Page 57 of Annika's Aurora

“I … I’m sorry.”

“Let’s finish up here and get this taken care of.”

Annika blanched. “Please, don’t make me go to the hospital.” She couldn’t face another hospital. Not now. Not with her emotions so raw.

“Annika.” He rose to his feet but didn’t meet her eyes, his frustration with her palpable.

Her plea was barely audible. She grabbed his hand, forcing him to see her, her eyes pleading with him.

When he finally looked at her, she could see the battle he was fighting. She knew that what she had done for those kids had been risky. She’d heard the fear in his voice as he yelled at her to get out of the car. She couldn’t fault him for being angry with her; she had done too much and gotten injured in the process. But she’d do it again if it meant those kids were safe.

Looking deep into her eyes, he sighed, relenting. “Okay, but I need to treat it. I can put a few butterfly bandages on it.”

She nodded, grateful for his understanding. Once they finished washing and had dried off, Annika sat on the sink wrapped in a towel while Logan treated her wound. “How did this even happen?”

“I don’t know. A piece of metal in the car. I bumped into it when the car shook.” She shuddered, remembering the moments of panic each time the car quaked or slid. He looked at her, his eyes haunted, then quickly looked back to her cut. “Logan? What is it?” She was concerned for what she’d seen in his eyes.

“Nothing.”

After placing the last butterfly bandage, she tilted his chin up to look into his eyes. “I’m sorry, Logan.” She cupped his cheek in her hand. “I know I scared you, and I’m sorry for that.”

He sighed heavily. “I can’t lose you, Annika. I don’t think I’d ever survive.” He kissed her palm where it lay against his cheek.

“I’m okay, Logan. Nothing is going to happen to me.”

“But when I think about the number of times it’s been close; it scares me.”

“And how many times did I come close to losing you?” She touched the scar on his cheek. “We can’t live in bubbles, Logan.”

“I know that. But if anything ever happened to you?”

Annika stopped him. “Youwillsurvive. And you will live a full and happy life.” She paused to draw in a shaky breath. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over all these years, it’s that we can’t lose ourselves in that dark place, we can’t wallow in our loss and forget to live. Because when we choose the light, when we choose to live, wonderful things can happen. It’s moments like this with you that are more precious to me than anything. Even my books,” she teased with a wink.

“That is saying a lot.” He smiled, then placed his head on her lap, his arms wrapped around her waist. “Natalie is right; you are the strongest woman I know.”

“Nah, not strong. Just learned from past mistakes.” She ran her fingers through his hair.

“It takes a strong person to learn from their mistakes,” he argued.

“Have you learned from your past mistakes?”

“Christ, I hope so.”

“You won’t get scared and leave me again?”

“Not a chance.”

“Then you are just as strong as me.” After a moment of running her fingers through his hair, she asked, “Are we done here?”

“Almost.” His eyes gleamed with fire as he sat back on his heels and lifted her leg. He placed a kiss just outside her bandage. Then another kiss on the inside of her calf. Then another higher, on the inside of her thigh. And higher still. Annika clutched the edge of the counter as he rested her leg on his shoulder. Then his mouth was on her, teasing and tasting. He ran his hand slowly up her other leg until he reached her apex and slid two fingers inside of her. Annika cried out; her gasp echoed in the tiled bathroom. Together, fingers and tongue worked their magic until she was calling his name. She arched her back and surged into a million tiny starbursts.

Annika sprawled wantonly on the counter, slowly returning to her senses. Logan was placing tiny kisses on her thighs and stomach where the towel had gaped open. She looked down at his dark head. “Logan.”

“Mmm?” he muttered, kissing her navel.

“Take me to bed.” Logan surged to his feet and picked her up from the counter. Despite her exhaustion, a feeling of supreme contentment settled on her as he carried her into the bedroom. Logan pulled the towel from her before he placed a knee on the bed and laid her in the middle. His towel had been lost somewhere during the journey. He was kissing her then, moving his mouth slowly against hers. Tasting her, savoring her, his mouth devoured hers as his hard body covered her softer curves, pressing her into the mattress. His arms wrapped around her, smashing her into his hard chest, her nipples rasping against him. Craving his touch more than she wanted her next breath, she ached to savor each sensation as the pleasure built.

His lips made a sensual trail down her throat while she ran her hands all over his body. Her fingers found an old scar on his abdomen. Tracing it with her fingers, she wondered why she hadn’t noticed it before. Curiosity struck her briefly until his mouth found her breast, then all thoughts fled from her mind except the sensation of what he was doing to her.

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