Page 79 of The Hero Within
"Yeah, right. You want me to bare my soul? Consider it bared," Colton snapped. He jerked the curtain open and held it for her. "Arik said there are natural springs along the corridor if you want to wash up. First turn on your left. Go and wash my fucking scent off your skin. It will make it easier to forget what happened."
Eden stared at the hard line of his jaw.
Was that hurt she heard echoing in his voice?
Couldn't be. This was Johnny Colton.
But he sounded pissed enough that—
"You're coming with me?" she asked in a small voice.
Silence.
Her heart started pounding a little faster. She couldn't do this without him, even if the thought of continuing on with him alone suddenly felt like she was walking into a minefield blindfolded.
"Someone has to keep you from getting killed." His lips thinned. "And I made a promise. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't break my word once I give it."
She grabbed her pack, and then paused in the doorway, uncertain why she didn't feel more relieved at the thought.
Because he made it clear this isn't the end of it....
But it had to be.
How could there be anything more between them?
Adam loomed like a silent force over her shoulder; he'd never allow it. And as much as she wanted to say she could ever trust Colton with her heart, Eden didn't know if that was possible. Forgiveness was one thing, but actively handing him her heart on a platter?
She'd locked it away after Colton betrayed her, and never, ever let herself give it again.
Except....
It would be very easy to turn Johnny Colton into an addiction she never wanted to quit.
Far too easy to start falling for that dangerous smile, and the way he whispered words she didn't know in her ear as he thrust into her.
Because while she might have no clue what he'd been saying, the look in his eyes and the tone of his words told a complete story.
And when she'd been in his arms, for a second she'd forgotten everything that lay between them.
Forgotten all the reasons she shouldn't be doing this....
"I don't know what you want from me, but if it's anything more than what happened here last night, then I don't think I can give it to you," she whispered and didn't know who she meant those words for. "I need to keep my head, keep my focus—"
"Didn't know I was messing with your head." He crossed his arms over his broad chest, and she tried to keep her gaze from dropping to the muscled flex of his pectorals.
"You're not."
"Then what's the problem? I'm not getting to you, Eden. There's nothing between us except mutual attraction. Last night didn't mean a damned thing. But here's what I can't understand—if it was just a fuck, then there's no reason we can't continue fucking, is there?"
"You know I don't like that language—"
He took a step closer, trapping her in the doorway with the curtain draped over one arm. "What do you want me to call it? You're the one dictating the terms and telling me what this is—and isn't. So tell me.... What would you prefer to call what happened here last night?"
His eyes dared her.
Eden took a step through the curtain, nearly tripping over her feet.
"It's not—We shouldn't complicate things," she blurted. "Last night happened. Nothing we can do about that. But if we continue on together, then there needs to be rules. Once we cross into Confederacy territory, it's going to get dangerous." Her words firmed as she found safety in clear, rational statements. "One of us will need to be on watch at night. No more sleeping together. No kissing. No touching—"
