Page 61 of Steel Vengeance

“You thought I was your wife?”

He sat up. “Bad dream.”

Or maybe a good one, depending on how you looked at it.

She sucked in a breath. “Oh, God. So... you didn’t mean to?—?”

“No.”

There was a painfully awkward pause before he added, “If I came on to you, I’m sorry. It was a mistake. I have these dreams sometimes... they feel so real.”

“Oh.” She was at a loss for words, and he didn’t blame her. What an idiot! How could he have lost control like that?

Getting out of bed, he couldn’t even look at her. There was only one thought on his mind, to get out of there. Now. Before he made it any worse.

Avoiding eye contact, he hurried into the bathroom and shut the door, leaving her staring after him.

CHAPTER 22

Oh. My. God.

Sloane stared after Stitch as he bolted into the bathroom. One minute she was trying to wake him up, and the next, she was in his arms, and he was kissing her like his life depended on it.

And, holy hell, it was good.

He was good.

No, he was fantastic. The best kiss ever!

And it was all a mistake?

She shook her head. Embarrassing? No, horrifying! He thought she was his wife!

Holy crap. That must’ve been one hell of a dream.

Lucky Soraya, getting to kiss him like that every night. Then she cringed.

Soraya was dead. She’d been killed in the attack on his village. It was tragic, and she shouldn’t be thinking like that.

Clearly, Stitch still craved his wife. So much that she’d come to him in a dream.

But the way he’d kissed her...

Whoa. Her head was still spinning.

Who would’ve thought that tough, steel-nerved guy could kiss like that? Then she remembered how he’d taken care of Fatima, how gentle he’d been when he treated her gunshot wound.

Yeah, Stitch had a tender side. He just didn’t show it much. Most of the time, he was all hard edges and badass attitude. The sailor, the tough guy.

But he was passionate, too. He’d totally claimed her, kissed her like he owned her as he tore open her blouse, exposing her breasts. His hands, rough and calloused, had sent shivers through her body, and her nipples still reacted just thinking about it.

Oh God.

How was she supposed to look him in the eye after this?

How was she supposed to deal with knowing how good it felt to be wanted by him, consumed by him?

She heard the shower running. He was washing off the taste and smell of her, trying to scrub away his mistake. A heavy ache settled in her chest. He belonged to someone else, but she was the one who wanted him, needed him.