Chapter 13

Chapter

Thirteen

PATCH

A s grateful as I was to see them both, the last thing I expected was for them to choose that exact moment to appear. Riddled with embarrassment, I clutched Remy's coat a little closer to me. It was still warm from his body. Even better, it was satiny soft on my skin.

Behind us, McQuade and Locke seemed almost eerily silent. Chewing my lip, I didn't say anything as Remy guided me around to an area near the back of the truck. He touched a switch that released another wall to fold out. This one looked more like an ornamental privacy screen. The frosted glass offered an occluded view.

With a light touch, Remy nudged me around the corner into the square of space that had been created by the privacy screens.

"You installed a shower?" The drain on floor had been a clue, but the fact there was a nozzle above with a rain head on it gave me pause. I couldn't help but gawk at all of it. "How? This is a truck? Where do you even keep the water? How do you recycle it? Is it potable? Or just useful for showering? Can you even heat it?"

I had a hundred different questions and Remy's soft chuckle drifted around me. I pivoted to find him watching me with a small smile on his lips.

"What?"

"You're quite adorable, luv," he murmured.

I wrinkled my nose, uncertain that I cared for that description.

Not an ounce of apology reflected in his expression. "You are even more adorable with this frown crinkling right here."

He lifted a slender finer to trace the space between my brows. The light touch sent shivers up and down my spine. I wanted to erase the frown but the effort only seemed to make me frown harder.

When a chuckle escaped him again, I scowled for real. His chuckle turned to a laugh even as his eyes warmed further.

With a sigh, I gave up the effort.

"Am I really annoying you?" Genuine curiosity inhabited his voice.

"No," I said, instantly irritated with myself for giving him that impression. I lifted my chin to meet his gaze. "Truly, I'm not upset and you aren't annoying me."

The last thing I wanted to be was coy. I'd been a bit hesitant to lock gazes with him, more out of fear of seeing the judgment or disapproval that seemed to radiate off of McQuade. Yet, staring in his eyes now, all I saw was real concern. Before I could offer another word of assurance, however, I spotted the bruise shadowing his jaw.

"You're hurt." I closed the distance, and grasped his chin with light fingers. He didn't resist when I tilted his head to study it in the light. The bruise stretched from his jaw down to his throat.

Now it was his turn to raise his brows. "What was that for?"

"Kissing it to make it better."

"Oh, well, in that case…" He rolled his shirt up to show me another bruise on the side of his forearm.

At his glance, I wrapped a hand over his wrist and pressed a kiss to the newly revealed bruise. His skin was warm and the light sprinkle of hair along his skin tickled my lips.

"Any others?"

The corners of his mouth quirked a bit higher. Reaching for the two buttons on his shirt, he opened it from his collar to his sternum. The bruise on his pec was easily the size of my fist. Entertainment and curiosity gave way to a fresh wave of worry and anger.

I put a hand lightly against his chest as I closed that distance between us and I kissed the edge of the bruise, then the center, and across to the other side of it. The steady pound of his heart beneath my fingers reminded me that he was here.

"You're a sniper," I scolded him. "How did you let them get?—"

I never finished the question as he fisted a hand in my hair and tugged my head back. Then his mouth fused to mine. The liquid heat from earlier flamed back to life. My heart threatened to combust as Remy leaned into me. The tilt of his head to mine had me drifting backwards and then his arm banded around my middle.

He hauled me upwards with such ease, it made me dizzy. His tongue swept through my mouth, as if determined to lick up every nuance of flavor and I abandoned any pretense of keeping his coat closed as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

The injuries left me with so much to worry about, but he was here, safe, and in my arms. I drank in all of him that he shared. Renewed hunger flared in my system, I trailed my fingers into his hair as my scalp lit up from the tug he applied.

The only thing keeping my legs from wrapping around his waist was the dampness I was keenly aware of, but then my thoughts scattered as he sucked against my tongue. The steel band of his arm kept me tethered to earth as his kiss sent me soaring higher.

Biting at his lower lip, I delighted at the very low hum of a growl he released. It was damn near a purr and I bit him again. The sound rumbled against my chest and my skin lit up as currents of electricity danced over every part of me.

