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Marisol’s gaze met hers, those hazel eyes full of concern. “Now I’m afraid I don’t know how to help you.”

“Maybe you have to touch my skin,” she suggested again, body alive with desire. Flickering with curiosity and intrigue and a hungry ache she couldn’t blame on a need for blood.

Returning to Elena’s side, Marisol oozed how unsure she was. How incompetent she felt. Elena guessed that it wasn’t a sensation she experienced often.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Elena teased, wishing she could get to her feet if only to pull Marisol closer. “A little jump in the pulse at the contact?”

Marisol tipped her head, taking her time before sitting again. “I thought you said your heart rate doesn’t fluctuate.”

“I didn’t mean mine,” she whispered, as if her lips were pressed to Marisol’s freckled ear.

Ignited at the shameless flirting, Marisol tried to suffocate her smile. “If I’d known you were so inappropriate, I would have left you unconscious.”

“Oh, it’s like that?” Elena presented her hand instead of telling Marisol where she really wanted her touch. Marisol liked Elena’s game, but she was scared to play it.

With a shaky breath, Marisol reached for Elena’s hand. The moment their fingers brushed, a jolt of energy shot through Elena’s body. It differed from the rush in the ER. This was pure, unadulterated desire and it was coming from Marisol.

Elena’s gaze locked with Marisol’s, the air between them crackling with a new thirst. Elena knew, without a doubt, that Marisol felt it too. The heat in her cheeks, the rapid rise and fall of her chest, the way her pupils dilated, swallowing the green of her irises. Her body was a symphony of want. A want Elena wanted very much to satisfy.

“Is it working?” Marisol’s breath was so heavy, her attempts to control the rush of curiosity pushing her toward Elena’s lips, making Elena forget her hurry to break out of confinement.

“Maybe a different kind of touch.” Elena released Marisol’s fingers. “Closer to where my pain is…”

Elena tugged at the hem of her hospital gown, pulling it up to expose her thigh. Following her movements, Marisol’s eyes widened when they landed on the smooth olive skin of her thigh. Elena knew her body was a goddamn masterpiece, even broken and useless. Knew that Marisol wanted to touch her as much as Elena wanted to be touched.

Breath hitching, Marisol raked her gaze over Elena’s body like soft hands gently pushing her thighs apart. Heat radiated from Marisol’s skin, her pulse a frantic rhythm Elena wouldn’t dream of taming.

And then Marisol’s palm was skimming over the outside of her left thigh with the lightest touch. Elena couldn’t feel it on her skin, but she felt it in the pulse of need rushing to her core.

“Can you feel that?” Marisol whispered, her body leaning in, her hand trekking toward Elena’s hip.

“I definitely feel something.” Elena rested her hand over Marisol’s, urging her to touch more of her. To touch her all the places Elena knew she wanted to explore.

Pulling back, afraid of her own desire, Marisol’s pretty eyes brimmed with conflict. She was telling herself that she shouldn’t want what she wanted, Elena was sure. She was letting herself be shoved in a box, deprived and needlessly hungry.

“I can’t do this…” Marisol breathed, her entire being focused onElena’s lips.

“Says who?”

It was the wrong challenge, Elena realized immediately. Marisol sprang shut like a trap.

“I’m your nurse.” Marisol stood, ripping away the closest thing to the sun Elena would ever feel. “Even if you’re not human, I have an ethical responsibility to take care of you. And that doesn’t involve crossing boundaries.”

“And is that what you want?” Elena’s voice was low and set to devastate. “To cross my boundaries? Because I can assure you, I don’t have any. Not when it comes to beautiful creatures like you.”

“I would lose my job,” Marisol said with unshakable conviction. “Maybe even my license.”

Watching her, Elena couldn’t contain her amused little laugh. “Darling, if you don’t realize your life here is over…” she whispered. “You are glorious and as soon as I can get out of here, I’m taking you with me.”She sat up, but left her body uncovered. “Whatever is inside of you, it doesn’t want to be stifled here. You can’t want to live some sliver of a life when you are so very obviously magnificent.”

She’d pushed too far, Elena knew, but she couldn’t stop herself. Couldn’t believe that anyone would choose to be small when they had a universe spinning inside of them. She should have kept her influence drawn around Marisol, but she’d been so sure of the fiery spark flickering in her heart.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.” Marisol crossed the room, gaze unable to find Elena’s face again.

“My name is Elena,” she said, hoping it would make her stop and return to her. But when Marisol disappeared, Elena had to swallow her worry that she wouldn’t return.

Chapter Eleven

“Can’tyou just stalk her socials like a normal, still-kind-of-obsessed ex-girlfriend?” Avani sat on the floor between Candela’s legs, moving a little while Candela made the tiniest braids in her dark, natural hair.