“Protected you.”
A sob choked from her. She tilted toward him, her body rigid as steel when her forehead met his chest. Another sob.
“You did not deserve it, Kasra.”
Her fingers coiled into his shirt. Fists pulling.
He folded her into arms. “And I am going to make sure it never happens again.”
What. The. Heck?He had no idea what he was saying, but her grievous sobs that broke free from the cage in which she held them told him he’d said the right thing. As he stood there, he slid a hand over her back in comfort and felt … ridges … Not a bra strap. But something worse, more detestable … Scars.
She pushed into his hold, burying her face and hurts there. Drenched his shirt with her tears and her heartache. He held her. Didn’t have the answer to the future. To looking past all the men who’d ripped out a piece of her soul.
But he did know he was supposed to be right here. In Wesh. Holding Kasra Jazani.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Wesh, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
She had found heavenon earth and it was in a man’s arms. A miracle she never thought possible. Healing and hope sprouted as he held her close. Words … Range had spoken words she wanted to hear for a very long time. They stood there on the terrace, staring out over the edge of Afghanistan with her afraid to move or speak. Afraid he would realize his mistake.
“I’m going to need a baseball bat.”
She lifted her head and peered at him. “What?”
“Well, I just said I was going to protect you …”
The broken, brittle pieces of her heart swelled beneath his words. “Zaki and I made our peace long ago.”
“And the scars on your back?”
Kasra faltered. Well, he knew everything else … “Taweel punished me a few times in the beginning. Made an example of me.”
“Skip the baseball bat. Give me an M4.” He stared down at her with a raw intensity. The same desire that had his breath mingling with hers in the bedroom last night was here again. He understood more about her now and probably, more than ever, wanted nothing like that from her. She doubted he would ever be the one to cross that line. Shouldshekiss him? Let him know it was okay …?
But was it?
She did not know. In truth, she was not even sure if what she felt was okay, if it was right. Perhaps she was just infatuated with this man who had saved her life. Repeatedly. What did love look like? Was this it? Would she ever recognize it? Embrace it? She had vowed long ago to never give a man that kind of control over her again.
His hands slid away and he stepped back. A near smile touched his lips beneath that thickening stubble. His hand rand down the back of his neck “I’m going to head in, clean the weapons. See about—”
“No.” Kasra startled herself with the answer, surprised at how much she did not want him to leave. “Stop being nice.” She feinted toward him, fighting hands up.
“Kas …” Range cocked his head in warning. “No more. My wound … I’m not doing this again.”
If he would not spar … She tiptoed up and caught the back of his neck. Pulled his face to hers. Set her mouth on his.
Range tensed.
Please do not reject me. Please don’t.She shuttered her eyes closed, not wanting to see the rejection parked on his face. Instead, she focused on her heart stampeding across the distance her brokenness created. The way everything felt right and perfect here with him. In his arms. How her entire being seemed to melt into his and find …home.
He lifted his head. Blue eyes probed hers and she begged him not to think about her past. To just live here … He cupped her face and returned the kiss.
Electricity shot through her veins at his moan as he deepened the kiss. Strong hands found her waist. Tugged her to himself and groaned.
Enlivened, she hooked her arms around his shoulders, fell into an unimaginable well of warmth and passion. Felt his mouth trail along her jaw and nuzzling her ear, then back to her mouth for a deep, lingering kiss.
And then he was gone. Backing up. A chill in his expression as he expelled a thick, heavy breath and considered her.
