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Her eyes cut to his like lasers, and he could see the muscles in her throat working overtime.
“Let it go, Hal,” she told him.
“No, I don’t think so.” He countered. “I think we need to talk about it.”
Pain, betrayal, and misery flashed through her eyes before she straightened her spine and pinned him with a defiant stare. The kitten brought out her claws with words filled with savage intent. “I hear you yelling out in your sleep sometimes. How about we talk about that instead?”
Sucker punch to the gut.
With effort, Hal had to fight the visceral reaction to leave her alone in her own misery. Because that was a cheap shot, a bitch move and how fucking dare she …
Valentina was halfway to the door.
“Yeah, I have nightmares.” He raced to catch up to her. “Andday-mares, and fucking in-between- marestoo. I saw my men get blown to bits in front of me. Whenever I close my eyes and sometimes when I don’t, I still see their body parts flying around like I’m caught in some macabre tornado. Other times, I can hear shit in the wind—screams. Then there are those real special times—the times when I’m pumping gas or working out or eating a goddamn apple— when suddenly, I’m seeing hell through a gory kaleidoscope. I have a tough time staying on my feet because of the blood and the guts and the brain matter swirling in front of my eyes.” Hal grabbed Valentina’s arm before she reached the door and turned her to face him. “Now, what about you?”
“You don’t want to know.” She tried to pull away from him. Agony, fear, and despair were written all over her face.
“I do.” Hal refused to let go of Valentina’s arm. “I do want to know.”
“Well, I don’t want to tell you,” came her tortured reply.
Tired. She looked so tired. Hal could see it in the slump of her shoulders, feel it in the slack of her arm, and hear it in the sorrow of her words.
“Why?” He was still holding on tight, but he gentled his tone. “Why don’t you want to tell me, Tia?”
“Because after I tell you, you will never look at me the same again.” Valentina surprised him by saying.
She had never appeared more vulnerable to him.
Or more beautiful.
“How do I look at you now?”
The pink hit her cheeks in a sudden furious blush.
Yeah, you got that right.
Raw emotion burst out and charged through the space that divided them. When Hal saw the honest and naked need flash through Valentina’s eyes, it filled him with savage satisfaction. He snaked an arm around her waist and buried the other one deep into her hair. He slammed his mouth against hers in a possessive, deep, and thorough kiss designed to shake the ground beneath her feet harder than any damn earthquake ever had. Hal was ready for it when it came and felt that flash of fear shudder through her body. He reached his hand up to find her pulse fluttering frantically against the calloused pad of his thumb. The primal need to protect and possess her coursed through his body like a freight train.
“Easy, baby,” Hal murmured low into Valentina’s ear, “Shhh, it’s okay. Just relax and listen to your body. I’ll take care of the rest.”
She let out a soft sigh and pressed her face against his shoulder. Hal ran his hands up and down Valentina’s back in light, gentle strokes, giving her body time to register his. Slowly, she began to relax, and when Hal felt Valentina’s gorgeous nipples swell and peak against his chest, he tipped her face to capture her mouth. This time, she returned his kiss in a way that left him no doubt where this was going to end. Hal did what he had been dying to do all day and he tore off the lace straps of that cornflower blue dress. Then he untied the strings that tied across the bodice and held the fabric together. Hal took his time undressing Valentina. Taking long moments along the way to enjoy her. It was so damn sexy—the dark tips of her nipples against the light blue cotton, the smooth taut skin of her abdomen, the sweet indent of her belly button…and below. With a strong tug, he pulled the rest of the dress apart until it lay in a soft puddle at her feet. Valentina stepped away from that puddle and invited him with her eyes to take a long lingering look, making Hal feel like the luckiest bastard in the world. When she hooked her thumbs under her panties and slipped them down along her smooth thighs, he felt grateful to be alive.
Because Valentina standing there in all her beautiful, sexy, naked perfection, offering herself up to him?
Brass. Fucking. Ring.
Valentina felt Hal’s arms wrap around her, and in a series of strong, fast, and athletic moves, he swooped her up and carried her up the stairs and down the hallway. Then he kicked open the door, threw her on his bed, pulled of his clothes and moved on top of her. Even though Hal’s weight was concentrated on the forearms that were fixed on either side of her head, Valentina felt captive, helpless, and a little breathless under his muscled body. Hal’s hair fell forward covering his face, all except for his eyes. Eyes that met hers with a searching intensity that made her feet arch and her toes point. He wrapped his fingers in hers and stretched their arms outwards like angels. Then he lowered his head to kiss her neck, her breasts, her stomach, the silken place between her thighs. He probed gently using his tongue to open her—licking one of the slick folds then the other, over and over again, until his mouth latched on to the sensitive, swollen nub. With great care, he feasted a slow sucking invitation until she pulsed and throbbed and exploded against his tongue.
When he felt that last long shudder he took his mouth from her and slid back up Valentina’s body. Then Hal nuzzled and smiled against her ear. “Yeah?”
When she blushed into his shoulder, he let out a low, triumphant laugh. Then he lifted her chin and gave her a long, slow kiss that ended with his urgent whisper, “I need in you now, baby.”
Hal wrapped his hands around her calves and pulled Valentina halfway down the bed. Then he hooked the back of her knees over his shoulders and braced his hands against the wall over her head. Valentina felt her body stretch deliciously in welcome as he pushed hard and slow and deep inside of her. Hal paused for a minute to allow Valentina’s body to adjust to his before he began a rhythmic move that did amazing things to nerve endings that Valentina didn’t know she had. Hal pushed her knees up higher and drove himself into her faster and harder until he was there, and so was she—again.
Hal nestled Valentina close against him and cocooned her in the warmth of his arms. When she burrowed herself deeper against his shoulder and let out a long sigh of contentment, he felt a sudden burst of something so wondrous and powerful that it stilled his heart for a moment.
This is what it must feel like to be in love.Hal had the fleeting notion before rational thought took over because he was notthatguy.
