Redeeming Her SEAL (ASSIGNMENT Caribbean Nights #9) - Kat Cantrell Page 0,48

because we have to make up for lost time. But that’s just tonight,” he murmured, still completely cognizant of her bruise. This evening was about reconnecting spiritually, and he wasn’t ashamed to say that he craved that as much or more as their stalled physical reconnection. “Later, I’m going to take you on dates full of romance. I’m going to undress you, love every inch of your body, and make you come. A lot. In as many different ways as I can think of.”

She shuddered. “And we have to wait for that part because why?”

“Because you need to rest,” he said sternly, and yeah, half of that admonition was directed at his own body, which had perked up considerably at all the naked talk. “And because I want to do this right.”

She deserved more than he could give her. But that wasn’t going to stop him from trying, which he’d probably screw up since that seemed to be how he rolled lately.

“Yes, I definitely recall that you have a tendency to do it wrong.” The sarcasm fairly dripped off her tongue.

“Give me a break. I’m hopping on board with your request.” Tenderly, he threaded fingers through her hair because he wanted to and because he could. The wash of emotion beating through his breastbone made it all the sweeter. “I can’t avoid the jumping-into-bed part now that I’m here and you feel so good against me. But I seriously plan to spend the evening talking. Because I want to. I missed you.”

“Oh, God, I missed you too.” She snuggled deeper into his arms. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Isaac sooner. But I was so mad at you for breaking things off and then refusing to respond when all I wanted was to understand.”

That was his cue to talk about what had happened. The villagers. The carnage. Evan. But all at once, his throat closed and the do-over jumped the tracks.

Audra listened to Charlie’s erratic breathing and tried not to panic.

She should have kept her mouth shut. But why? Wasn’t this the turning point where they didn’t have to pull the conversational punches any longer? Whatever had been holding them apart had vanished. Everything felt new. Fresh. Shiny and full of possibilities, simply because she’d finally opened her mouth and started talking.

Charlie’s arms snugged around her keeping her warm. She’d been so cold. For so long. It was nearly miraculous how the sheer body heat of this gorgeous, solid man had thawed out her frozen soul. Or at least that was what had been happening until she’d brought up the reason she’d spent over a year without him.

Her second chance was falling off a cliff, and there was no way in hell she’d let it. If nothing else, she’d leap off after it.

“Charlie? What’s wrong?” She stroked his arm where it lay tight against her abdomen.

“Nothing,” he mumbled, but his chest rose and fell against her back as he breathed. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to sense the quicker-than-normal cadence.

“Don’t do that. We just spent a year not talking. I’m here too. Here, in the moment, opening myself up to you.”

Telling him about Isaac… it had shredded what little of her heart remained. But then he’d quietly restored it fiber by fiber as he held her while she cried. She wouldn’t have asked it of him, but no words had been necessary in the end anyway. His shoulder had already been under her head, supporting her, infusing her with strength. Exactly as she’d envisioned would be the case.

“I want to know what happened. In Iraq,” she whispered.

Once she’d convinced herself he’d found someone else, which had made it so much easier to be with Jared. But she didn’t think that’s what had happened. Not now, not after the small subtle clues he’d been dropping. And he owed her the truth if they were ever going to move their relationship forward.

And she wanted that. So badly. She wanted to open her heart to him, knowing that he was doing the same.

“My guys call me the Saint,” he murmured after a long enough pause that she felt the significance of the fact that he’d spoken at all. “It’s common for SEALs to have nicknames, but usually they’re a product of screw-ups or a particular talent. Mine is because I do the right thing. Always.”

Yeah, that totally gelled with the person he was under his skin. He’d jumped in a boat to come check on her after deciding they were done.