Page 38 of Fighting for Lucy

Darkness shuttered his deep brown eyes, and she ached to wipe away whatever had put it there. “Lucy …” he started slowly. “I'm not … I'm … I'm not good for you.” A hand palmed her cheek for the briefest of moments, caressing her skin before withdrawing. “I'm not good for anyone.”

“I disagree.”

“You think Scarlett would disagree?”

“Your sister doesn’t understand why you would lie to her, let her think you were dead.”

“You don’t either,” he reminded her.

That was true, he hadn't told her what had happened to him beyond the fact that his team had been murdered and he was out for revenge against the people responsible. But she knew that Eagle knew what he was doing, and she knew he’d given up that revenge for her.

Which was really all she needed to know.

“I know you saved me when you didn't have to,” she said softly. “I know you didn't watch me in the shower when that drug was in my system, when most guys would have snuck glances at a woman getting herself off. I know you risked a lot when you didn't give me the whole dose of the drug. And I know you gave up something important to get me out of there and gave up your chance at vengeance.”

“You're more important,” he whispered like the words were as much a surprise to him as they were to her.

Their eyes met, something passed between them, something powerful, something that was pulling them closer like an invisible string ran from her heart to his. It was the strangest sensation and nothing she had ever experienced before.

Years of daydreaming about Zander couldn’t have prepared her for what it felt like to be in his arms, his eyes on hers, this powerful emotion building between them.

When his head dipped and he leaned in closer, her lips tingled in anticipation of a kiss she was sure was coming.

But at the last moment, he pulled back. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmured.

“You won't. You wouldn’t. You took care of me while I was having a seizure and afterward. You knew what to do without me having to tell you.” Most people freaked after witnessing a seizure but not Zander.

“I researched the condition after I met you and learned that you had epilepsy,” he admitted, making that warmth in her belly surge until it was almost burning hot. But burning in a different way than the arousal drug earlier. This heat was soothing, comforting, and reassuring. It was like somehow knowing for certain that everything was going to turn out okay.

“Thank you.” He might have pulled back before kissing her, obviously because he had doubts about them—well, doubts about himself she suspected—but she had no such doubts.Framing his face, she tugged it down and feathered a kiss to his lips.

For a second, Zander just sat there, then a growl rumbled through his chest, and the next thing she knew his mouth was devouring hers. The kiss was steamy and powerful. Zander took full control of it, shifting her on his lap and angling her head to give him better access.

The kiss felt like a promise only she wasn’t sure what he was promising.

To get her home safely?

To tell her what had happened to him?

To give this weird connection between them a chance?

And what did she want it to mean?

January 25th

12:16 A.M.

Kissing her had been a mistake.

A big one.

Because now how was he supposed to walk away from her?

Zander was still wondering about that hours later as he held a sleeping Lucy in his arms.

Problem was, despite knowing it was a mistake as he did it, there was no way he could have stopped himself.

There was something between them. Always had been. He’d known it from the moment he met her. He’d liked Ella and Cassie, but he hadn't been compelled to go home and think about them every spare second. Hadn't gotten himself off to thoughts of them. Hadn't pictured them in his head when he’d been sure he was going to be tortured and murdered.

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