Her eyes were glassing over again. “Jaxson, please. Just leave it alone!”
He frowned. That plea was real—he could feel it. She was truly afraid of something.
“I don’t know what hold this man has over you, but I’m not giving up without a fight.” Then he leaned in, almost close enough to kiss, but stopping short of actually touching his lips to hers. “You’re worth fighting for,” he whispered against her lips. Then he did kiss her, pressing her luscious body up against the door as he tasted her sweet mouth. She responded to him, just as she had last night, allowing him into her mouth even as her hands gripped his shoulders hard. She seemed unable to decide whether to pull him closer or push him away.
He broke the kiss, but her electric touch brought back every rush of pleasure from the night before. His body ached for more, but he couldn’t stay.
“You care about me. I know you do,” he whispered in her ear. “And I want to be the man you finally let into your life.” Then he pulled back to look into her eyes.
Her tears were gone, and she was blinking, rapidly, stunned by something—either the kiss or his words, he didn’t know which. But that was all he had to give right now. He had to make sure his brother wasn’t being taken apart by whoever had captured him.
“I’m sorry, I have to go now,” he said, easing back and breaking the close personal space they were in. “Jared’s in trouble.”
A frown crashed through her stunned expression. “What? What happened?”
“I think he’s gone after the people who kidnaped Cassie. We found a warehouse where they might be keeping the others. Jared’s an ex-Marine sharpshooter, tough as all hell, but if he went in there alone, I don’t know what he was thinking. He’s not always…” He hesitated. Olivia didn’t need to know all the crazy that went on with the River brothers.
“Not always concerned for his own life?” Olivia’s frown grew deeper. “There’s a dark side to him, isn’t there?”
“Yes.” But Jaxson was relieved. He should have known she would understand. “And while I’m sure he has the best of intentions, I don’t trust him not to go blazing into a situation he won’t actually live through.”
“So you’re going after him.” The selfless concern on her face made Jaxson’s heart ache.
He wanted nothing more than to come back and make this woman his own… if he could only convince her to let him. “Yes. Jace is gathering a team. We’re watching the warehouse to make sure they don’t move anyone, but we might not go in until nightfall.”
She nodded. Then she pursed her lips, uncertain about something. Suddenly, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. “Be careful,” she whispered.
He held her close, relishing every bit of her concern and every second of her body pressed against his. Then he loosened his hold and kissed her again. This time she didn’t hold back, and it nearly made him groan with the need to have her. Again. Always.
When he finally broke the kiss, he said, breathless, “I’m coming back for you.” His voice was rough with too much emotion. He had no experience with goodbyes—he had never let himself care about someone enough to have to say one that mattered. He ducked his head so she wouldn’t see the emotion betrayed across it.
Then he strode out the door.
Olivia leaned against the closed door of her apartment, breathless.
Breathless from the goodbye Jaxson had just given her. Breathless from his kiss and his words and everything he was and did. You’re worth fighting for. It brought tears to her eyes, but it also made her heart pound with fear. Because the words inked on his chest might as well be etched in his soul—all in, all the time. If Jaxson River decided to fight for something, he wasn’t going to stop until he got it.
Only that something was her. And he had no idea what he was getting into.
She rubbed her eyes, clearing them of the lingering tears.
There had to be some way to stop Jaxson from wanting her. She was completely failing at that so far. The minute he opened that sexy mouth and said anything—much less put it on hers—she was complete putty in his hands. And her lie about loving another man wasn’t any deterrent at all! It was crazy. Jaxson River could have any woman—any human female would drop her panties for him, three shifter females were lined up waiting to mate him, and even a crazed witch from his past wanted him so badly that she cursed him—and he still wanted Olivia Lilyfield, ex-reporter and current-secretary.
The only explanation was that he couldn’t find a real mate. If he hadn’t been cursed, Jaxson would have settled down long ago, having pups and leading his pack like the alpha wolf he was supposed to be. The alpha he was.