Page 65 of Warrior Unraveled

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After dinner Wesley withdrew to the room Hamish had chosen for him. Aiden hadn’t returned to the compound yet, and Leila had looked a little pale, but had claimed she was fine. Apparently the mention of the woman who’d tried to kill her had stirred up painful memories. Pearce was getting ready to transport to Portland to bug Deirdre, and everybody else was trying to get some rest while they waited for more news.

Wes took a shower to let the water sluice away the tension that had been building up all day. He was just drying off, when he heard a sound in the bedroom. He wrapped a towel around his waist and walked out of the ensuite bathroom.

He wasn’t surprised to see his visitor, though he was surprised that she hadn’t slipped into something more comfortable. While Virginia seemed to have changed into a different set of clothes, her hair still damp at the tips, she was dressed as if she was ready for battle.

He noticed her running a look over his body.

“Virginia.”

She raised her gaze to meet his. “We have to talk.”

“I figured that much from your attitude today.”

She took in a breath. “My attitude?”

“Giving me the cold shoulder, calling me witch, you know, that kind of attitude. As if what happened in the motel never happened.”

“Well, you can’t exactly expect me to behave like some love-struck groupie in front of the others. They are my subordinates. I have to maintain a, a—”

“—stuck-up attitude?” he helped and took a step closer.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Well if you think that I’m such a stuck-up bitch, why did you sleep with me?”

“I never said you were a bitch. And you were the one who blew me in the shower.”

“I didn’t notice you resisting my advances.”

He crossed the remaining distance between them with one step. “It’s hard resisting a woman who’s so full of fire.” He ran his eyes over her heated face and slid his fingers through her hair, then rested his palm at her nape. “A woman who can turn me on with just one searing look. Damn it, Virginia, I was going to tell you that I don’t appreciate you treating me like a stranger in front of your colleagues, but I’ll settle for it, as long as you continue to share my bed.” He leaned in.

“I can’t do that.”

He pulled back a few inches. “What?”

“It’s never gonna work. We’re too different.”

“Different is good.”

“It’s against all the rules.”

“Yeah, so? Have you never broken any rules?”

An expression of horror flashed over her face, there one second, gone the next.

“I have to maintain my integrity,” she claimed.

“And by sleeping with me, you think you can’t? That’s a lot of bullshit. Why don’t you tell me what’s really wrong, huh?”

Her eyes shifted to the side, avoiding him.

“Damn it, Virginia, don’t I deserve an answer? We saved each others’ lives. We escaped the demons. We made love last night. Does that count for nothing?” He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her closer, so her breasts connected with his chest. “Babe, we’re good together. It feels so right.” He caressed her nape and noticed her eyelids flutter. Yes, she still responded to his touch, was still susceptible to it.

Virginia finally met his gaze. “But what if—”

“Shh. No what ifs.” Wes slanted his mouth over hers. “I want you. And you want me, too, or you wouldn’t have snuck into my room.”

Virginia sighed, but a moment later, her lips parted.