Page 36 of Raven's Claw
He claimed her mouth, again, shifting over her as he tilted her head, got as close as possible without actually stripping them both down and making love.
She lost track of time, reveling in the way his weight held her captive, when Kash grunted, shifting over to one elbow.She frowned at the furrow along his brow.“Kash?”
He shook his head.“I was crushing you into the bed.Chase is so gonna tear me a new one if you’ve reopened that wound.”
“My side’s fine, and you weren’t crushing me.I like having your weight on me.”
“You like not breathing?”
She smoothed her hand up to his jaw.“I like feeling safe.I’ve never had that before.”
“You’re determined to be the death of me, aren’t you.”He shushed her.“That wasn’t a question.”He shuffled until he must have found a compromise where he pinned her down without putting pressure on her side.“Sleep.We’ll figure everything out in the morning.”
“Your arms are gonna cramp if you stay like that.”
“Pretty sure you’ll be out cold before that happens, and I can roll you against my chest.Either way, I’m good.”
She sighed, enjoying how his heartbeat eased the flutter in her stomach.
“And Jordan…”
She slivered her eyes open, again.
He just smiled.“It’s okay if you need to become Ember for a while.If that’s what it’ll take to make it through.Because I love her as much as I do you.”
She froze.Her breath lodged in her chest.Her heart somewhere up in her throat.She blinked, wondering if she was dreaming, or worse, dead.If she’d died in the chopper and this was her brain giving her one last pure memory.What could be heaven if it kept on playing.
Kash chuckled, the jerk.“Breathe, sweetheart.Or I’ll have to call Chase in, and I’d rather not do that.”
Breathe?
How was she supposed to breathe when he’d just blown her mind?Stopped her heart cold?She opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it, again.
Nothing.
Not a sound.
He sighed, dipping down and lingering in the kind of kiss that shattered barriers before nuzzling her nose.“Surely, someone’s told you they love you, before.”
She pursed her lips.“Will you freak out if I say no?”
Kash inhaled, swallowed — looking as if he wanted to rage war — she just wasn’t sure against who.“Then, I’ll make sure I say it often enough you won’t forget.”
“What’s that saying?You never forget your first?”She smiled, eyes drifting closed for a moment before she forced them open.“I won’t forget.”
“Assuming you remember in the morning, which I’d say is a bit of a crapshoot with how fast you’re fading.”He shifted over, then tugged her in close, one hand under her head, the other snugged against her chest.“Rest.This might be the only chance we get for a while.”
She closed her eyes.Allowed herself to fade into the warmth of his body — the strength of his arms.She’d trust his team to keep them safe tonight.Then, come morning, she’d lay it all on the line.
ChapterTen
Kash leaned against one of the walls, watching Jordan stare out the window.Calm.Focused.Not quite how he’d envisioned she’d be while waiting for what would undoubtedly be a tough conversation with him and his team.He’d expected her to be edgy, aloof.Looking for the nearest exit in case all that training kicked in and she ran, despite her promise.That she’d become Ember.Operative, and the woman destined to be his undoing.
Jordan must have felt him staring because she inhaled, then glanced over her shoulder.And damn… The smile she flashed him.It had him pushing off the wall — closing the distance.Her head tilted back as she kept her gaze locked on his, still smiling when he stopped a breath away.
He reached out and tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear.“You okay?”
She glanced at his teammates and Bodie as they walked in from the other room and gathered around them.“Fine.”She arched a brow.“No one’s going to try and kill me, right?”
