Hagan 1 Raven on the Wing by Hooper Kay

Author:Hooper, Kay [Kay, Hooper,]
Format: epub
Published: 2010-12-24T00:42:47.626000+00:00

Six

A cool breeze from the air-conditioning system played over their damp, entwined bodies, and Josh managed to pull the covers up over them without losing his possessive hold on Raven. The lamplit room was quiet now, and his voice was hushed when he spoke. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Maybe I thought you wouldn't believe me." She cuddled closer to his side, her body limp and her mind floating peacefully.

Josh was stroking her long hair, his hand still a bit unsteady. "Did you think that?"

She was quiet a moment, then sighed. "No. I can't imagine another man who would have believed me, but I know you would have. Some women in this business ... well, sex is a tool to them, to use like a smile or a certain dress or a gun. I was just never willing to use it. And until I met you—"

Josh raised himself on an elbow and gazed down at her with darkened, tender eyes. "I'm glad," he said simply. "It wouldn't have changed anything, but I'm glad."

She smiled. "So am I."

He traced the slightly swollen curve of her lower lip, still unable to stop gazing at her. "I thought I heard you tell me something else, though," he murmured.

Her response was unhesitating. "I love you, Josh."

With an odd, rough little sound, he lowered his head to kiss her very gently. "I was afraid to hope for that. You came into my life so suddenly, I was afraid you'd leave it the same way." Then he stilled. "You won't, will you?"

This time, she hesitated. "Josh, I've never thought much about tomorrow, even when I could. Before. And these last years ... well, I've seen things I'll never forget as long as I live. Ugly things. You said it yourself. I've walked on the dark side for a long time."

Josh was afraid he looked grim. He felt grim. But his voice was very soft. "Do you mean you don't" want to stop your work? Or that you're afraid that work has changed you in some way that would make leaving it behind you impossible?"

She answered slowly, carefully choosing her words. "This kind of work isn't something you plan to make a career of; it's too easy to burn out, lose effectiveness. I don't want to stop helping, Josh, but I want to stop working the way I have been."

He nodded, expecting nothing else from her. "And the second question? Are you afraid you won't be able to leave it behind you?"

"I just don't know." Raven felt the sense of wellbeing slipping from her grasp, and a little voice Inside her warned that it would always be that way. She tried to speak lightly, tried, as always, to fight back shadows with a laugh. "I've never fallen in love before; give me time to figure things out."

Josh's expression was still serious, and a muscle briefly worked in his jaw. But his kiss was gentle. "I've been rushing you since the night we met, haven't I?"

"Oh, you noticed that?"

He kissed her again, not quite as gently this time, and both felt the inexorable rise of desire.

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