Page 34 of Rescuing Erin

“I’m scared. Really scared. And I’m afraid after this I always will be. Which makes me a total baby because Olivia was actually—”

“Don’t compare yourself to her. An imminent threat can be just as damaging as the act. Does that make sense?” Erin shook her head. “Yes, Olivia was held hostage and some bad shit happened to her. But it happened quickly. She didn’t know it was coming. You knowing someone is out there looking for you, waiting to grab you is almost worse. They’re terrorizing you. There is nowhere you can go to get away from the knowledge. But I promise you, when this is over, you’ll move on.”

“What happens when all of this is over?”

“What do you mean?”

“With us?”

Thank fuck, she asked. I’d been waiting to have this conversation but didn’t want to push her.

“We continue to take things slowly and figure out where we want this to go.”

“I don’t want slow.”

I had to smile at the vehemence of her statement.

“We need slow. I need to know you’re with me every step of the way. And you need time to make sure I’m who you really want. The real me, not the man hired to protect you.”

“I already know you are.”

“Then I need to know that.”

“Why? I’m telling you you are.”

I waited until she finished nervously shifting on my lap, and her eyes settled on mine. I’d learned a lot about Erin, most was a contradiction from what I’d thought in the beginning. I knew she was headstrong and smart. Independent and funny. All great qualities for a woman to have. But there was one thing that stood out the most. When the shit hit the fan, and we were in a life or death situation, she didn’t cower and hide. Even though she was frightened, she stood next to me, ready to help. Erin was strong and brave and had my back. She was willing to do what it took to save our lives including shooting out tires if necessary. Couple that with everything else, I knew she was the woman I wanted in my life in a very permanent way.

“Because, I’m falling in love with you. And before I’m ass over tea kettle, I have to know you’re with me.”

“I’m with you,” she whispered. “As a matter of fact, I’m a few steps ahead of you. But I’ll wait until you catch up.”

Sitting on the couch in Abe’s cabin in the middle of an op wasn’t the place I ever thought I’d admit to her I was falling in love. And it certainly wasn’t the place I thought I’d utter those words to a woman for the first time—ever. But it was where we were, and the woman sitting in front of me was, indeed, the first woman I’d ever said the word love to. There was no more denying that’s what I was feeling.

Some of her hair had fallen out of the clip she’d used. Reaching behind her, I released the rest of her hair, letting it cascade past her shoulders and down her back. I threw the plastic fastener onto the table and fisted a handful of her silky strands, pulling her lips to meet mine. Erin’s hips rocked over my hard-on and after the last few nights it wouldn’t take much to make me shoot off in my jeans. The friction was damn near painful as I tried to control the fast-building pressure.

“Erin.”

“I want to touch you.” She didn’t wait for my answer. Her hands were at the bottom of my shirt, yanking at it. I sat up, allowing her the freedom to pull it over my head. “Damn.”

Her hips stopped rubbing against me, but her hands roamed my chest and abs, giving me a small reprieve.

“Have I ever told you how sexy your chest is?”

I was no stranger to compliments on my body. Men and women alike had commented while I was at the gym. But hearing her say she liked what I looked like made my stomach tighten, and my heart constrict.

“Thanks, sunshine. Glad you approve.”

“I’d approve more if you’d let me take off your pants.”

Now, that made my cock twitch.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“What if I keep mine on?”

“Are you trying to bargain with me?” The corners of her lips tipped up, and I returned her smile. “God, you’re beautiful.”

“I’m not only beautiful but an excellent negotiator,” she teased.