“I’m okay, but…There’s another scar back there.”
I slowly finished unzipping, then urged the fabric apart, and the evidence of her attack revealed itself. Long, jagged, and raised along her shoulder blade. It disappeared around her shoulder, but that part I’d seen before, at least a hint of it.
Rage bubbled to life deep in my gut working to douse the lust building, but I pushed it back. Anger had no place in her bedroom while I held her so closely. She trusted me, and I would not blow that.
Slowly, I turned her around so I could see her eyes. “You’re beautiful.”
I pulled the fabric down as she eased her arms out. She held the dress up, covering her bra. I caressed her shoulders, then trailed around to her back as I drew her close. “It’s okay. Take it slow.”
“Your patience is rivaling the saints right now.”
“But my thoughts are far from saint-like,” I said, grinning.
“Mine, too,” she whispered. “Scares me a little. What if I freak out again, Hunter? I don’t want to. I want this. I want you.”
I grabbed her hand. “We’ve got our power rings on. There will be no freak outs tonight.”
She released her hold on her dress, and it pooled around her bare feet. I swept my gaze over her stunning body. Strange to not see tan lines or anything, but she’d not been outside much over the years. The pale skin suited her, though, adding to her angelic look. She wore a red bra and panties…matching set.
My thoughts were so not angelic and prompted a few more non-saintly thoughts. But one thing was for certain; she was all that mattered and all that would ever matter from this minute forward.
* * *
Angelina
“I’ve never done anything like this with a guy.” I combed Hunter’s hair back as he lay atop me.
I was sure I’d freak out as the cloud of lust dissipated, considering I was in my undies and bra with a guy lying on me.
But I didn’t. Nothing felt more right than having him here like this. He was a decent man. An honorable man. Nothing like what those animals had done.
Hunter shifted, finally looking up. His eyes were glazed over, but a smile filled his face. He rolled onto his side, taking me with him. “You okay?”
“Better than okay. You?”
“Ditto.” He rolled back and then onto his feet and stepped toward my bathroom. “I’ll be right back.”
He was so amazing I couldn’t even think of another word to describe him. And I’d made it. Totally hadn’t freaked out or passed out. Sure, it wasn’t even close to having sex or anything, well, sort of close, but still. Before we’d been only on the couch messing around a little and I freaked. This was a whole lot more and not once did those nasty images flash.
I felt only him. Only his body. Only his love.
A few minutes later, he came out of the bathroom wearing a pair of sweats. “Why is my bag in your bathroom and filled with extra clothes?”
“I went over to your mom’s and got it.”
“Please tell me you didnottell my mom what we were doing tonight.”
“Hunter. Of course not.”
He flopped onto the bed and crawled toward me. “Thank God.”
“I told her we were going to have a movie marathon and you might want some comfortable clothing since you were coming right from work.”
“You’re so smart.” He turned toward me, gathering me to his chest so my back was against him. “You okay?”
“Perfect. Hunter, that was beyond words.”
“I’d say. And to think, it gets even better.” His hand glided over my abdomen, securing me to his body behind me. “You’ve never done this, huh?”