Midnight Exposure (Midnight #1)(64)

Jayne ended the call and stared through the glass door of the woodstove. An ember popped. Logs shifted. Another man coming to her rescue. When was she going to be able to fend for herself? Ever?

“You OK?” Reed sat down next to her, first-aid kit in hand.

“Yeah. Pat’s coming.” Pressure built in Jayne’s chest. “Ty Jennings is back in prison. He broke parole trying to stalk me.”

Reed snipped wet bandages off her wrists. Jayne stared at the scabbed-over wounds. Two more reminders of her weakness. “Well, that’s good, right? That means you’ll be safe at home.”

“Unless my kidnapper follows me there. I don’t even know what he looks like, Reed. He could be any blue-eyed stranger who walks into the bar.” How would she live? She’d never be able to go anywhere alone. She’d be looking over her shoulder, thinking every newcomer was out to get her. She’d go crazy.

“If I hadn’t run away, if I’d have stayed home and faced Jennings, none of this would’ve happened. Hugh would still be alive. You and Scott wouldn’t be in danger. I shouldn’t have run away. I’m a coward.”

“Or Jennings would’ve hurt you before they caught him.” Reed applied fresh bandages, then reached up to stroke the scar on her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “These are battle scars. Cowards don’t fight back. Cowards roll over. You’re a warrior.”

Jayne focused on the clean, white gauze. She bet he wouldn’t have said that if he’d known she’d originally come to Huntsville to reveal his identity to the world. Warriors were honest.

No secrets.





CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE


Reed cupped her cheek and lifted her chin. Her eyes avoided contact with his. Was she regretting her decision?

“I know you can’t wait to go home. I can’t blame you, not with all you’ve been through here. I’ll call you. Visit you in Philadelphia. If that’s OK?”

Jayne only nodded. She’d been quiet since they’d made love. Did she think this was a one-night stand?

“Good. I don’t do casual sex. I care about you.” More than he could verbalize.

The past suddenly seemed so long ago. For the first time in years, he had hope that he could move on with his life, experience happiness without the side of guilt. But hope was an emotional double agent that could turn on him at any time and betray the very heart it bolstered.

Didn’t matter. What was done was done. He’d been dragged out into the sunlight. Once he’d experienced its warmth, there was no shoving his soul back underground. All because of the beautiful woman in front of him. The woman who’d lost so much, yet still had something to give to him.

He sunk to the blanket next to her. “Still hungry?”

“No.”

Reed moved the dinner tray aside. A feral longing to claim her, to show her how he felt, passed through him. He rose onto his knees and crawled over her body.

Jayne fell back onto the blankets. Her robe parted and a pink nipple peeked out from between the lapels. Reed’s blood surged to his groin.

Heat from the stove washed over them as his body covered hers. “Well, I am. I barely got a taste of what I wanted.”

He pressed his lips to her temple. The scent of his soap on her skin was like a brand. His lips traveled down the side of her face and paused to kiss the scar on her cheek.

He worked his way down her neck to run his tongue along her collarbone. Beneath him, Jayne shivered.

“Are you cold?”

She shook her head.

“Good.” Reed nuzzled the robe open, exposing a breast. Soft and full, it fit perfectly in his palm. He plumped it with his hand and licked her nipple into a stiff bead. He went hard as a tire iron in one heartbeat.

She arched toward him. “More.”

“No rush.” He had one night to show Jayne what she meant to him. She kept saying that he’d rescued her, but in reality she’d saved him from a lifetime of darkness. “We have all night.”

He uncovered her other breast and laved it with his tongue. Jayne’s fingers twined in his hair, pulling him harder to her. He opened wide and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Jayne groaned, a deep and throaty sound that made his erection throb.

Her warm hand slid down his abs toward the waistband of his pants. Said erection practically crawled toward it.

Much to its dismay, Reed moved lower down her body before she could touch him.

“Come back here.” She pouted.

“No way. This time you’re going to be the one who loses control.”

Jayne’s turquoise eyes went wide, then darkened.

Reed sat back on his haunches and untied the sash on the robe. “I feel like I’m opening an early Christmas present.” He folded the flannel back to expose her smooth, creamy skin.

“Well, do it faster.” Her skin was flushed with heat and excitement. Jayne shifted her legs restlessly. They were long and lean, and Reed’s mouth watered.

“I’m going to taste every inch of you.” He looked up at her. She sucked her lower lip into her mouth and bit down on it. Watching, a shudder coursed through him.

He started at her ankle and ran his tongue up the length of her calf. His hands followed, stroking up her soft skin. When his mouth found the sensitive spot behind her knee, the breath rasped from her mouth. Blood hummed through Reed’s veins, pulsing, throbbing harder in his groin every time she moaned.