“Really?” Not what she’d expected. Every person on his team was intelligent. Their level of skill was obvious and their confidence in each other only reinforced the impression.
“On missions, conversational skills tend to be reduced to the shortest sentences required to get a message across. Sometimes we don’t even use words if a motion is enough.” Gabe made a few hand signs. “No one in a combat situation has time for in-depth discussion. It washes over into our day-to-day life, and we get to be frugal about our word counts.”
“I don’t mind.” He had been short with her in the beginning. Concise. Some people might’ve considered him rude. She’d figured it was about expediency. But she liked this, learning more about why he was the way he was. It filled her with warmth.
“Anyway,” he continued, watching her. The heat in his gaze made her breath catch. “It’s worth remembering words are meant for more than decisive action once in a while, for special people.”
She huffed out a laugh. “And what about the majority of the populace?”
He shrugged and stepped toward her, close. “Not worth the syllables.”
Another laugh bubbled up and got lost as she locked gazes with him, and her heart started to pound in her chest. Thoughts scampered away and all she had left was...wow. He was intense, and suddenly a very potent sexual being. “I thought you wanted to hold off on...exploring what’s between us until we’ve rescued An-mei.”
It’d been a struggle to remember what phrase he’d used. Actually, her own vocabulary was quickly evaporating.
“What’s between us is a whole lot more than physical. At least, for me.” His voice had gone darker, roughened with honest emotion. “Not to say it isn’t a significant part of it. And right now I’ve got a serious need to make sure every part of you is safe and sound.”
His hands came up and gripped her upper arms with a light, firm pressure. She placed her own palms on his waist and leaned her forehead against his chest.
“The car.” He paused and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close. “When we couldn’t get you out of it. I just about died inside.”
She’d been frightened. Very. But thinking more about what Gabe might’ve seen in the past, she wondered what nightmare possibilities had gone through his head when her seat belt jammed?
“I’m here. I’m okay.” She rubbed her face into his shirt, breathed in the earthy smell of him. He was her safety.
“I just...” His heart rate was picking up, the beat of it a strong rhythm against her ear. “I need to know you’re here.”
She nodded. Not sure she understood.
His hands started to roam, rubbing and massaging up and down her back and arms. Everywhere he touched came alive under his palms. He was checking for injuries, she realized, but this was so much more intimate. Careful.
In a sudden movement, he had her by the waist and boosted her up to sit on the kitchen counter. It surprised a gasp out of her and he stilled, looked into her face. She bit her lip and gave him a small smile.
This was okay. “Caught me by surprise, that’s all. Nothing hurt.”
“Good.” The tightness around his eyes and mouth relaxed a little.
Returning to his inspection, he started with her thighs and worked his way down each leg. His touch still firm, massaging and waking up her senses until her awareness of him was at an all-time high. She swallowed hard when he got to her right ankle.
“Swollen.” He carefully removed her shoe and sock, taking a closer look.
“I twisted it when we walked away from the car. It doesn’t hurt.” In fact, the swelling had to be minimal. “Honestly, I’ve walked off worse just turning wrong in the kitchen. It’s fine.”
He bent and kissed the side of her ankle anyway.
Fire ran up her leg and to her core. Her breath caught. She swallowed hard.
He straightened then and cupped her face in his hand. “That was closer than it should’ve been. I should’ve taken better care of you.”
She leaned into his palms. “You saved my life. Kept me safe.”
The smile he gave her was sad somehow. She wanted to take it away and replace it with a different kind of emotion.
And right now, she wanted nothing more than for him to touch her more. Her skin was hot all over. She’d never felt so alive than with him in the past couple of days, and need had built up inside her until she was wet. Telling him was an option, but she preferred decisive action.
Gripping either side of his waist, she spread her knees and pulled him in until his hips were snug against her. He let her, his dark gaze burning into her and his hands sliding to her neck in a slow caress. She wasn’t alone in her desire—that much was obvious in the hard ridge of his erection inside his jeans.