Strong hands tugged his shirt over his head. “I’m always agreeable.”
She gasped at the pulsing black bruise covering his abdomen. “What in the world?”
He glanced down and winced. “My fault. I teleported too many times, and my internal organs decided to bake themselves.”
“Does it hurt?” She leaned closer to determine the bruise was more deep purple than black.
“Hurts like hell.” He took advantage of her movements to remove her shirt. “In fact, I can’t teleport now.” His brow creased.
She shook her head. “Why aren’t you in the infirmary?” Scooting toward him, she tried to stand.
He grasped her waistband and tossed her back, easily removing her pants. Pure sin lifted his grin. “I’ll heal.”
“No.” The man was crazy. “If you’ve damaged your internal organs, you need rest. Not lifting me, not fighting, and certainly not sex.”
He kicked out of his cargo pants. “Sex heals. Didn’t you know?”
She snorted and scrambled away from him. “That is a dangerous bruise.”
“So be gentle with me.” He came over her, a massive, muscled soldier, and flattened her on the bed.
Her eyes wanted to roll back in her head, and her legs really wanted to part. But he was her mate, and she needed to take care of him, too. “Zane, we can’t do this.”
He brushed her lips with his. “I need you, Belle. Make me forget the pain.”
The drugging kiss and whispered plea softened her very bones. Lightly, she skimmed her fingers over his upper chest, marveling at his strength. Heat fluttered through her along with a surge of emotion that swept more tears to her eyes. One escaped to roll down her cheek. “You’re sure I won’t hurt you?”
Zane caught the moisture with one finger. “I promise, baby.”
Biting her tongue, she tried to stop crying. “I’m sorry.” She shifted beneath him, groaning when her nipples scraped across his chest.
“No apologies and no hiding emotions,” he said, pressing at her entrance. “You’re wet.”
“Maybe a little.” She opened wider to take him.
Amusement creased his cheek. “You’ve been wet since I spanked you.” He shoved in a couple more inches.
She rolled her eyes, her heart thrumming. “Not even.”
“Nothin’ wrong with a little kink, darlin’.” He held himself off her with iron-hard arms that clenched as he took it slow.
She dug her nails into his chest, and fireworks detonated inside her. “That wasn’t kink.”
He nipped her nose. “No, it wasn’t. That was my making a point.” As if to make another one, he shoved all the way home.
Janie gasped, her body rioting. Slowly, she forced herself to relax and adjust to his girth. “Your point?” she breathed.
He studied her. “You need to stay safe. This is home. Finally.”
The words wound right around her heart and dug deep. Another tear rolled down her cheek.
He kissed this one away. “I love you, Janet Isabella Kayrs. Always have and always will.”
She gasped, so full of him she couldn’t breathe. “Why?”
He grinned. “You’re stubborn, sexy, brilliant, beautiful, kind, determined . . . and mine.”
She returned the smile as her body accepted his. “That’s a large list.”
