’d be gone. Her heart twisted with an ache for the loneliness she could feel from his kiss. She poured in her own loneliness and pain.

He broke off and backed away a bit to look down at her, his hand still tangled in her hair.

It was then she noticed the wetness on his cheeks. She reached up and wiped his tears away with her thumb. He grabbed her hand and placed his lips against her palm, then kissed the tears from her thumb.

“I’m so sorry, Annika.” He held her hand to his heart. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said quietly, his voice breaking with emotion.

Annika felt her own tears spill over. “I’ve missed you too.” His mouth was on hers again. Devouring her. He slid his arms around her and pulled her closer, her breasts flattening against his chest. She felt possessed by his kiss, and her worries were lifted and shoved away. She knew it was crazy, but at that moment, with his sandalwood scent filling her senses, she felt safe.

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