Page 112 of Steel Vengeance
He snorted. “It’s not often I can render you speechless. I can see I’m going to have to prove it to you. Right now.”
She giggled, happiness bubbling up inside her, an emotion she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in weeks. “I’d like that.”
In one swift move, he carried her to the bed and laid her down, his eyes dark with desire. But as he leaned over her, she noticed the thick white bandage wrapped around his side, just above his waist.
“Stitch... what happened?” Her fingers brushed against it gently.
“Matthew shot me,” he said, his voice casual, though his face tightened with a flash of pain as she touched him.
“You were shot?!”
“Hey, I’m fine.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “They patched me up good as new, but... that’s why it took me so long to get to you. Discharge and a bullet wound, not the best combination.” He winced when she touched the bandage again. “But don’t worry, it’s healing. All the important things still work.”
He was making light of it, but her heart clenched. “I wish you’d told me.”
“I didn’t want to worry you until it was all over,” he murmured, pulling her hand away and kissing her knuckles. “Now that I’m here, I’m not going anywhere.”
She wanted to argue, to demand more details, but when he kissed her again, all her protests melted away.
In that moment, it didn’t matter.
Their lips met, and with every touch, he unleashed a yearning in her so deep it nearly overwhelmed her. She clawed at his T-shirt, and he helped her pull it over his head, wincing slightly as the movement tugged on his wound.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispered, worry flitting through her gaze.
“You won’t.” He smirked down at her, eyes filled with heat. “I’ll take it easy. Maybe.”
She grinned, her hands sliding over his bandaged side, careful but determined.
God, how she’d missed him.
Her hands fumbled at his belt, desperate to feel him close. She needed to believe this was real, that he was here, that this moment was actually happening.
His jeans hit the floor, and he lowered himself onto her, careful but sure, claiming her mouth with his. Her breath hitched as their bodies pressed together.
Everything about him was strong, intense, and right where she needed him.
He groaned as she tugged him closer, pulling him down, opening herself up to him, making room for him in every sense of the word.
“Stitch,” she whispered, her voice trembling as she gazed into his eyes, “I love you too.”
His kiss was his answer, and the way he moved, slow and sure, was a promise of everything she had been waiting for.
CHAPTER 45
Stitch smiled as he looked down at her flushed face. “Believe me now?”
Sloane laughed, her chestnut hair splayed over the pillow, her eyes bright with love. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.
“I’m starting to.”
He kissed her again, unable to stop. Now that he had her back, he wanted to hold on to her forever.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner,” he murmured. “I thought about it, but if I’d been arrested during the process, I didn’t want to get your hopes up. Until my discharge was sorted, I wasn’t free to come see you.”
“I understand,” she said softly. “Is everything okay now?”
“Yeah. I was medically discharged, citing trauma from our last op. Pat pulled some strings, and helping bust the heroin trafficking ring worked in my favor. I’ve agreed to some therapy, but the main thing is—I’m not a wanted man anymore.”