Rising (Anderson Special Ops #2) - Melody Anne Page 0,58

many romance novels in her lifetime and this man surely could be a hero in one of her favorite books. But he wasn’t in a book, he was right there with her — just the two of them all alone in paradise.

“I’ve never gone to this much effort before on a date. It’s normally a movie and dinner. But I want to impress you, I want to show you how valuable you are,” he told her.

Tingles shot through her arms and legs, and before she could stop herself, she was up on her knees and practically knocking him over as she threw her arms around him.

“I feel all of those things,” she said before kissing him like she’d wanted to all day. He didn’t hesitate to kiss her back, his arms wrapping around her back.

She shifted . . . and then let out a cry of pain.

Steve leaned back, concern written all over his face. “What happened? Did I grab you too tight?” he asked, trying to assess where she was hurt.

Erin pushed away and clasped her knee to her chest as she moaned in pain. “I’m so sorry,” she said with a groan. “Dang it!” She was furious with herself that she’d forgotten her old injury was acting up. It might’ve settled down if she’d just stayed still long enough.

“What’s happening?” Steve asked, reaching out to her.

“Just give me a second,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Let me help you,” he demanded. “I need to know what’s wrong so I can make it better.”

Those words brought the tiniest glimmer of a smile to her pinched lips. “Always the hero,” she said before letting out a moan. “It’s my leg. I have an old injury I pushed a little far today, and it’s acting up now.” Sweat was beginning to bead on her forehead. She hadn’t sweated much that day while hiking, but a little pain and she was a hot mess.

Steve put his hands on her leg, searching for injuries. “Did you get cut? Where exactly does it hurt?” he asked. He didn’t seem upset that their making out had been rudely interrupted. Did that make her happy or more upset?

“No, no, this is an old injury.” To her horror, tears began falling down her cheeks. “I’m sorry,” she gritted out.

“Tell me what I can do.” This was a definite command. She liked that he wanted to take care of her. She wished she found something she didn’t like about the man, because he really seemed too perfect to be true.

“It’s muscle spasms. When they hit me, they’re absolute torture, and I have to just suffer through them,” she told him. “I’ve had it massaged before, and that sometimes helps, but I can try to do it.”

“Nonsense,” he said, brushing her hands aside. He ran his fingers down her leg until he felt the knotted area that was pulsing. “Holy hell, Erin, this has to hurt worse than you’re letting on,” he gasped as his fingers began gently kneading her leg.

“It’ll go away,” she said on a choked voice.

“The pants need to come off so I can really massage you,” he told her.

Modesty was out the window, and she didn’t even try to fight him as he unclasped her jeans and slowly slid them down her legs. The pain was excruciating, but the feel of his fingers sliding down her hot skin sent a new sensation through her body as well. How was it possible to feel both pleasure and pain at the same time?

He got the pants off and gently began massaging the area, going in slow passes up and down her thigh. To her amazement, the pain began ebbing. “Oh, yes, please don’t quit,” she said as she lay back and looked at the sky. Even taking an ounce of the agony away was sweet, sweet relief. Her eyes began to close as the pain lessened.

He continued for several minutes, and as the knot loosened, he put more pressure on the area, until the pain was barely noticeable.

“I think the knot is about gone,” he said, his voice husky.

She opened her eyes and looked at him, noticing a sheen of sweat on his brow. It wasn’t too hot out, making her realize she was wearing a sheer pair of red panties, and his fingers were dangerously close to her core.

He kept kneading her thigh, and soon the pain was completely gone. She didn’t want him to stop touching her so she didn’t tell him the pain was gone.