Nick just waited.
“Maybe you were angry over the way we sent you packing,” said Sean. “You could have been using her to get back into Blackstone. Could have had something planned with Pete and Justin, for all we knew.”
When he didn’t answer, the captain went on.
“The truth is even more insane. How could you have brought that girl, chained her up and yet still have managed to persuade her to give you a chance?” Sean said with a harsh laugh. “I mean, how the f**k did you pull that off? Explain it to me, please.”
“Well, what you have to understand,” said Ros, her voice husky from sleep, “is that I base my decisions on how people behave toward me. And while there might have been some initial early hiccups, there are still far more marks in the win column.”
Nick shuffled over to her bedside, forgetting all about Sean and his bullshit. “How you feeling?”
“Hey.” Big blue eyes watched him steadily. She held out her hand and he went to her. “He earned my trust, Sean. Yes he made some mistakes. But you have to keep them in context. Every time it mattered, he came through for me without hesitation. Actions do speak louder than words and he risked his life for me more than once. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t speak to him that way.”
“You in pain?” Nick asked, wanting the topic changed. Frankly, it was a little embarrassing having her stick up for him. He didn’t need Sean’s good opinion. The man could go f**k himself. “Lila dropped some antibiotics and painkillers off before.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. There’s still little bruises beneath your eyes.”
“Nonsense. Come here.” Ros’s hand snaked up around his neck and drew him down until his lips touched hers. He gave her what she wanted, kissing her soft and slow. She made this noise, this low, needy, intensely horny noise. Fuck, the things it did to him. But he didn’t want Sean hearing it. That noise was personal.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“You have no idea. Sean, can you give us some privacy, please?” asked Ros.
The captain’s brows arched. “I’m not sure …”
She clucked her tongue impatiently. “Wait outside please, Sean. The visit just turned conjugal and we do not require an audience.”
Nick tried not to smile and failed. Her ability to mix prim librarian with sex kitten had to be the best thing ever. But still.
“You’re hurt,” he said.
“Yes, she is. But I’ll let you two have a moment,” said Sean, heading for the door with his face on fire. “I’ll just be outside.”
Ros grinned. “Half an hour would be great. Thanks, Sean.”
The captain mumbled something along the lines of “for f**k’s sake” and fled the room.
“I’m serious. You need to take it easy,” Nick said.
“Thank you. Your flimsy protest has been duly registered.” A little line appeared between her brows. “Why do I keep having to coerce you into ha**ng s*x with me lately? What’s with that?”
He rubbed at the line with the pad of his thumb. “Pain meds still working, huh?”
“Hey.” She slapped at his hand. “I’m being serious. Is this some sort of payback, Nick? You’re all gung-ho for a while but now it’s my turn to run around after you? Do I need to prove myself? Is that it?”
“Of course not,” he sighed. “Come on, Ros. Don’t get upset.”
“Don’t tell me what to feel.”
“Ros.”
“Answer me.”
Fuck it. He shut her up by kissing her. Truthfully, it all confused him. Her loyalty unnerved him. He’d done nothing to deserve it. Again, he’d meant to do the right thing and let her go, but it hadn’t worked. No way did he trust himself to offer it one more time. He wasn’t that nice and he wanted her too much.
She opened her mouth and he slid his tongue inside. Some things never got old. Kissing this woman topped the list. Her hand fisted in the T-shirt Finn had given him to wear, dragging him closer, trying to pull him on top of her. From low in her throat came the noise again. Every drop of blood in him rushed straight to his dick. His brain keeled over dead, gave up entirely. Well, mostly.
“Ros, you’re hurt,” he moaned, resisting the urge to get a leg up and join her on the pissy little bed.
“So be gentle. Just be inside me.”
Shit.
What could he say?
His balls felt f**king tortured. The dreamy, needy expression on her face killed him. Her lovely wet lips and sharp little teeth kissed and bit him equally. A hungry woman and he had to hold back. His hungry woman. How f**king unfair.
“Nicky. Life is too short to hesitate. I think we’ve both seen this by now.”
Getting enough of her mouth was out of the question. But when he stopped to think about it, there was something he hadn’t gotten around to giving her yet. And life could be over in an instant. Pete had come damn close to putting a bullet in him.
“You have to keep perfectly still,” he said. “I don’t want you jarring your shoulder and re-opening that wound.”
“I’ll be on my best behavior.”
God help him.
Nick re-checked the room, making sure they were alone. Then he drew her pyjama pants down her long legs. Roslyn bare took his breath away. The curls on her mound and the curves of her soft thighs blew his mind. He could smell her, hot and rich and ready. Nothing smelled as good as this woman’s sex. He’d never been nuts over a woman’s vagina before, but Ros’s stayed on his mind day and night. Everything about her did.
No part of her didn’t deserve to be worshipped.
“What are you going to do?” she asked, ever curious.
“Spread your legs for me, then stay still,” he repeated, climbing up onto the bed. It wouldn’t be the most comfortable of positions, but never mind. He had his priorities right. He crouched at the end of the mattress and slipped his hands beneath the cheeks of her ass. First he kissed her belly, her h*ps and thighs. She had the softest, most satiny skin.
Fingers slid into his hair, rubbing at his scalp. He stopped.
“What did I say?” he asked.
“Hmm?” Her eyes blinked lazily open.
“What did I tell you to do, Ros?”
The hand stilled. “To stay still?”
He raised a brow.
“Seriously? I’m not even allowed to touch you?”