Page 34 of Maddox

“How’s your wound?” I asked. In the dim light, I was able to see his features much better than before even though half his face remained shadowed.

“I’ll live. Just like I told you.”

“Nothing bothers you. Does it?”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that you act infallible, as if nothing can hurt you.”

He offered a grumpy look to match his stern features. “I bleed red just like everyone else.”

“You don’t let anyone into your world. Do you?”

“This isn’t about interrogating me.”

“I didn’t know that’s what I was doing.”

As he reached over to one of the bags, I watched his arm extend. He was muscular everywhere, both arms covered in stark ink. The tee shirt he was wearing was still wet, clinging to his chest and highlighting his sculpted abs. I had no business thinking of him as a handsome man, but he was.

Even the thick tousled hair falling low on his collar and across his forehead was sexy. With his angular jaw, he had a dominating look about him. My guess was that any time he entered a room, he took control. His aura reeked of danger as well.

He handed me a bottle of water, giving me a slight nod. When our fingers touched, there was an instant feeling of chemistry. Our eyes locked and there was a strange sense of understanding. We were two lost souls right now, forced to count on each other. Doing so was something I wasn’t very good at.

I preferred taking care of myself. However, in this situation, I’d done a piss poor job. “Thank you.”

“Sure.” He tried to look away, but for some reason, his gaze held. “This is still going to be dicey. I don’t want you to think we’re out of the woods.”

“I know. I’ll do what you tell me to do.”

“Good. I don’t need shit right now.”

Another quiet moment shifted between us.

I took another sip of water and handed him back the bottle. The same electric current ran all the way up my arm. This time, Iquickly pulled it away, rubbing my elbow. “How many of these missions do you do?”

“First and last.”

“I’m that much of a bother?”

“It’s dangerous and I’m retired.”

“You seem like you’d be a career Navy man?”

The fact he instantly bristled allowed me to know he’d endured something horrible or tragic while serving his country. “I’m not. I’m just a rancher.”

“Horses? Cattle?”

Now he stood as if my questions were way too invasive. “We’re not friends, Charmaine. We can’t be.”

“Why not?”

“Because I need to remain unattached in order to protect you. I have a change of dry clothes. You need to get out of those.”

“So I won’t catch a cold?”

His look was one of disdain. “After you do, why don’t you go back to sleep.” He pulled out several items, gently placing them near me.

“I need to pee first.” I started to stand and didn’t realize soon enough I’d gotten up too quickly. When I fell forward, he caught me, once again pulling me tightly against his chest. Our lips were close, too close.

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