Page 27 of Being Bold
Or this was Yumi’s fault for putting ideas in her head.
Turning away to gather herself, she screwed the lid back on the antiseptic. “Okay.”
Overheated with embarrassment, she needed to escape the bathroom. She was about to exit when he stopped her. His rough palm closed around her wrist. “Selene, wait.”
She kept her head tucked, using her hair to hide the mortification on her face.
A sigh lifted his chest before he pushed out, “I’m sorry.”
The apology surprised her enough to meet his gaze. Guilt and something else she couldn’t quite decipher warred in his eyes.
It made her brave enough to ask, “Why does it bother you when I try to thank you?”
He did a slow blink, then shook his head as if he didn’t want to answer her question.
Fine.He could answer another one, then.
With a huff, she broke her arm free from his grasp. “Sorry about what?”
Remorse swam in his pupils. “I was going to . . .”—another head shake—“I shouldn’t have.”
She crossed her arms. “Tried to kiss me ornotkissed me?”
A tortured sound left his throat. “I don’t deserve it—your thanks.” He glanced away as he rasped the rest, “And definitely not to taste you.”
Oh, Bo.That broke her heart. “Why?” When she stepped into his space, he avoided meeting her gaze. Hesitant but determined to get an answer, she reached up and cupped his cheek, coaxing his eyes on her. “Why would you think that?”
She didn’t understand how this man, who’d served his country, had probably saved countless lives before her own, who was even willing to help her when she had no one else, could be anything but deserving.
How could he not see his worth?
He caught her wrist, but she didn’t release his gaze. “I’m not a hero,” he ground out through a tight jaw.
Her voice turned fierce as she said, “You are to me. I could’ve died, but you didn’t let that happen.”
Angry lightning flashed in his stare, but he didn’t jerk his head away. A growl rumbled from his chest like thunder before the storm brewing in his eyes broke, and he crushed her lips with his own. The kiss was rough, hungry, and fueled by a mix of guilt and anger. She knew he meant to scare her, to prove he wasn’twhat she thought, but it would take more than that to convince her.
Riding the onslaught of need crashing around her, she gave as good as she got, clinging to him and thrusting her tongue past his lips to take what she wanted. He tasted faintly of the grilled cheese sandwiches they’d eaten. It would’ve made her smile if they weren’t battling each other.
Bo groaned at the intrusion, and his hands moved to her neck, pushing her until her back hit something solid.
The shower partition?
She was too lost in him to care. Sensations fluttered over her, lighting up her nerve endings until she was aroused enough to forget everything but him. Her heart raced to pump blood through her body, but it pooled in her core. Everywhere he touched, she tingled in anticipation.
When his fingers grazed the juncture between her thighs, she moaned into his mouth.
Had anything ever felt as good as Bo owning her?
“Are you two read—”
They sprang apart at Yumi’s interruption. Or tried to. The bathroom didn’t have enough room for all three of them.
Her friend quickly stepped out, though Selene didn’t miss the smirk in her voice when she murmured, “I guess not.”
She waited for embarrassment to come, but instead she only found herself annoyed that they’d been interrupted. “Bo?”
He breathed heavily but refused to look at her. When he spoke, his voice was harsher than she’d yet heard it, “You need to go. Now.”
