Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
It was official.
Saylor O’Conner was going to be the death of Zain, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
Not that the revelation came as a complete surprise.
His protective instincts had been working overtime for months.
Every time she went on a rescue without his team backing her up, got his heart rate tapping.
His damn nerves twitching. He’d always been able to compartmentalize his life before moving to Raven’s Cliff.
Bury any emotion that didn’t belong on a mission. Since retiring…
It had been a slow decent into utter madness.
Watching Foster and Kash fall in love had been the start. All these feelings for Saylor…
That would be Zain’s undoing.
He sighed as they parked in front of Foster’s place.
Lights spanning the length of the covered porch cast the home in a soft glow, the warm color spilling out beyond the steps, giving the fog a slight golden hue.
Saylor’s breath caught as Zain helped her out, the rough sound dampening all the heat that had sparked between them on the ride over.
He cupped her elbow. “Looks like the adrenaline’s worn off and the pain’s seeping through.”
She pursed her lips, hissing out her next breath. “It just burns. Nothing I haven’t experienced before.”
“Again, not the takeaway.” He angled her toward his place. “Chase can get your shoulder properly patched up while I grab you some warm clothes. I’m sure by the time we’re both cleaned up, Kash and Foster will be back with food.”
She laughed. “Don’t you guys ever cook?”
“Sure, when we’re rusty on fire protocols.”
“I thought only Kash was cooking challenged.”
Chase shook his head. “You haven’t seen Zain in action. He can burn water.”
“I’m not that bad, jackass.” Zain leaned in closer. “Ignore him. He gets cranky when he’s hungry.”
Zain guided her down the path to his home — an oversized workshop that now housed three bedrooms a couple bathrooms and a large open area for everything else.
He paused at the entrance, checked that none of the powder from the top of the door had been dislodged — a sure sign his home had been compromised — then unlocked the door.
He swung it inward, scanning the great room before disarming the security system.
Chase led Saylor straight to one of the bar stools at the counter, spreading his medic bag out beside her. “Zain, do me a favor and help Saylor out of her jacket in case some of the other bandages get stuck.” Chase arched a brow. “You did say there were more bandages layered underneath, right?”
“Are you questioning my medic abilities? Because that’s cold, brother.”
Chase shrugged. “I’ve seen the way you tend to your own wounds, and you’re lucky you haven’t bled out a dozen times over.”
“That was during dynamic situations when I didn’t have the luxury of doing a thorough patch job.”
“So, last week when you cut your leg during that cliff rescue and thought just a strip of medical tape would somehow keep the laceration closed…”
Zain shifted on his feet. “It would have worked.”
Chase laughed as he motioned to Saylor’s jacket. “Which is why I confirmed there were more bandages.”
Zain flipped off Chase, then eased Saylor’s coat over her shoulders. She mumbled a harsh curse, clenching her jaw as Chase moved over and cut away the rest of the dressings.
He sighed. “Not bad, buddy. Glad you take other people’s injuries more seriously than your own.” He gave Saylor a once-over. “Are you okay if I cut your sweater the rest of the way? Zain can grab you a blanket, but if being in only your bra is going to be uncomfortable…”
Saylor laughed. “For me or for you? Because you’re the one who’s all jumpy.”
“God, we’ve got another Zain on our hands.”
Chase went to work, taking his time as he froze the area, then removed any debris, irrigating the wound before layering on skin adhesive.
“I swear, even with the blanket, your core temp’s more than a few degrees south of normal from all the wind and rain.
I can put on a waterproof bandage if you want to have a quick shower to warm up.
Or you can plant your ass in front of the fireplace. ”
She shivered, sighing when both men shook their heads and crossed their arms. “A quick shower would be great.”
Chase taped on another bandage. “Just let me check it, again, once you’re done. So, I’m sure it’s still dry.”
Saylor nodded, then followed Zain down a hallway to the last room on the left. He ushered her through his bedroom into the ensuite.
He turned on the taps, grabbed a clean towel and placed it on the counter. “There’s everything you need in the shower, though, most of it smells like pine trees and wishful thinking. I’ll grab you some clothes and hang outside in case you feel lightheaded or anything.”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” She called out as he reached the doorway. “Zain?”
He stopped, wondering how just the sound of his name made him jumpy. As if his skin didn’t fit quite right. “You dizzy already?”