When he sank his teeth into my lower lip, I groaned. Then he was kissing a path to my throat. The smoothness of his skin was almost a revelation. I traced my fingers over his jaw. It was silken, hot, and demanded to be stroked.

The scrape of his teeth over my pulse point made me vibrate and then he stilled utterly. I wanted to protest. I damn near dragged him closer, but he'd gone so very rigid.

"You need to clean up," he whispered against my throat. Every syllable a hot tease of the delight he'd already shared. "Then rest."

My heart stampeded and my breath came in sharp pants. The earlier satiation was gone and I wanted with a visceral, and violent need. "I don't want to rest."

No sooner did I give voice to the protest than I slapped at myself for my greed. He wouldn't have said anything if he didn't need it himself.

"I'm selfish," I whispered. "Sorry."

"Never apologize, luv," he said in a soothing voice even as he mouthed a damp path of kisses to my ear. "I mean it. You never need to apologize to me."

Still, we clung to each other and the coat was open and my breasts were against his bare chest. When he dipped his gaze downward, his lips quirked upward again.

"Though if you want to stay like this, I hope you don't mind me looking. You really are beautiful."

An entirely different type of heat swarmed through me. My cheeks scalded, and I swore even my ears burned. There was something in how these men looked at me. I wasn't so insecure I wasn't aware of my own attractiveness. Nor was I so vain as to expect it.

No, it had less to do with that than who it was looking at me. Remington was a beautiful man and he made me feel so damn beautiful when he stared at me like that.

I had no idea how long we'd stood there and indulged ourselves, but he was right. I needed to clean up. We needed to get back to McQuade and Locke. I needed to know if they were all right.

In the same breath, I didn't want this moment to end anymore than I had the time spent with Locke. Sighing, I closed my eyes and tilted my head back. I needed to get my breathing and my heart under control, not to mention my hormones.

I was not the only one taking longer, slower breaths and then with the kind of gentleness one might show a kitten, he set me on my feet. Not that he released me. The coat still hung wide open and the cooler air was so damn welcome against my flushed skin.

The lightness of his grip remained on my hips until I opened my eyes and met his gaze. The amusement in his expression was utterly indulgent, and more than a little smug. It was the latter that chased away the self-consciousness.

"I'm glad you're here," I told him.

"Even if we interrupted?" No criticism, just real interest.

I wanted to shrug that off, but I wasn't sure I should. That said, I wouldn't run away from it. "I had sex with Locke."

"I noticed," he said with a wave of his hand. "Absolutely your choice, luv. As long as it was your choice."

I blinked. "Of course it was my choice." Locke would never…

"Good."

"Good?" Now I was confused. "You don't mind?" Not entirely the question I meant to ask.

"It has nothing to do with whether I mind or not," he informed me in that so very proper voice. "It's about whether you enjoyed it and it was what you wanted."

Yeah. Still confused. Based on some of their reactions—hell based on their glares when they arrived, that didn't seem right.

"Am I chuffed?" Remy continued, then shook his head. "No. I'm a possessive man. I want you for myself."

I wasn't sure which declaration knocked me sideways more. Could you freeze a moment and just keep it forever? This might be one that I wanted to preserve.

The amusement in his smile deepened. "Did I shock you?"

"No," I said slowly, then gave myself a little shake. "Yes." I shrugged off his coat, the contrast between the cooler air on my bare skin versus the overheated mess I was becoming seemed the far lesser of two evils. "You aren't upset?"

"Patch… nothing for me to be upset about. Do you feel better?"

"After the sex?"

"Yes," he said patiently and I had to fight the urge to facepalm. Had I managed to absolutely disintegrate my brain? Apparently.

"Yes," I exhaled the word.

"Then I'm happy enough for you." He traced a finger over my shoulder and then turned me to face the wall. "I'm going to exhibit some absolutely stellar restraint by showing you how you can wash. The water will be warm. Not cold. Not hot. And you have to press the button to get thirty seconds' worth and wash in between."

The explanation, so rational and patient, settled my jagged nerves more than I cared to admit. Or it did until he traced his fingers down my spine and leaned in to press a kiss behind my ear.

"Just know, when you and I have sex, I really want you to enjoy that too."