Hidden Away (KGI #3)(71)

“Push up my shirt,” he said. “Touch me, not my shirt.”

He waited to see if she’d balk, but she lifted the end and slowly pushed upward until his shirt was bunched under his arms. Then she put her palm on his bare chest and he almost groaned from the sheer pleasure of it.

Such gentleness in the face of such violence and pain. So warm and sweet. He drank it up greedily, wanting to be soothed by her fingers.

When she ventured lower, down to the band of his pants, his body reacted. His dick surged to life and swelled, begging to be included in her tender ministrations.

Hell, the last thing he wanted was to frighten her or put her off.

“Watch your hand,” he said hoarsely. “I seem to have this problem around you.”

She chuckled softly and raised her head up again. “I wouldn’t have imagined, I mean not now. You have to be hurting so much.”

“I’m not dead,” he muttered. “And my dick isn’t particularly concerned with what the rest of my body’s feeling.”

To his further surprise, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his chest. She kissed him softly and then moved down an inch and kissed him again. All the while her palm smoothed over the skin of his belly awfully damn close to his waistband. The discomfort in his groin was fast overtaking the pain in his ribs.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered. “Tell me to stop if I do.”

Like that was ever going to happen. He could be missing a leg and he’d be damned if he called a halt to her sweet seduction. An angel in hell. That’s the only descriptor he could come up with. His sweet angel.

“I can guarantee that I’m not going to tell you to stop,” he groaned. “I only wish to hell I could make love to you. I want to touch you, damn it.”

Again her husky laughter washed over him like a healing wind.

She lovingly kissed and caressed every part of him that hurt. Every bruise. Every cut. Her soft mouth moved over his flesh as if she were absorbing the pain. She placed one hand on the other side of him and pushed herself up and over him until her hair fell down around his face. Then she lowered her lips tentatively to his.

The first brush tasted like ambrosia. Sweet. So damn sweet. Fire raced through his veins when the tip of her tongue rubbed shyly over his mouth. Her hand left the mattress and cupped his cheek. Her fingers stroked gently over his jaw, feathering up to his temple as she kissed around the cut at the corner of his mouth.

He’d give anything to be able to turn her over, hold her tight and slide between her legs. It certainly gave him incentive to get the f**k out of this hellhole, because when they did, he was going to do everything to her that he was currently fantasizing about.

She continued her gentle ministrations, touching, petting lightly and following her caresses with her lips. No part of his battered face and abdomen was left out of her sweet lovemaking. She soothed his aches and pushed away his pain, replacing it with warm pleasure.

Finally she lay her head on his chest and slid her hand over his belly in a light, comforting pattern. He raised his hand and thrust his fingers into her hair, enjoying something so simple as touching her.

He couldn’t think. He could only feel. Mellow and content, his woman lying on his chest snuggled into his body. He covered her hand with his other one and squeezed, unable to voice all that he felt. She squeezed back as if understanding his silence.

They rested there, their fingers laced together, and forgotten for the barest moment, was the hell that waited.

CHAPTER 26

MARLENE pulled into Sam’s drive and hurried toward the front door. She didn’t bother to knock but simply pushed in and called Sophie’s name.

Sophie rounded the corner, Charlotte bundled in her arms, and Marlene saw the worry reflected in her daughter-in-law’s eyes. She held out her arms and went to pull both mother and child into her embrace.

“How are you doing?” she asked Sophie.

Sophie posted a brave smile. “The question is, how are you? I can’t imagine how you do this so often with all your sons gone and not knowing if they’re safe.” A quick shudder rolled over her shoulders and Marlene reached to take Charlotte from her.

“Oh, I’m okay. Worried, of course, but you get used to it.” She smiled down at her granddaughter. Love, so strong, rushed like a flood through her heart. “She’s so beautiful, Sophie.”

Sophie smiled, but it was a tired smile laced with the strain Marlene knew she felt. Marlene squared her shoulders and eyed her daughter-in-law. “I want you to pack what you need for several days. Then you and I are going to go get Rachel, and we’re going to hole up at the Kelly headquarters, as I like to call it. Oh, I know Sam has his war room here but honestly, my house has and always will be Kelly central. At a time like this, family has to stick together.”

Relief shone bright in Sophie’s eyes and her shoulders sagged just a bit. “That sounds wonderful, Marlene. Being alone right now ... well, it sucks.”

Marlene laughed. “Well, of course it does. You have a new baby. You’re tired. And your husband is gone to rescue that fool son of mine who doesn’t think he needs anyone. Get your things. It’ll be one big sleepover. We’ll drive Frank out of his mind. He’ll likely flee the premises before it’s over with.”

Sophie smiled, lighting up her entire face. “Give me just a few minutes to get what I need for Charlotte.”