Page 79 of Stains of Desire

He takes my silence the wrong way. "We can figure it out when she's rescued. If you want to keep Millie away from our relationship until you're sure about me, we can do that. Don't feel any pressure. I'll respect whatever you want."

"I am sure about you," I blurt out. "I just... I spent years hating myself...over William...and how I couldn't figure out how to get Millie out of the situation we were in. I don't have any problem with you being around her."

"You don't?"

"No."

"Okay. If you change your mind—"

"I'm not going to."

"All right. But it's always your choice."

"Can you pull over a minute?"

He veers to the side. "What's wrong, green—"

I throw my arms around him and kiss him. Every ounce of affection I have, I put into it.

We kiss for several minutes, and when I pull back, he murmurs, "What was that for?"

I tear up. "I appreciate you. Thank you for what you're doing for Millie and me."

"You don't have to thank me."

"I do. I want to."

"Well, I'll take your kisses whenever you want to give me them."

I kiss him some more.

"Now you're spoiling me," he mumbles against my lips.

I softly laugh. "Maybe I should spoil you tonight."

"Don't tease me."

"I don't tease, I please," I say, getting a surge of confidence and feeling for the first time in years a glimpse of who I used to be.

He groans. "You're killing me, green eyes."

I peck him on the lips one last time and lean back into my seat.

He pulls back on the road and laces his fingers between mine.

"Why didn't you model?" he asks.

"Sorry?"

He grins. "You heard me. When I saw your picture, I was confident you were a professional model. Then I read you worked for the embassy."

"I never thought about it."

"You could be one."

People have told me that before, but it feels different coming from Axel. Whenever he compliments me, it means more than when anyone else does. I'm disheveled, been living in the jungle for months, and an emotionally unstable mother with a missing child. Somehow, he doesn't seem to be phased by any of it. A typical man would run as far from me as possible. Axel only comes closer, breaking any distance between us whenever he sees anything in our way.

I make another cracker and hold it up to him. "You're sweet. Eat."