Page 89 of Rescuing Nathaniel

Pressing another kiss to the inside of his wrist, she shot him one of those brilliant smiles. “I already think that, Nathaniel. Now I think it’s time you kissed me.”

A weight fell off his shoulders as he leaned in and captured Ava’s lips. His past would always be there, always be part of him, but it no longer loomed over him, it had taken a step backward. So long as he focused on the future, he’d never let this beautiful, brave woman down again.

“Best thing I ever unwrapped,” he whispered against her lips.

CHAPTER23

March 10th

2:35 P.M.

“I can't believeyou didn't tell me you were shot,” Ava huffed, raking her gaze over Nathaniel as he stood beside her bed.

“It wasn't a big deal.”

“Wasn't a big deal?” Okay, maybe she said that a teeny bit too loud, but was he crazy? “Of course, getting shot is a big deal.”

“Not when the woman I'm falling for has been kidnapped and I knew we only had hours to find you before it was too late.”

Well, that took some of the wind out of her sails.

Didn't mean that he shouldn’t have told her almost immediately once he knew she was going to be okay. It had been more than twelve hours since their talk last night and he was yet to mention it. In fact, if it hadn't been for the nurse who had just been in to check her vitals, she was pretty sure Nathaniel would never have mentioned it. Well, not until she saw the wound on his chest.

What would she have done if she’d been rescued only to come home and find out that Nathaniel had been killed when he tried to stop her abduction?

Honestly, she wasn't sure.

Even though she had lots of people in her life that she loved and considered family, Nathaniel was her rock right now. He’d saved her twice, and being around him quietened the terror inside her.

It was still hard for her to get over the fact that she had come as close as it was possible to get to dying and come out the other side. The surgery had started, her organs were about to be removed, then bundled up and quickly flown out across the world to go to their recipients.

If Nathaniel and the others had arrived any later, it would have been too late.

“Hey, I'm okay, and you're okay,” Nathaniel said as he took her face between his hands and kissed her hard on the lips.

It wasn't enough.

She wanted more.

Wanted him to prove that to her, to show that they were both going to be okay. Too bad they were still in the hospital or she would have stripped off their clothes, kissed his wounds, then made love to him over and over again until it finally sank in that they were alive.

“Don’t make me regret this,” he murmured as he suddenly released her, then gently eased her forward a little so he could slip in behind her with her leaning back against him instead of the pillows.

“Make you regret what?” Ava asked, thoroughly confused.

Until he settled her carefully against him and then slipped his hands beneath blankets.

They couldn’t. Could they?

“Better keep quiet, Aves, or everyone’s going to know what we’re doing,” he whispered, his breath warm against her ear.

Were they really going to do this?

When his thumb brushed across her bud she arched into his touch, ignoring the burning pain from the wounds on her stomach.

“Careful, honey,” Nathaniel murmured as he banded one arm across her chest, under her breasts, and above her wounds so he didn't hurt her. “Let me do all the work, all you need to do is lie here and let me make you feel good.”

“Someone could come in at any second. We’re in a hospital, they’re not big on privacy here.”

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