“I just wanted to say thanks. And I could have used the other bathroom. You didn’t have to bring me into your space.”
He ambled over, getting dangerously close, just like on the ship. “That didn’t feel right.”
“But this does?”
“No one’s more surprised about that than me.” He tucked some of her damp hair behind her ears, glanced at the bandage on her shoulder, then sighed. “Shout if you need anything.”
She snagged his hand. “I meant what I said. You’re the reason I’m still breathing, not the reason I got hurt.”
“If I’d been faster, you wouldn’t have gotten clipped.”
“Scratched, and I shoved you, remember? Hard to push me out of the way when I knock you off your feet.”
“Sweetheart, you did that the day we met, so no excuses.”
Sweetheart?
Either the fatigue and cold had gotten to him or Kash had subconsciously implanted the idea when they’d been talking on Foster’s boat. Because Zain had never been one to use endearments or pet names. But he’d be lying if he didn’t admit, it felt more than right.
She smiled, and his damn heart kicked over. Either too fast or too slow, and he had to force his lungs to expand from nothing more than her blue-tinged lips curled up at the corners.
Her hand landed on his shoulder, each finger anchoring him to her even more. “That sounds intimately dangerous.”
“Just like you.” He brushed his thumb along her jaw, then stepped back. “I’ll be right outside. Shout if you need anything.”
“Thanks. I won’t be long.”
He scanned the room, again, just to make sure he hadn’t missed someone blending in with the woodwork, then smiled. “Take as long as you’d like.”
He backed his way out the door, leaving it slightly ajar, just in case.
Which he realized was likely overkill, but he couldn’t quite crush the voice in his head that lectured him every time he glanced at the bandage on her shoulder.
It hadn’t been serious. More of a scratch, like she’d said — but it could have been.
Could have dropped her right there in front of him, and it would have been his fault.
Echoes of that fateful night sounded inside his head — memories better left buried — when Saylor called out.
The door practically bounced off the wall as he rushed in, scanning every inch of the room — searching for something worthy of the hint of panic in her voice — before he stopped in front of her. “You, okay? Do you need Chase?”
“Easy, nothing’s wrong. I just…” She sighed. “I can’t get my bra off. At least, not without messing up my shoulder, so…”
Heat burned along his skin. She was definitely going to kill him.
He leaned in, giving her a long, slow sweep. “I can absolutely help you with that… Unless you’d prefer me to get Chase?”
“Seriously?”
He held her gaze as he eased the lower band up then over her good shoulder before pulling it down the other, keeping his eyes focused on hers. His pulse kicked up, tapping double time in his head as he placed the bra on the counter, then handed her the towel. “Anything else? ”
She swallowed, coughed a few times, then shook her head. “I can handle the rest.”
He nodded, fighting the urge to dip down and finally taste her mouth — see if she was half as wild as he thought she’d be — then inched backwards.
She matched the movement with a step toward him, getting in close, again. “Zain, I…”
He moved, hooked his arm around her waist and tugged her in close, crushing that towel between them.
“There’s nothing I’d rather do than strip us both down and join you, but…
” He pushed out a slow breath. “Let’s tend to your immediate needs, first. Once I know you’re not going to pass out or freeze to death, we can talk. ”
“Talking isn’t what I had in mind.”
Zain closed his eyes, reminded himself that their first time needed to be more than just the byproduct of adrenaline and a near-death experience, before he stared down at her. “Then, I look forward to having another shower with you after dinner. Or whatever else you had in mind.”
He backed away, bumped into the door frame, then stepped into the other room. He’d wait. Do like he’d claimed and see to her other needs. Then, he’d take that leap of faith.
Whatever else she had in mind?
Had he actually said that? Because the only thing on her mind was finally acting on all the heat and need burning through her veins.
She wasn’t sure if they’d end up in bed together, but she couldn’t deny she wanted to.
Not just for the physical release. How much she wanted to run her hands all over his sculpted body — taste every inch of his skin. But because Zain made her feel safe.
The thought lingered in the back of her mind as she finished undressing, then stepped into the shower.
The warm water eased some of the chill, and she closed her eyes, letting the steady spray wash away the stress.
It had been a while since she’d boarded a ship or been involved in a gunfight, and today’s adventure had reminded her she was more than a bit rusty.