Page 211 of The Defiant Curse

“Hey,” he said, seeing her watching him from the nest of blankets on the big bed.

Without a word, Elizabeth yanked back a comforter to tell him exactly what she wanted, and he got the hint.

Someone wanted him back in their bed.

Well, what the lady wanted, the lady was going to get.

As he climbed in, he dropped his towel, and she grinned wickedly.

That one look on her face took him back.

God.

He’d missed her looking at him like that more than he’d ever realized. It was feminine pride with a mix of lust, and it made him feel…whole.

“Oh, no, pretty woman, don’t take advantage of me,” he joked, as she cuddled into him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Whatever will I do?”

She laughed.

“We both know exactly what you’ll do, Mr. Blackhawk. You’re predictable, and so am I.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong there.

He absolutely was predictable. At that moment, he was thinking about the difference between his chilly skin and her very warm flesh. It was an erotic contrast.

And he liked it.

As she rested her head on his shoulder, she ran her fingers over the raven on his chest.

“I’ve missed this,” he admitted.

Oh, well, she missed it too.

Being here was oddly healing, and being here with him helped more than she could explain. She didn’t feel so alone out in the world.

“When this is over, are you returning to us at home?” he asked, going there. While he’d been showering, he’d been thinking about it.

Would she abandon the whole family?

He didn’t believe she would, but he also knew she was fighting for her life still.

Maybe not literally, but…

When he asked, she considered it.

“I mean, eventually I am, but right now, I can’t go back. I feel like Swiss cheese, EJ. I’m full of holes. I need to work on refilling them so I can be whole for the family again. Our kids need me intact, and so do Chris, Gene, and Callen.”

Truth be told, Gene had the same holes in him, so they were in the boat together. Being a Hunter had damaged him in the same way, and she only hoped one day it didn’t come crashing down around him.

The man was strong, silent, and resilient, but holey nonetheless. Birds of a feather flocked together.

At her words, he didn’t argue. Honestly, there was no point. If a person needed a break, they needed a break.

“Okay, Baby.”

When he didn’t add more, she was curious.

“That’s it?” she asked. “No, you’ve got kids and responsibilities at home? No, you’re a grown ass woman who ran away like a child?”