He was a goner.
Mara cuddled into Seth’s chest. They both breathed heavily, and she was sure she’d had more manmade orgasms in the last hour than she’d had in the previous two years.
Which was sad, but the reward at the end of the drought made it all worth it.
She skimmed her fingers over his chest. “I don’t remember the last time I felt this good.”
A chuckle rumbled from him. “Same.” He kissed her hair. “No regrets?”
She laughed. “None. Whatever the opposite of regrets is, I’ve got plenty of those.”
Another chuckle. “Then we can plan on doing more of that?”
She held the sheet to her chest as she leaned up on one elbow. “Absolutely. Exclusively.”
His eyes turned serious. “Definitely exclusively.”
She grinned and leaned down to snag a kiss. “Good.”
Mara shifted the sheet until Seth’s injured leg was exposed. She traced the scars with her finger. “Does it hurt you?”
He tensed under her touch, and she worried she’d crossed a line. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”
When she pulled her hand away, Seth took it and brought it to his lips. “You can touch anything and ask anything you like, Chaos.”
She grinned. “Just Chaos, not Chaos Machine?”
His eyes twinkled. “Depends on the moment. Ask away. Touch away.”
She laughed and touched one of his scars. “I will. But I’ll start here.”
His grin told her he’d followed her train of thought. “Okay, to answer your question, it doesn’t hurt to have the scars touched. Some of the areas are numb or tingly, but there’s no pain.”
She scooted down until she could brush her lips over the area. “I’m sorry you went through something so horrible. With the kind of man you are, I know your injuries don’t hurt as much as losing your friend. I’m glad you survived. I’m glad you were strong enough to work through the pain to recover.”
He shrugged. “I was lucky.”
She kissed another scar. “You were, but many people wouldn’t see it that way.”
Another shrug. “Spending a couple of tours in the army shows a person just how damn lucky they are.”
“You spent those tours helping so many others. You’re still doing that.”
He barked out a laugh. “Not hardly.”
She shook her head. “You are. You’re making the No Phailed Apples Inn a success. Everyone who eats your food can taste the love that’s cooked into it. You cook from your heart, Seth. You’re amazing.”
His eyes darkened, and in a heartbeat, Seth whipped the sheet from around her and had her on her back beneath him.
His mouth crashed onto hers, and she was lost in an instant.
Powerful and gentle, Seth kissed her until her brain turned to whipped cream. Then his hands joined in and she could do nothing but pant his name.
He wasn’t the only one who was lucky.
Chapter 19
The Imperial March
