Page 60 of Steel Vengeance

“I am awake, babe. Finally, I’m awake.”

The nightmare was over. Soraya was alive. Everything was going to be okay.

She felt so good in his arms. Soft, warm, familiar.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered.

His hands moved up her back, fingers sliding into her hair. It was as silky as he remembered. Somehow, she’d come back to him.

He held her head, gently guiding her face closer to his.

“Don’t worry,” he murmured when she hesitated. “It’s okay. I’m not letting you go. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

He kissed her, soft and tender at first. God, he’d missed this. The feel of her lips, full and sweet—fuller than he remembered.

She moaned softly and opened to him, and he deepened the kiss, claiming her mouth. The longing he’d buried for so long came rushing back.

His hands tangled in her hair, their breaths mingling, heat building between them until it was a swirl of need, want, and pure desire.

He tugged at her blouse, pulling it open. Her cool skin slid against his, and he cupped a breast, soft and round. He teased her nipple as he kissed her more intensely, the heat rising.

She moaned again, a sound that didn’t quite fit.

“Oh God, Stitch.”

Wait. That wasn’t Soraya’s voice.

Confused, he snapped out of the dream, his mind slowly making sense of what was real and what wasn’t.

Sloane was on top of him, kissing him, her hands gripping his hair. He had a handful of her breast, the nipple firm between his fingers.

His tongue was in her mouth, and she was kissing him back, just as lost in it as he was.

It felt so good.

Too good.

With a groan, he froze. This wasn’t right.

Realizing he’d stopped, she opened her eyes and pulled back.

“Stitch?”

He stared at her, horrified.

“Sloane... I... I thought?—”

Her eyes were wide and heavy-lidded, her dark hair falling over her shoulders and brushing his bare chest. Her blouse was open, her breasts exposed, full and smooth. In the soft orange glow of the streetlight from the window, she looked sexy as hell. He could still taste her, still feel the heat of her mouth. His body ached with unfulfilled desire, wanting her even as she pulled away.

She rolled off him, looking unsure, cautious.

Fuck. What had he done?

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I... I thought you were Soraya.”

“Soraya?”

He nodded.