Breathless, she peered at him with her heart in her eyes. Maybe he hadn't repeated exactly what she had been trying to convey, but it was a start. He was learning to be loved. Burying her face against his shoulder, she murmured against his skin, "It's enough. For now."
"I need you, Kara. Don't leave me again." His voice hoarse, he rubbed his face against her hair.
He hadn't told her that he loved her, but he had bared his soul, shared his secrets, made incredible leaps in sharing his emotions. And he had done it for her. So yeah, for now, it was more than enough. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Damn right you're not!" he growled.
She smiled, because even as he spoke the demanding words, he was rocking her in his arms, holding her like a tender lover. He was wrong about not knowing how to romance her. He showed her how much he cared in so many little ways that were mind-boggling, seductive, and addictive. It was like a missing piece of her soul had finally found her and clicked into place, making her feel complete.
"Did you love her?" She knew she should drop the subject, but she wanted to know.
"Who?"
"Rose? Did you love her?"
"No." His low voice answered quickly and without hesitation. "I cared about her as a friend and I had a gigantic crush on her. But I didn't love her. I didn't want her to die. The sad part of the whole thing is that she died for nothing. A few days after she killed herself the whole organization was brought down by the authorities. The boss and everyone associated with the cartel are going to rot in jail."
She could hear the sincerity, the acceptance of the whole situation in his voice. He wasn't angry, wasn't bitter. "Good therapist?"
"Yeah. Dr. Evans was the best. We still have dinner occasionally. I think he's still trying to figure me out." He laughed with genuine humor.
She smirked against his shoulder. "You're a fascinating subject."
"Are you saying that I'm odd?" he growled against her neck.
"Hmmm...I'm not sure." She slid away from him and stood, hating to leave the circle of his arms, but dying for something to drink. She'd been in the steamy room for quite some time and she was parched. Unable to resist looking back at him as she climbed the steps, her hungry eyes roamed his muscular body and handsome face. "I think I need to study you a bit more before I come to any conclusions."
He came to his feet in one graceful motion, muscles flexing, a wicked grin on his face. "Sweetheart, if you keep flashing that sexy body at me, I'm going to be doing my own studying." His grin widened and his eyes grew dark as he prowled after her, his big body cutting through the water easily. "And I examine and test my data very thoroughly."
She scooped up a towel from a pile next to the tub and scrambled out the bathroom door, Simon hot on her trail. Laughing as he caught her around the waist before she could make it out the bedroom door, she squealed, "No. I'm thirsty."
As he pulled her back against his wet, solid chest, she wondered if she really needed water all that badly. God, he felt good. Melting back against him, she could feel his hard, insistent arousal against her ass.
"Are you thirsty?" His voice changed, instantly concerned. "Did you eat?" He took the towel from her hands and started to wipe her body gently, drying her back and turning her around to wipe the moisture from her breasts and belly.
She bit her lip as she peeked up at his face, his expression anxious and slightly agitated. "I'm not that hungry." Her appetite was increasing for something other than food.
By the time he was satisfied that she was completely dry, she was certain she was going to die of lust. The man was definitely thorough.
"You need hydration and food." He grunted as he tossed her his black silk robe and quickly dried his own body, going to his closet to rummage for clothing. He pulled on a similar garment in navy blue, putting it on in quickly, barely taking the time to yank the tie closed.
She nearly whimpered as he covered that glorious, masculine body. She slipped on the black robe reluctantly, her thirst being overridden by the heat between her thighs. All she wanted at the moment was to get horizontal with Simon. "Seriously, I'm not that hungry."
He grasped her hand and tugged, pulling her along behind him. "You'll eat." He stopped, piercing her with a dark, warning stare. "I plan on fucking you until you beg for mercy later."
Her nipples hardened to pebbles and the smoldering heat between her thighs went up in flames. His heated expression made her shiver with longing, every inch of her skin tingling.
I'll be begging. But not for mercy.
With a frustrated sigh, she let him pull her toward the kitchen. She knew that stubborn, determined look of his. He was determined to satisfy her needs, give her whatever she needed. One casual mention of being thirsty and Simon was a man on a mission, pushing his own needs and wants aside, taking care of her first.