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The silence slid over them again.

“We deserve some downtime after this mission,” she said.

Blaze stroked a hand down her arm. “I can’t wait to be alone with you and not have to think about some alien scum trying to kill us.”

Doubt still tickled inside Eden, but she’d distract Blaze from whatever was worrying him. He said he loved her. She had to believe him, or she was wasting both their time.

They arrived at the waterfall, and Eden stopped the quad vehicle. Her eyes widened, and she stared at the enormous cascade of water racing down the rim of the dark red rocks.

“It’s something else, isn’t it?” Blaze grinned at her.

“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

“I have.” Blaze kissed her knuckles again. “Let’s take a look around.” He climbed out of the vehicle, walked around to her side, and took her hand as she got out. His grip was firm as he led her around the edge of the waterfall.

Eden’s heart kept racing, but they didn’t speak for a long time as they absorbed the beauty of the place.

They sat on the edge of a rock, their boots off, dangling their feet in the bath warm water. She’d not been this relaxed for a long time.

Blaze stroked his hand up and down her arm then turned and pulled her against his chest.

It was both a welcome and a strange experience. Eden was used to pushing guys away whenever they showed affection. Sure, she could handle getting naked with them, but she never snuggled.

What she had with Blaze felt the polar opposite of anything she’d ever had. She didn’t want to leave his arms ever again.

“There’s something I need to talk to you about.” Blaze’s tone was gruff.

Eden’s heart stuttered. Was this when he told her he’d made a mistake, and he didn’t want to be with her?

She pressed a kiss to the stubble on his cheek. “I’d rather not talk.”

His hand tightened on her back. “What do you want to do?”

“I want to do this.” She pulled back and kissed his lips. If this was the last time she got to be with Blaze, she needed to give him a memory he’d never forget.

Their tongues clashed, and she held him close, losing herself in the feel of his hard body as heat flooded between her legs, and her stomach tightened with need.

Eden gasped when Blaze scooped her into his arms, lifted her, and strode into the water.

She gripped his broad shoulders. “We’re going swimming?”

“No, I’m going to get you wet.” He hungrily kissed her mouth. “And then I’m going to fuck you.”

Her throat tightened. “That’s hardly the language of a prince. I didn’t know they talked dirty.”

He lowered her into the warm water and stroked her hair off her face. “I’m a baron. And if you want dirty talk, you got it.”

Eden shuddered as he stripped off her clothing, ducking under the water to remove her pants and underwear, and emerging to toss the sodden garments onto the rocks.

“Now you,” she said. “I want to see all of you.”

Blaze growled as he yanked off his clothes and threw them to the side.

Eden stepped back, desire hitting her at the sight of those luscious abs and hard arms.

“Come to me.” He held out his hands.

She sank against him, her hard nipples pressed against his chest.