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He'd never let her down again.

Bryn raised wet eyes to his. "I can't believe it." She ran her gaze over him and laid a hand on his injured right side.

"Are you okay?"

She looked amazing. "A little sore, but yeah. It looks worse than it feels."

"Oh, God, I'm so glad you're okay. Every time I thought of you almost dying because of me—"

He laid his fingers over her lips. "If I had to, I'd rescue you a hundred times." He'd do it all again, in a heartbeat. Nothing he wouldn't do to keep her safe.

Her teary smile turned his heart over. "They wouldn't tell me anything. I tried to get a message to you but..."

"It's okay, baby. I would've contacted you sooner, but they just cleared me from debriefing this morning. I'm sorry you were so worried."

She sighed and turned her cheek into his palm. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

He stroked her hair. "I came to get you."

"Get me?" Her face fell. "But they're taking me to a safe house tomorrow—"

"Yeah. My place, in Montana." He wanted time alone with her, so he could reinforce the bond between them. He didn't know what the future held for them, or if he would return to the teams when he was fully recovered. Maybe he'd do private contracting. Maybe even with Luke. He hadn't made any final decisions yet. All he knew was, he wanted her more 386

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than his job with the SEALs. If she couldn't handle him going back and he had to choose between the two, she'd win hands down.

More tears sparkled in her eyes. "Really?"

He kissed her, couldn't resist any longer. "Yeah. That okay with you?"

"God, yes." She pressed her lips to his and slid her fingers into his hair.

He caught her face and pulled back. "There's something else I wanted to tell you."

She blinked. "What?"

He gazed deep into her eyes. Almost choked up. "I love you too."

"Oh. You heard me."

"Yes." Her voice had penetrated the fog of pain. That's why he'd held on. To be with her. "But tell me again."

"I love you," she said without hesitation.

His heart swelled, his lungs expanding until they pulled at his sore ribs. He kissed her, slid his tongue past her lips when she opened, his whole body shaking with need. Bryn flattened herself against him, taking him deeper as her hands coasted over him, under his shirt. He peeled it over his head, winced as his healing ribs protested. She gasped at the bruises and scars marring his skin.

"I'm fine," he said. "Really."

She touched the puncture wound where they'd put the chest tube in with a fingertip and bent to kiss it gently, then the surgical scar where they'd gone in to remove splinters of his ribs from his lung and chest wall. He closed his eyes. Her 387

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lips caressed every mark as though trying to heal him. He took her face in his hands, lowering his head to kiss her hard.

She responded with a moan and maneuvered them down the hall without breaking the kiss. She pulled him into the bedroom and they pulled off their clothes.

He settled her against the pillows. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, nudging her thighs apart and covering her with his body. He shuddered at the feel of her, firm, yet unbelievably soft.

Bryn murmured in pleasure and enveloped him with her limbs. The touch of her mouth on his lit him up like a match strike. Her hands buried deep in his hair, fingers tightening on the strands with a delicious pull. "Come inside me."

"Not yet." He'd spent the past six days thinking about this moment. Being with her now was a precious gift, one he wasn't going to waste. Tonight he was going to savor her the way he should have the first time. The way he would have if things had been different for them. This time he was going to go so slowly, to show her how much he loved her.

He covered her face with reverent kisses, down her throat, lingering at the spots that made her gasp. Smoothing his cheek over the slope of one breast, he enjoyed the incredible textures of her skin. Then he took the sensitive tip into his mouth and suckled until she thrashed. Her fingers wound into his hair as her spine curled, lifting toward him. He made love to her breasts until he had her whimpering. He felt every shift of her body, noticed every change in her breathing when he found a place that gave her pleasure. The feel of her, all sexy, sleek muscles beneath velvety soft skin, made him rock hard.

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She moved like liquid beneath him, smooth and flowing in her response. She was relaxed, trusting him. He liked that best of all.

His hands led his mouth to the flat expanse of her belly, drawn to the jewels dangling from her navel. She hissed out a breath when he nuzzled her abs.

"Dec," she whispered.

He rested his cheek against her, his hands coasting up her thighs, stopping short of where they both wanted them.

A tremor rippled through her. "Hurry."

He shook his head, battling the need to devour her. As his fingers trailed lightly between her legs, she let out an incredible moan.

"Dec—"

"Shh. Let me please you. Slowly this time."

She shuddered in his grasp, fingers digging into his biceps.

"I..."

He leaned down and kissed her there, loving her desperate cry, the way she strained upward. Holding her hips, he lapped at her quivering flesh.

"Declan!"

God, that low, sexy moan she made in the back of her throat. He could do this all day. She was so soft. So sensitive.

So desperate for him.

She lifted her head to gaze down at him, eyes glazed.

"Please," she begged, trembling.

Yes. Anything she wanted from him. He suckled with exquisite gentleness, shuddering at her strangled groan.

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More. He needed more. Dec couldn't get enough of her. He wanted this to last so they'd both remember it forever.

Her hips jacked up off the bed, her hands gripping his head as she cried out hoarsely.

"Now, quick..."

He took the condom from her, smoothed it on and filled her with his body. He gasped. God, he needed her. "I love you."

He slid his fingers down to caress between her thighs as he pumped his hips. Steady, sure. He watched her face. She made a mewling sound and torqued her head back, her lips parting in ecstasy as she came.

She was the most gorgeous thing he'd ever seen.

Dec pressed his face against her hair and let go, savoring how tightly she held him. He dropped his head onto the pillow beside hers, tried to get his breath back. His ribs were killing him, but he didn't care. He lay in her arms, enjoying the feel of her hands caressing his back. He'd never been so happy in his life. Never felt so at peace. When he raised his head, her eyes were dancing.

He couldn't help but smile. "What?"

"Just because I let you seduce me right now doesn't mean I've forgotten your promise."

"What promise?"

She tapped his chest with her forefinger. "You owe me a date, buddy. A steak, I believe it was. And a bubble bath, a movie and a walk on the beach. I don't care which order we do them in."

He grinned. "Then what?"

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"Then I'm going to wait on you hand and foot. I'll fluff your pillows, spoon feed you, massage all your sore spots...and maybe some that aren't."

He grimaced as his chest vibrated. "Don't make me laugh,"

he gasped, his ribs searing, already hurting from making love to her.

"Okay, no laughing. But smiling's okay, right? I bet I could put a great big smile on your face...if I danced for you."

Christ. That might kill him. "Bryn," he warned, trying not to laugh. "Stop."

She kissed him. "Just trying to give you some incentive to finish healing."

He curved his hand around the back of her neck and gazed straight into her eyes. "Only incentive I need is you."

Her eyes misted over. "You've already got me. For as long as you want."

"Yeah? I won't let you go, then."

She laughed, leaned up to kiss him. "Dec, you couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

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A word about the author...

Kaylea Cross has dreamed of being an author since she was a child. A Registered Massage Therapist, this mother of two is an avid gardener, artist, Civil War buff, bellydancer and former national level softball pitcher. She lives near Vancouver, B.C. with her husband and energetic little boys.

Visit Kaylea at www.kayleacross.com

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this Wild Rose Press publication.

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