hardly understood it myself?
“I get it,” Rachel said softly, pushing up to stand a little taller but still staying against the wall. “Well, I don’t get it. But I know you probably don’t either.”
“I won’t hurt you. I swear.”
She nodded, trying to look convinced.
“Please tell me you know I would never hurt you.” The words ripped from my throat, a low and insistent plea.
“I…” she said, her voice falling away. I ran a hand through my hair. It dawned on me how it had grown so long in only two days. “Gather everything you want to take. We’ll make sure you get back to the States.”
She began to protest, but I cut her off. “You didn’t leave me behind, and I won’t do that to you.”
She nodded and went to gather her bags. They were already packed and there were only three, one of them a bag of camera equipment.
“Is this all of them?” I asked just to be sure.
She nodded and I reached out to take them. She didn’t flinch away from me, but she stiffened and I knew she didn’t want me to touch her. I still took the bags but was careful not to come into contact with her.
How could we go from burning touches and hot kisses to being reduced to being strangers so fast?
Because we were strangers.
Now more than ever.
“Vance.” Her voice stopped me from stepping out in the night.
I turned abruptly, my eyes searching her emerald irises.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, taking a tentative step closer. “I do know you wouldn’t hurt me. I’m just…”
“Scared.” I finished for her. I sighed and dropped the bags beside me. “I understand.”
“You were protecting me,” she said, tipping her chin back a little farther to look up at me. “You only… changed… when they came at me.”
I moved slowly, giving her enough time to back away, but her feet stayed planted. I trailed my fingertips down the side of her cheek, wondering if this was the last time I’d ever touch her.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you, Rachel. Not even them.” She probably didn’t realize the significance of that, but I did. Those men were everything I had.
She turned her face, pressing her cheek a little closer against my palm. I slid my hand around to cup the back of her neck, relishing the way her hair felt like silk against my skin.
I stepped closer, making my intentions perfectly clear. “If you don’t want me to kiss you, Rachel,” I rumbled, “say so right now.”
She remained silent.
I captured her mouth in the kind of kiss I would have given when we were alone under the stars—slow and gentle. I rubbed over her lips like I had nowhere else to be, like she was the only thing that mattered.
Her soft sigh into my mouth was the most delicious thing I’d ever tasted. I swallowed it down and continued to kiss her, drawing her body fully against mine and reveling in the way we fit together.
Eventually, I pulled away, dropping one final kiss in the center of her lips. Rachel kept her eyes closed and pressed her lips together, like she was trying to hold on to the way I felt just a little bit longer.
I wasn’t ready to walk away from her yet. I wasn’t ready to go out there and face all the shit I knew was waiting.
I didn’t have a choice.
“If you ever need anything…” I let my words hang in the air. I didn’t even know where to tell her I would be.
“I won’t.” Her words were soft spoken yet somehow final.
Fuck.
“You ready?” I asked, reaching down to grab her bags again.
She only nodded, looking unsure and afraid.
I didn’t bother to reassure her again. I would protect her and if push came to shove, I would prove it.
Outside, a huge sand-colored vehicle was parked nearby. It was somehow a cross between a tank and a HUM-V. It was badass looking, and I grinned.
Brick jogged to my side. “Recognize Dozie, I see.”
Memories flooded me.
I was standing beside “the Bulldozer,” AKA Dozie, and I was grinning. There was a set of keys in my palm and my buddies were surrounding me.
Pyeatt slapped me on the back. “That was some impressive driving.”
“Finesse, my friend, finesse,” I said, full of myself.
I blinked and the memory cleared. I looked at Brick. “How did you get Dozie to Kuwait?”
Brick slapped me on the back. “You know we have the hookup, Ace. Besides, old girl Dozie here heard you were missing and came