Page 55 of Remington’s Mate

“But when I came back, when I was touching you, the healing started again. I realized that being near me was somehow healing you.”

She understood then why he’d been lying in bed with her. “So you bandaged me up, and then you just… held me?” A thought came to her. “For how long?”

He looked away.

“Remy?”

His fingers moved slightly to twine with hers. “They attacked you night before last.”

He hadn’t let go of her for thirty-six hours. The realization was so overwhelming, she said the first thing that came into her head. “I hope the others at least brought you food.”

That got the ghost of a grin. “Yeah.”

She was glad to see him smile. Remy wasn’t Remy without his cocky grin and smart mouth. She didn’t want him to be sad. It hurts us, said a voice inside her. Make it stop. Make him not hurt.

She was feeling dizzy again. And her skin felt weird, too. Itchy.

“Um, I think I should get out now. I’m getting lightheaded.” And she also felt super-aware of being naked, suddenly. Her bones ached.

Remy lifted her out of the tub, paying no attention to the fact that her wet skin was soaking the t-shirt and cutoff sweats he was wearing.

He put her down on the fluffy bathroom rug and wrapped a big soft towel around her. “This is the nicest safe house I’ve ever heard of,” she said. “Great amenities.”

That got another tiny grin. “Thank Kitty. She went shopping yesterday, too. Twice.”

Jaeda was still feeling lightheaded, and she was somehow sensing what Remy was feeling. Sadness, fear, but also the beginnings of desire. She felt her own breath quicken.

He was so warm. So solid. He smelled so good. Mrrrow.

She moved closer to him, so they were only inches apart. “How close did you say you had to be for me to keep healing? Because I’m really feeling that blood loss.”

It felt like his hands were burning through the towel. “The closer I stay, the faster it heals.”

Dizziness made her lose control of her mouth. That, and the way his hands felt on her skin. “Mmmm,” she said, running her hands up his back. “That brings up all kinds of possibilities.”

Remy tried to step back, and then seemed to realize that if he did, they’d lose the towel. “Oh, no,” he said. “I may be a dick in some ways, but I have lines I don’t cross, and taking advantage of a woman who’s just been shot is one of them.”

“I love how moral you are,” she said, unable to stop touching him. “But what if I’m not? What if I have no scruples about taking advantage of the fact that you feel sorry for me because I was shot?”

“Stop that,” he said. He didn’t sound at all like he meant it.

She looked up at him. His eyes were gorgeous—silver gray. And his mouth was kissable.

“Did I ever thank you for saving me?”

“You don’t need to thank me.” He cupped her cheek lightly with one hand, his voice dropping to a whisper. “I couldn’t lose you.”

She raised her hand slowly and put it on top of his, looking into his eyes. Slowly, irresistibly, they moved toward each other, until finally his lips touched hers.

Chapter 22

Remy had kissed Jaeda before, and it got better every time. But the other times were nothing compared to this.

Heat flared between them, and her scent rose up and surrounded him like a blanket. All the feelings he’d been stuffing away since she’d been shot on the rooftop rose up inside him.

He wanted her desperately, like he’d never wanted anyone or anything in his life before. He could feel her blood pounding, all the hurts she was still feeling, and he needed to make them stop.

Nothing should ever hurt her.