scent, uncaring of the blood and dirt and grime that permeated her hair and clothing. He was holding her. Finally holding her.
“You’re real. You’re real.”
She pulled away, looked up at him, the same answering emotion shining in her blue eyes. With a groan, he lowered his mouth to hers. He couldn’t hold back. Nothing in the world would have kept him from kissing her in that moment.
He was overcome.
Her mouth, sweet and warm, melted against his. He’d never felt something so completely right in his life. As if everything had worked up to this moment.
She felt small and delicate in his arms. She quivered even as she kissed him back, her lips moving in a slow, sensual slide across his.
He was wrecked. Completely and utterly wrecked.
He gripped her shoulders and pulled away, his legs weak and shaky. He should be caring for her. Seeing to her needs. But he couldn’t keep his hands from her. The need to touch her, to reassure himself that she was finally…his.
Yes, his. And not finally. She’d been his from the moment she’d touched his mind. Perhaps it was why he’d gone crazy when she left him. It was like having a part of his soul ripped out. The months since had been a torture of a different kind. But now she was here. In the flesh. Not just in his mind. And he’d be damned if he’d let her go again.
“We need to get you cleaned up, baby. Let me go turn on the shower so it’ll warm up then we’ll get you out of these clothes. I want to see how bad it is.”
She stirred, a protest forming on her lips. “I’m okay, Nathan. Really.”
“I want to see that for myself.”
His tone brooked no argument and finally she nodded, her shoulders slumping in defeat. He left her long enough to turn on the shower and then he came back where she still stood by the bed.
“Do you need my help?”
Slowly she shook her head. “Let me get cleaned up first, Nathan. It looks worse than it is right now. There’s no sense you getting worked up. After I shower, you can see.”
He frowned. It was likely the opposite was true. It was worse than he thought, and she wanted time to clean up to try to make it look better.
“I’ll be waiting when you get out,” he murmured. “I have a first aid kit in the jeep. I’ll get it while you’re in the bathroom.”
SHEA stood under the spray, eyes closed, her brow creased in pain. She’d scrubbed the blood and dirt from her body, but there was nothing she could do about the bruises.
Her legs shook uncontrollably. She’d barely been able to soap her hair because her hands quaked so violently. Reaction had set in and she was a hot mess.
Falling apart.
The horror of the last days hit her like a ton of bricks. She should be jubilant. She should be relieved. She was free. She was safe. Nathan was with her. He’d protect her.
Instead, tears rolled down her cheeks and her knees threatened to give out. She covered her face and tried to control the sobs that bubbled from her chest.
Strong arms came around her. The water turned off, and she stood dripping wet and hiccupping as sob after sob es-
caped.
Nathan pulled away long enough to wrap a towel around her shaking body and then he lifted her into his arms.
“It’s okay, baby,” he murmured against her forehead. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.”
He set her on the bed then pulled the blanket around her. He kissed her temple. The top of her head. He rained kisses down on her face. Her eyes. Her cheeks.
She turned her face into his neck and burrowed into his warmth. And his strength.
For the longest time he merely held her as silent sobs spilled from her chest. He caressed her hair, ran his hand down her blanket-covered body and simply sat in silence while he waited for her to collect herself.
She loved that he didn’t seem to fall apart at her distress. Or that he didn’t demand to know what was wrong so he could fix it. He acted like he understood.
When her sobs diminished to soft puffs of air and the shaking ceased, he pulled her carefully away from his body and stared down into her eyes.
Without a word, without asking permission, he slid the covers down her arms, baring her flesh to his sharp gaze.
Though there was nothing sexual in his assessment, she