Beyond the Breaking Point - Lori Sjoberg Page 0,98

the first time in what felt like forever, Hope woke with a smile on her face.

She stretched, enjoying the feel of smooth, soft cotton against her bare skin. For the life of her, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept naked. Usually, she wore at least a T-shirt and panties, in case there was a fire or something. When she’d lived on base, she wore a full set of pajamas. And during her captivity at the compound, she’d always slept fully clothed, shoes and all.

She was also sore in a couple of places, but it was a good kind of sore, a reminder of what she’d shared with Wade. They’d made love several times last night, though she wasn’t quite sure whether the last one was real or an exceptionally erotic dream. If it was real, she’d have to ask him to do that thing with his tongue again, because just thinking about it made her toes curl.

But last night had been more than just physical pleasure, at least for her. It had felt as though they’d shared a connection that reached all the way to her soul. She wondered what that meant for them long-term, or if there would even be a long-term. The topic had never come up.

For now, she chose not to worry about it. After everything that happened, she wanted to enjoy the moment and deal with the rest of it later.

The sound of running water caught her attention, which explained where Wade had gone. The bathroom door was shut, a slice of light shining under the space along the bottom. Briefly, she considered joining him in the shower, but then thought, nah, another time. She was already fairly familiar with how those cool tiles felt against her back.

The water in the shower shut off, and a minute or so later, Wade stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was wet, his body damp. Scars and all, he was breathtakingly beautiful. There was a faded red mark on his chest just above his left pectoral muscle where she’d nipped him last night, and knowing she’d marked him gave her a strange sense of satisfaction. And now that he’d shaved off his thick beard stubble, she could see even more of his face.

He stopped mid-stride when he noticed her staring. “What?”

“Nothing. You shaved.”

Clearly self-conscious, he rubbed a hand along his smooth jaw. “Sorry.”

“What are you sorry about? I like being able to see your whole face.” Honestly, she couldn’t say whether she preferred him with or without the beard. Scruffy was rugged and dangerous, yet alluring, while smooth was drop-dead gorgeous but with a side of dangerous, because it revealed more of his facial scar.

“God knows why,” he grumbled.

She got out of bed and crossed to where he stood, and by some miracle she resisted the urge to tug loose the knot in his towel. “Because you’re a good-looking man, that’s why.”

He made a low noise that she’d come to recognize as the equivalent of what a crock of shit. “All that time in the jungle screwed up your vision.”

“My vision’s fine. Now take the damn compliment.” Going up on her tiptoes, she cupped the side of his face, her fingers tracing the horizontal line of his scar. He smelled faintly of aftershave, something woodsy with a hint of citrus. She liked it. It suited him well. “I’ll say it again; you’re a good-looking man. And you’ve got one hell of a body.”

There it was again, that blush that made the tips of his ears bright pink. God, he was adorable.

“Forget bad vision. You’re delusional.”

“Nope, not at all. I’m an expert in the field of human anatomy.” Her fingers slid around to the nape of his neck where the hair was starting to curl. “Now shut up and kiss me.”

After a brief hesitation, his mouth covered hers, a light brush of the lips before he settled in and made himself at home. She clung to his shoulders as he skimmed one hand down the length of her back to cup her ass and tuck her in tight. He felt so strong, and warm, and right, and she melted against him, enjoying the feel of his hard, muscled body pressed against her soft curves.

Her fingers slid down to the knot in his towel, but a knock on the door stopped her from tugging it free.

On a muttered curse, Wade eased his head back. He twisted his head toward the door and