Page 24 of Mountain Impact

“Oh.”

“I told them it was quick and painless.” His eyes narrowed as a memory hit him. “But it wasn’t. She died slowly and in pain, looking right into my eyes.”

Drake sat up in bed. His broad shoulders seemed to carry the weight of the world. “I wasn’t strong enough to get her out.”

“Nobody could have lifted that weight, Drake. You’re not Superman.” She wished there was something she could say to help him get rid of the guilt, but it was something he was going to have to figure out for himself.

“I don’t want to keep talking about it, Isolde.”

He’s not ready yet.

Isolde nodded. It was probably time to come clean on something else.

“There is something I need to tell you, Drake, about what happened afterwards … something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time.” She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes together―she would not cry. “The file wasn’t ready to be sent. It was incomplete. I was going to tell you before submitting―”

Drake interrupted her. “It’s okay. You don’t need to explain anything, Isolde. It’s forgotten.”

Forgetting had never been one of her strongest points. Isolde had a great memory―one of the handicaps of having spent so many years at school.

Could it really be that easy?

My biggest regret of the last years, erased, just like that?

“Okay,” she said doubtfully. “There’s something else I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time. When the file came out … why didn’t you tell anyone we slept together?”

He shrugged. “How would that have helped?”

Isolde almost laughed. It was impossible to argue against his logic.

“Come here,” he said, reaching out for her. He tried to kiss her, but she moved her face to the side.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“We shouldn’t be doing this. We work together.”

I promised myself I’d never do this again.

But it feels so right.

He nodded. “Do you want to stop?”

“No. I’ve missed… this.” She’d been about to say you, but caught herself at the last minute.

His lips found hers. “I’ve missed this too. You are so beautiful.”

She wasn’t―not really. She was too soft, too average. But Drake made her feel what no man had ever made her feel before or since. He made her feel beautiful. He made her feel … more.

“We shouldn’t work together again. I’m going to file a report.”

He nodded. “They might ask you why.”

“Personal incompatibilities.”

“This is quite personal,” he agreed. “But I think the compatibility is quite high.” One corner of his mouth lifted in a crooked smile, and she felt impossibly proud of herself for having put it there.

His hands gently caressed her collarbone, moving down to her breasts and her belly.

She closed her eyes, amazed that somebody so gruff and stoic could also be so tender in bed.