Page 132 of Lethal Threat

Cole’s very quiet. More so than usual. “You’re worrying. I can tell.”

He turns gruff. “You don’t know me.”

I smile, even though he can’t see it. “I think I know more about you than you think. What’s on your mind?”

He sighs. There’s a dark heaviness in his breath. “I just can’t get the images out of my head.”

I have a feeling I already know. “Which image, sweetheart?”

He’s silent a long time. His hands run over my body. Gentle. He’s so damned gentle. He finally tells me. “You, bound, bleeding, in that fucking cage.”

I was right. Slowly I turn in his arms until my slippery front is pressed against his slippery front. “I’m safe. Look at me.”

I frame his handsome face, cup his square jaw in my hands. “You saved me.” I reach up and press my lips to his.

He kisses me, but just briefly, then his hands glide up my forearms until he’s got my wrists cupped gently in his grip.

He’s careful not to compress the marks the restraints left. He turns them so he can look at the tattered skin. There’s agony in his beautiful eyes. “I hate this.”

“They already feel better. I’m sure it was your excellent care.”

He grunts. “Liar.”

“I’m not lying. They do feel better.”

His piercing eyes lock on mine. I pull my hands from his and frame his face again. “I’m fine, babe. We need to thinkabout something positive.” I smooth my fingertips over his eyes, pulling his lids down. “Take a deep breath.”

He settles his hands on my waist as his big rib cage rises and falls slowly. I watch his emotions flicker behind his closed lids.

I wish I could take away all his pain and agony. In a whispery voice, I try to soothe him. “That’s it. Now, picture our Christmas tree. I’m sitting on the couch next to you. The house is toasty warm from the roaring fire you built. Rudolph’s playing on the radio. And we’ve got a mug of my superior hot chocolate. It’s snowing buckets outside. And we’ve got nothing to do, but each other.”

Cole’s brow softens, and a growl purrs inside his chest. “For days…”

I release my thumbs from his eyes. “Think you’re up for the job?”

His lids flip up. In a low, rough voice he makes himself very clear. “Woman—do I need to remind you that I’m on fire for you?”

I can’t hold back my grin. “A little demo couldn’t hurt.”

He narrows his eyes. There’s playfulness in them now. “Little? There’s nothing little about me.”

Oh, how true that statement is. And I’m not just talking about his apparatus or those mountain sized shoulders. I’m talking about the heart beating inside of his broad chest.

His hand glides from my hip around to my throbbing clit. With a little pinch, he teases me.

Yes. I need that touch.

I shiver and close my eyes as I let my hands glide over his body.

This is what I need. To forget everything in his touch.

My memories differ from Cole’s, but just as dark. And I know it’s going to take work for us both to move beyondeverything that’s happened. But right now, I need to feel alive and safe. That’s all I want. To feel my hero loving me.

I jump when his mouth grazes my nipple. I draw in a breath and let my pleasure show on a throaty moan. “Mmmm.”

His delicious, hot, wet kiss moves up my chest. A trail of little sucks and nips. Then Cole stops to linger on my collarbone.

I’m slowly turning into a panting, shivery mess. “God, your mouth feels so good?—”