Her cheeks flamed, those beautiful blue eyes narrowing before she was on him. A double hit to his chest shoved him back—knocked some of the wind out of him from the force. He caught the next punch in the cross of his arms, deflecting the knee aimed at his groin with a raise of his.
She shifted, landing a kick on his hip before he managed to grab her wrists, halting her next strike while gaining a bit of distance.
Ellis breathed heavily, hands at the ready, weight on the balls of her feet. He had to hand it to her. If she wasn’t halfway unconscious already, she might have knocked him on his ass. Gotten in a few good hits before he’d been able to subdue her.
He waited to see if she’d come at him, again, relaxing a bit when she held her ground. Ready but still. “Are we done?”
“Are you going to keep acting like an ass?”
“If that’s what it takes to knock some common sense into you, then yes.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Then, prove it. Look at you. Ignoring the fact you’re still healing, you’re about to fall over.” He dropped his hands, fully expecting her to actually trip him onto his ass, this time. “You asked me before, where I was. Why I didn’t help you. And I hate that I don’t have an answer. But, I’m trying to help you, now. Not because you’re weak. But because you’re too damn close to see the situation without five years of shit coloring it.”
He closed the distance—pushed his torso into her clenched fists. “If you need to kick my ass to make me giving a damn okay with you, then do it. Either way, you’re getting some sleep.”
Ellis huffed, banging both fists on his chest before dropping her arms—relaxing her muscles. “Which room?”
Cannon cleared his throat—grinned when they looked over at him. “Last one on the right. There’s an ensuite, in case you want to consider shimmying out the window, again.”
“Men.”
She stormed past Colt, tripping against the wall before stumbling her way down the hallway. Colt glanced at his buddies, flipped them all off when they made kissing faces at him, then followed after Ellis. She’d managed to make it to the bed by the time he walked into the room.
He stopped next to her, sinking down beside her, wondering if she’d shove him off the edge. “You pack quite a punch for someone who’s barely conscious. Not to mention half my size.”
Her shoulders drooped as she exhaled. “I’m sorry. It’s been so long since I’ve been around people…” She glanced at him. “And no, those SOG boys don’t count. I halfway wonder if I’m even fit to carry on a normal conversation.” She looked up at him. “The fact you’re right didn’t help my disposition, either. I don’t like being bullied, even if your intentions were good.”
“I know it’s hard to step away, even for a few hours of sleep, especially when you’re worried about letting us down. But that’s the benefit of being part of a team. We get to spell each other off.” He couldn’t resist leaning closer—tucking a bouncy curl of hair behind her ear. “As for being fit company… If anyone’s at fault here, sweetheart, it’s me. But in my defense, you’ve always known how to push my buttons from the start, and not just the alpha ones. You…”
He smiled, letting it lift his mouth, crinkle his eyes. “I’ll grab you a shirt. And I promise I won’t let you sleep too late.”
She stared at him, eyes clearly assessing everything. Just drinking him in. Then, she nodded. She was still sitting there when he returned a minute later, accepting the tee with a quiet, “Thanks.”
Colt moved over to the large chair, relaxing back in it as she used the washroom, leaving the door partially open as proof she wasn’t going to try and ditch him. Then, she stumbled over to the bed—the shirt hanging down to her knees. She barely got the covers pulled over her before she was asleep. Just gone. Her breath evening out. Long lashes resting against her pale skin.
Watching her shouldn’t hurt the way it did. Right over his heart. The one he’d given to her. That still belonged to her. It made him restless. Always feeling on the edge of control. Waiting to see which way he’d fall.
He needed to make a move. Not, now. After. When the threat was over. When she had options. Surely, he could wait. Hell, he’d been waiting five years. A few more days, maybe a week, should be easy. Nothing compared to making it through Delta selection. A decade of covert missions. Hiking his ass through jungles and deserts.
Then, why was he sweating? Sweating and shaking and breathing hard. He’d compared her physical state to a junkie the other day, but he was the one who looked as if he were coming down off a high. Jonesing. And all because of the woman softly snoring ten feet away. The one that held more power over him than his team. His brothers.
No doubt about it. He was fucked. Good and royally fucked. He couldn’t get her out of his mind. Couldn’t make a move. Cursed to just bide his time in the wasteland between the past and the future. Whoever had called it the present hadn’t experienced this kind of torment because the way he felt wasn’t a gift.
Pale squares moved across the floor, the rain giving way to patchy moonlight. He watched the patterns slowly shift as his eyes drifted shut. Not quite sleeping but not fully awake. Floating. When he roused a bit later, she was sitting on the bed. Knees pulled into her chest. Head resting on her folded arms. She wasn’t making a sound, just staring into the darkness, the stark white of the tee standing out against the shadows.
Ellis must have felt him staring. She tensed, inhaled, then looked over at him. Her hair falling across her arms to form a curtain around her. It was slightly lighter than the blackness of the room, the occasional splash of moonlight shimmering along the length.
She stared directly at him. Expression fixed. Not happy, not sad. Just…indifferent. As if she couldn’t quite figure out how to smile.
Colt slipped out of the chair, silently making his way to the bed. She tracked his movement. The indifference vanished, replaced by what he could only describe as hunger. Raw, unfettered lust.
He tamped down the urge to wrap his arms around her and take her back on the bed. Shove his pants over his hips and sink inside. It took all his focus. Had him tensing every muscle, but he managed to lower his ass to the edge—give her a smile without pouncing on her. “Can’t sleep?”
He glanced at his watch. Three hours. Not nearly long enough for her body to reap any benefits.
Ellis continued to stare at him. Eyes wide. Her breathing slightly quickened.
