Malik drove her orgasm home then let himself go, his hips pounding into her, his control lost, his body driving headlong toward release. Then he shattered, orgasm scorching through him, searing body and soul as he spilled himself inside her.
For a time, they stayed that way—Malik inside her, the two of them breathing hard, their hearts pounding. Then Malik shifted onto his side, drawing her with him, cradling her in his arms. “Sleep, angel.”
* * *
Kristi wokethe next morning to find herself in Malik’s arms, daylight peeking around the curtains. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He kissed her forehead. “How did you sleep?”
Last night had been incredible. She’d wondered if the spark between them would be as strong as it had been in Antarctica. If anything, it was stronger. They’d picked up where they’d left off without losing anything in the interim.
She stretched, smiled, her body languid. “Better than I have in a long time. You?”
“Same.” His brow furrowed and he touched a finger to her bruised cheek. “How’s your headache.”
She rubbed her fingertips gingerly over the lump on her scalp. “It’s still there, but it’s not as bad. I think you fucked away my concussion.”
He grinned, his face so damned handsome it made her chest ache. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”
“I’m the RN, remember?” She ran her hands up the satin skin of his chest, her fingers caressing the gunshot scar he’d gotten in Afghanistan. “I’ve missed you. Not just sex, though the sex is still incredible. I’ve missedyou.”
She wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. She wouldn’t hold back this time. She would tell him how she felt.
He caught her hand, raised her fingers to his lips, and kissed them, his expression serious. “I’ve missed you, too. I should have called, kept in touch. I thought about it a million times. I know we agreed to no strings, but I care about you.”
“I suspected you might—you know, given that you quit your job and flew to the other side of the world to kill bad guys and rescue me.”
It didn’t make him laugh.
“When I heard you’d been abducted, it gutted me. I knew there was a chance I’d never see you again. I kicked myself in the ass for not staying in touch.”
“I did the same thing. I was angry at myself for not reaching out and for not listening to you about changing my contract.” Tenderness for him swelled behind her breastbone. “I put you in danger. You risked your life for me.”
He kissed her. “Danger is what I do. For you, I’d do it again.”
It thrilled her to think he cared about her that much, made her hope.
For what?
Don’t go there, not yet, not now.
“Let’s hope I never need to be rescued again. I think my crazy traveling days might be over. I…” Kristi sat bolt upright. “My parents! Oh, my God! I fell asleep last night before I could call them. I am theworstdaughter in the world.”
She jumped out of bed, naked, and glanced around, looking for her cell phone. Then she remembered she didn’t have it. She’d been abducted without it.
“Go easy on yourself.” Malik picked up his phone from the bedside table, held it out for her. “You were exhausted.”
“It’s not right to let my parents worry.” She slipped into the bathrobe and took his phone. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He climbed out of bed, gloriously naked, his body looking like some sculptor’s masterpiece. “I’ll go take a quick shower.”
It was midnight in San Francisco, but she was pretty certain her parents would still be awake.
She dialed their land line.
Her father answered on the first ring. “Chang residence.”
“Daddy? It’s me, Kristi.”