Page 21 of The Hero I Can't Resist
When I’ve gained a little bit of control, I stand up. “I’m going to shower.”
She nods without looking at me.
I grab some things from my suitcase, and before I go into the bathroom, I remind her, “Don’t answer the door for anyone, Sky.”
She finally looks at me and rolls her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I got it.”
I disappear into the bathroom and stare at myself in the mirror. I look like a man on the edge. Keeping my hands off Sky is going to take every ounce of control I can muster. Her scent is already on me, clinging to my shirt.
I remind myself that she’s my best friend and business partner’s little sister. I remind myself that I’m supposed to be protecting her, and to do that, I need to keep this professional. I don’t like it. I want it all with Sky, and I don’t want to wait. But what kind of soldier would I be if I didn’t have discipline?
I turn on the shower, spinning the nob to its coldest setting. I quickly get undressed and stand under the spray. On contact, it takes my breath away, but I let it flow over me until I can normalize my breathing.
I make quick work of getting cleaned up, resisting the urge to wrap my hand around my girth and pleasure myself.
I step out of the shower, dry off, and put on underwear and shorts.
I pull my shoulders back, trying to collect myself for what I’m about to walk into. The woman that makes me feel things I’ve never felt before is on the other side of the door, and somehow, I have to keep her safe… and keep my hands off her.
The toughest mission of my life isn’t in some foreign country, in a desert or some jungle. It’s in a motel room, trying not to touch the only woman I want.
CHAPTER 10
SKYLER
I stare at the ceiling, unable to go to sleep. The only sound in the room is the hum of the air conditioner, and the sound should be soothing, but it’s not.
It’s late, and I should be tired, but I’m not. I feel like there’s a live wire inside me, and my body is practically vibrating with it. Zach told me he wants me. He told me that he wanted a relationship with me when this is all over.
I told myself not to get my hopes up, but I can’t help it. I know it sounds crazy, but it is like all my dreams are coming true. I huff out a breath.
“Go to sleep, Sky,” Zach murmurs.
I roll and look over the side of the bed. The room is mostly dark, but I’m able to make out Zach’s figureon the floor. “This is ridiculous. You know that, right?”
He raises his arms, putting his hands under his head. There’s a sheet on the floor, and I had to insist that he take a pillow. “Sleep. We have another busy day tomorrow.”
“Zach. We’re both adults here. You can sleep in the bed.”
His voice is strained. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”
I sit up. “Fine. I’ll sleep on the floor too. This isn’t right. You’re here because of me. You shouldn’t be sleeping on the hard floor.”
He chuckles. “Sweets, this is luxurious compared to some of the places I’ve slept.”
That thought makes me sad. “I’m coming down there, Zach, if you don’t come up here.”
He sits up, grabbing his pillow. He walks around the bed and gets in on the far side, putting a huge gap between us. I roll to my back and stare up at the ceiling. Even though we’re nowhere near touching, I swear I can feel the shift in the air and the currentbetween us.
“I bet this is boring compared to most of your missions.”
I think back on everything I know about Zach. He joined the Army when he graduated high school. For the last ten years or so, he worked with my brother for Walker and his Ghost Team. No one ever really talks about what the Ghost Team does, but just the small things I’ve gotten from Logan, I know they did a lot of dangerous missions and saved a lot of people.
Zach is quiet for so long I wonder if he’s going to say anything when he grumbles, “It hasn’t been boring at all.”
I roll to my side to face him. “Do you miss it? Going on missions?”
He blows out a breath. “Sometimes. I miss the thrill of it, but my therapist helped me see that it was time for me to move on.”
