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He pulled back just enough to look at me.

His eyes had gone dark.

“Fuck.”

“What?” I asked.

“That sound.”

Heat burned across my face.

“I’m sure you’ve made women moan before.”

“Aye.” He pinched my nipple between his fingers. “But I haven’t heard you.”

The sharp little jolt made me rock my hips against him, grinding myself over the hard length pressed between my thighs. My panties had to be soaked by now, and I didn’t particularly care if he knew it.

Lachlan pulled my mouth back to his.

For the next few moments, there was nothing careful about either of us.

I twisted my fingers into his hair. His hand tightened around my breast, his thumb teasing the nipple he’d just pinched, while his mouth moved over mine until breathing became something we did only when absolutely necessary.

Then I shifted against his cock again.

Lachlan tore his mouth from mine and stepped back so abruptly that I stayed leaning toward him for a second, lips parted and body aching for contact that was no longer there.

“Goddammit,” he shouted. His hands went to the back of his head, elbows wide, as he stared up through the trees.

I blinked at him.

My lips tingled. My shirt was crooked, and every nerve in my body seemed to be waiting for him to come back.

He didn’t.

“What happened?”

He drew a long breath, then scrubbed a hand over his face and let it out. “Nothing.”

“Then perhaps you should explain why you were kissing me as though you planned to swallow me whole one second, and then suddenly decided I should be sitting over here by myself.”

“I almost didn’t stop, Mouse,” he frowned. “And that’s a problem.”

I slid off the boulder, mindful of my ankle, and straightened my shirt while he put another few feet between us.

“You’ve been free for what? A few hours?” he said as his hands cut through the air. “And you’re not even properly free yet. Rafael died yesterday. You found out he was your father while he was bleeding in your arms. You nearly went over a cliff. You’ve spent your entire life living in that fucking compound, and now you’re halfway down a mountain depending on me to keep you safe.” His gaze dropped to my feet before returning to my face. “And look what I was doing.”

I folded my arms.

“I’m quite aware of what you were doing. I was there.”

“That isn’t what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“I’m trying not to take advantage of you.”

My folded arms loosened slightly. That wasn’t the answer I’d expected.