he said in a low voice. “I didn’t think you were awake.”
She shook her head. When he started to retreat to the bathroom, she held up her hand. “No. Don’t go.”
He stood a moment, the shirt clenched tight in his fists. “I don’t want you to see.”
She sat up, holding the sheet to her breasts. “See what, Nathan? I’ve seen you at your worst. There’s nothing you can show me that will shock me.”
Her expression was so fierce, almost angry. He was rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do. Hit the bathroom? Hurry up and finish dressing? He felt exposed and he didn’t like it one bit.
“Come here, Nathan,” she said softly.
His brow furrowed.
“Please.”
He hesitated but then walked toward the bed. He still held the shirt to his chest when he eased onto the edge beside her.
She leaned forward and the sheet slipped down enough that he caught a glimpse of the plump swells of her breasts. The dark imprint of her nipple tantalized him from underneath the thin sheet.
She tugged gently at his T-shirt until he reluctantly allowed her to pull it away. Then to his surprise, she let the sheet fall from her chest as she got to her knees and edged toward him.
Heat flushed through his body, tightening his groin. He couldn’t quite breathe right. Nothing he did seemed to pull enough air into his lungs. Even bruised and fragile, she was the most beautiful thing he’d seen in his life. It took all his restraint not to pull her into his arms and make love to her.
It didn’t matter that, until a few hours ago, he’d never actually seen her before. She went deeper than physical attraction. He wasn’t even sure what he felt was physical. It was emotional. She belonged inside him. Deep. The kind of emotion you didn’t ever get rid of.
He shivered when she placed her palms on his chest, right over two gnarled ridges of skin. To his further shock, she pushed until he was forced to recline on the bed. She hovered over him, her eyes glowing. Then she lowered her head and pressed her lips to a scar over his shoulder.
He sucked in his breath, shocked when she slid her mouth lower to the next scar, beside his collarbone. And then just as he’d kissed every bruise, every scrape and every hurt on her body, she kissed each of his scars.
He stared in wonder as she kissed the line next to his navel. Then she dropped lower, sliding off the bed to kneel so she could reach the scars on his legs.
When she reached his feet, she kissed the top of his foot, carefully tracing the puckered scar that curved to his toes.
Her touch was light and so tender that he ached. He had no idea how to respond to such unselfishness. There were no words that could have convinced him that she wasn’t repulsed by his body. But her sweet, loving kisses convinced him when nothing else could.
“You don’t repulse me, Nathan.”
For a moment he’d forgotten that she could slide into and out of his mind. She would have sensed his doubt. His fear.
She crawled back onto the bed and knelt at his side, staring down at him as she slid her fingers over the scars on his belly and chest.
“How could you? Every scar is a testament to your strength and your will to live. They’re beautiful. Like you.”
Placing both hands on his chest, she leaned down. Their gazes locked, and he realized she meant to kiss him. Every part of his body and soul reached for her, strained for her, wanting her touch with a need that verged on obsession.
She licked her lips just before she pressed them to his. It was a little nervous gesture that melted his heart.
He reached up to frame her shoulders and he kissed her back, no longer bothering to hide the fact that he wanted her more than he wanted to breathe. He’d already pretty much given up breathing for her.
Their lips fused hotly. They fit. So goddamn perfect. Her body molded softly to his. Such a contradiction. Softness to his hardness. Smooth to his rough. Perfection against imperfection.
He wrapped his arms around her and slid his hands up her body. He massaged the plump globe of her behind while his other hand stroked up her spine and into the silk of her hair.
“If you had any idea how many nights I lay dreaming of this. Of you,” he