“I need to look at your shoulder again before you lay down,” she said
at his back.
He didn't answer, just found the closest bedroom and pulled her
inside. Closing the door with his boot, he tugged off his jacket and tossed it
on a chair to his right, then did the same with his T-shirt and pulled her
toward the bed.
“Impatient, aren't you?” she mumbled. He set the bag of supplies
they’d picked up on the bed beside him while she shrugged out of her
sweatshirt, dropped it on the ground, then began gently peeling away his
bandages.
Zane closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. “I’m a man,
darlin’. We’re always impatient.”
“I remember. This actually looks pretty good. I’m just going to change
the dressing.”
He didn't want to think about what she remembered. He had enough
memories pinging around in his brains for both of them—and most were the
X-rated variety. He sat still while she removed the soaked bandages, added
antibiotic ointment and covered the wound again. But his stomach clenched every
time her soft fingers grazed his skin, and with every breath he drew, a whiff
of that sweet peach scent bombarded him, amping his awareness and sending blood
straight to his groin.
“There,” she said, placing the last piece of tape over the wound. “Now
you just need to take these before you pass out and you should be good.” She
handed him two pills from the bottle they’d picked up at the pet store and
stepped away.
He snagged her by the wrist. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“To get you a glass of water.”
“No water.” He popped the pills in his mouth and dry swallowed them.
There was just enough light coming through the window to see her exasperated
expression. “Wow. What a stud you are.”
He ignored the sarcasm and patted the mattress beside him. “Get
comfortable, sweetheart.”
She sighed. “Look, Archer. I—”
He jerked her toward him. A yelp slipped from her lips just before she
fell into his body. Heat immediately enveloped him, but he quickly flipped her
to her back, then climbed over her.
“Archer—”
Her warning was laced with just a touch of fear. Just enough to tell
him he’d surprised her. And considering nothing seemed to surprise this woman,
he was using that to his advantage.
He grasped both of her arms at the wrists and pinned them above her
head. Pain ricocheted from his shoulder down his arm and back up again, but he
ignored it. Just like he tried to ignore her trim hips locked between his knees
and the way the light from the window spilled over her breasts and bare abdomen
in that revealing top. “Here’s how this is going to work, sweetheart. I’m going
to close my eyes for a few hours and you’re going to stay right here beside me
where I know you can’t get into any trouble. Then, when I wake, I’ll call
Carter and we can both be rid of each other for good.”
She pursed her lips and lifted her chin, a clear challenge glinting in
her eyes. “I’d like to be rid of you right now.”
“Too bad. You’re stuck with me.” He lowered his weight onto hers, let
go of one arm and cinched the zip tie hidden in his hand around her wrist.
“Archer… What the hell?”
Zane looped the second zip tie through hers, tightened it around his
own wrist, then rolled off her onto his back and drew in a deep breath.
“Oh, my God.” She sat upright. “You did not just do that. Where the fuck did you get more zip ties?”
He yanked on her arm until his lowered back to the bed. “I stole them.
You’re not the only one who can filch goods unnoticed, beautiful.” He relaxed
back into the pillows and closed his eyes. “Now lie down.”
“You are so gonna pay for this.”
He didn't need to see the smoke pumping from her ears to know it was
there. He could hear it in her voice and feel it in the heat radiating from her
skin. A wry smile curled his lips. “I figure I’m already doing time in
purgatory, thanks to you. A few more years won’t kill me.”
“And to think,” Eve snapped as she flopped back onto the bed, “I was
actually worried about you.”
Zane’s humor faded. “We both know you weren't worried. You were just
biding your time until you could run. I’m not a stupid southern hick,
sweetheart. Now shut up so I can get some sleep.”
“Don’t mind me,” she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and
dragging his hand with her. “I’ll just be sitting here plotting all the ways I
can murder you in your sleep.”
He chuckled. Now that was the feisty brunette he remembered. “Just do
it quietly. I’m beat.”
She let out a long, frustrated sigh, but the sound didn't irritate
Zane like it should, instead it relaxed him. And man, either he was seriously
losing it or all those drugs had finally fried his gray matter. Because lying
next to his archenemy, feeling her heat and smelling her soft, arousing scent, he
suddenly wasn't focused on revenge. Losing himself in all her softness sounded
a hell of a lot better. And more fun. And, holy hell, way more fucking erotic.
He just wasn't sure what to do about it.
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