“This wasn’t just a reaction to what happened,” he added, wanting to make sure she understood. “I wanted this. Wanted you.”
“I wanted it too,” she murmured, pressing her lips against his chest.
His body stirred, his desire for her still strong despite the pleasure of his recent release, but he forced himself to remain still as she quietly stroked his arm. She didn’t even seem to notice that it was his cybernetic arm.
“I’ve never felt like this before,” she said, and his heart skipped a beat.
“What do you mean?”
“Safe. Protected. Like I belong here with you.”
His arms tightened around her, and he buried his face in her hair, inhaling her clean, sweet scent. She had no idea how much those simple words meant to him.
“Always,” he whispered, holding her tighter. “Always, Cass.”
They fell asleep entwined in each other’s arms, his body wrapped protectively around hers.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Cass’s eyes snapped open and for a moment, she didn’t know where she was.
Then she heard the steady, reassuring rhythm of Zach’s breathing, felt the warm, solid weight of his body behind hers, and everything came flooding back.
The storm.
The cave.
The creature.
Zach.
His hands.
His body.
Her cheeks heated, and her heart began to race as memories of the night before replayed through her mind. She couldn’t believe she’d been so bold, so shameless.
He shifted, tucking her beneath him so he could see her face, and she remembered that cyborgs didn’t really sleep.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“I… um… yes.” She knew she was blushing furiously, and the smile on his face told her he was well aware of the reason for her discomfort. “How about you? Are you okay?”
“Better than okay.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I didn’t think I could feel like this anymore.”
“Like what?”
“Alive. Human.”
She smiled and ran her fingers along his jaw. “You never stopped being either of those things. You just forgot how to recognize it.”
“Until I met you.”
He bent his head and kissed her, awakening an answering need deep inside her. When they finally broke apart, she was breathless.
“Are you sore?” he asked, studying her face.
She started to deny it, but when she reached for him, she became aware of a slight ache between her legs. It wasn’t truly painful, but the unfamiliar feeling made her blush deepen.
