Page 16 of Lost (Powertools: The Shields 2)

When they were alone, the silence stretched between her and Marcus. She had no idea what to say to him. So she was glad when he broke the tension. “If you’re not comfortable being so close to him, I’ll have Jordan call in a nurse.”

“Thanks, but I think we both know I don’t have any aversion to touching him.” Kennedy ducked her head, but he was having none of that.

Marcus put one of his thick fingers beneath her chin and lifted it so that they were staring into each other’s eyes from inches apart. “Tell me something. He’s the guy, isn’t he? The asshole who hurt you. The one who made you afraid to try again.”

“He’s the person who showed me what bad decisions I make when I let my heart, or my hormones, override my brain.” She didn’t bother to deny it. “And for good reason. Look what happened after I got a taste of him again. I forgot every single lesson he taught me before. I have no self-control—”

“Bullshit.” Marcus wasn’t having any of that. “I mean, we kissed and you had no trouble telling me to back off. You’re plenty capable of shutting down your desires. You didn’t want to. And neither did he. I saw what happened in the cabin earlier. That wasn’t all for show.”

Kennedy drew in a shaky breath, wishing she had the right to crash into Marcus’s broad chest and ask him to hold her until she found solid footing again. He reached out and steadied her with one hand on her shoulder.

“Nothing you did today was wrong and it doesn’t change one damn thing about how I think of you, okay?” Marcus’s eyes weren’t accusing; they were kind. Which made it impossible to reject the embrace he offered with outstretched arms. She went into them and he held her close, stroking her hair as he murmured, “If I’m being honest, it was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. You were every bit as passionate as I’ve imagined. I’ve never been so jealous in my entire life.”

“Yeah?” It was a moment of weakness, but right then she needed reassurance.

So when he leaned in and fit his lips to hers, she didn’t resist his kiss.

The gentle swaddle of his arms had nothing in common with the possession of his mouth. This time he didn’t stop at a butterfly brush of it across hers as he had the night of the grand opening party. No, right then he showed her what it could be like if she ever gave in and let him do all the things his heated stares promised he’d like to with her.

Kennedy must have been a fool to deny them both this, and more, for so long. With Marcus, there was no wondering, no games. He had always been honest with her, and if he said he would be there, for a night or longer, she could believe him.

She leaned into him, counting on him to keep them steady as their kiss went on and on until she had to breathe or pass out. Then she stepped back and gulped air as she stared at his dilated eyes and the pulse pounding in his neck.

Kennedy suppressed every urge she had to cling to Marcus and instead widened the chasm between them with another pace toward the waiting room and the job she still had left to do.

“I’ll be right here if you need anything.” Marcus cracked his knuckles. “I dare him to give me a reason.”

“If you break his nose, I’ll just have more work setting it.”

“Plus you don’t want me to mess up his pretty fucking face.” Marcus grunted.

Kennedy’s stride hitched at that. Had she really seen a flash of appreciation in his gaze? “You think Knox is handsome?”

“Hot as fuck. Yeah, I see why you’re hung up on him. Sexy, smart talker, badass, and lost. Not to mention that big fucking dick he obviously knows how to use. It’s an irresistible combination, isn’t it?” Marcus shrugged as if it was no big deal.

Okay. Well. She’d had no idea he was that open-minded. She wracked her brain but definitely would have remembered if he’d ever mentioned being bisexual. Then again, she’d purposefully steered their late-night conversations from steamy territory lest she be enticed to break her vow of celibacy.

“I guess so.” She licked the lingering taste of him from her bottom lip as she looked at him in a whole new light.

“Go. I’ll be waiting to take him upstairs when you’re done.”

Kennedy nodded, then spun on her heel, only fully realizing at that moment that she’d now have not only one but two extraordinary temptations living right across the hall.

Damn it. She was going to need to order some more batteries.

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