Page 49 of Burn the World Down

“Yeah.” My voice was croaky.

She reached up and pressed a palm to my cheek. I felt that touch in so many places. Places that had been parched, dried, and cracked for so long.

“Thank you,” she murmured. “For helping me. I know you didn’t want to. That first night, you wanted me to leave.”

I pressed my hand over hers. “It wasn’t that. I just didn’t want this life for you. Darkness, killing. It’s not you.”

“Life doesn’t always give us what we expect. It’s about facing our challenges, making the most of things.”

My gaze fell to her lips.Control, man.Her injuries helped me dig deep and find it.

I cleared my throat. “One more round?”

She smiled and nodded. She slid her hearing protection back on, and I organized the next target.

She reloaded the handgun—she was getting good at that now after I’d drilled her on doing it when we’d first arrived.

She took the correct stance, her face focused.

I couldn’t look away from her pretty face.

She fired.

After she was finished, she eagerly ditched the gun and earmuffs. “That felt better,” she said excitedly. “I was more relaxed.”

More of her shots on target. “Nice work.”

She shot me a beaming smile. Then she did a little victory dance. Now I was staring at her ass as she wiggled it. Those leggings showed the shape of it perfectly.

She spun, her smile still wide. It was so reminiscent of the Georgie I remembered. She threw her arms around my neck.

I stilled. The world spun as her entire body pressed against all of mine.

Her smile faded and different emotions coalesced in her hazel eyes. “Nash,” she murmured.

Then she went up on her toes and pressed her lips to mine.

My brain short-circuited. I couldn’t move. I stood there like a frozen idiot.

She pulled back, heat hitting her cheeks. “God, sorry. I…really wanted to kiss you. I should’ve asked, not just assumed?—”

I gripped her arms. “Georgie.”

“Nash, I’m sorry?—”

“Georgie, be quiet.”

She stilled and licked her lips. “Okay.”

“I want to kiss you, but I don’t want to hurt you.” My thumb brushed her healing lip.

Her chest rose and fell.

“And I don’t want you to feel that you owe me anything.”

She shook her head. “It’s not that at all.”

I slid a hand into her hair and her lips parted. God, those bruises made me mad. “You have bruises, a sore lip…”