twenty-four hours ago that Shannon had come into his life? Odd that events had a way of stretching time in improbable ways. Still, it was something he had seen happen more than once. He wasn’t sure if he had lived a week’s normal time at any point during the past ten years or so. One of these days he’d have todrop back into normal life, with its hectic but predictable schedule, and he’d probably suffer jet lag from the shock to his system.
One of these days.
His mind, never very far from Shannon, focused on her more intently as he heard the shower running. Cautious as he was toward her, he knew only too well that he couldn’t allow her to remain withdrawn. He had to reach her somehow. There was, inside that guarded, wounded woman, a vividly alive and laughing woman hidden away. He knew it. He
felt
it.
She was stronger than she knew—she would have had to be to weather the shocks and pain of her life. She was innately a very strong woman; yes, he knew that as surely as he knew his own strengths and weaknesses. But she was so accustomed to being alone inside herself that withdrawal had become a part of her personality rather than a simple defense mechanism. And how could he teach this hurt, guarded woman toallow him close enough to share the careful space she had marked out for her own?
It was what he had tried to do in explaining that she had to trust him. And though that first step had forged a tenuous bond, Shannon refused to let him close the distance between them. She needed time alone, safe time, he knew that. She needed to find a balance, to catch her breath. The problem was, he couldn’t give her that.
The only safe time he could give her would be fleeting and uncertain, with the probability of fast action and danger hovering over them like a sword.
Derek knew rationally that he was in no shape for this. It was beyond his experience. He was adept at functioning on little rest under stressful conditions, but he had never before had to do so with a fragile victim depending on him for her very life. And if he had been asked theoretically if he could have done so while also being emotionally involved with that fragile woman, hewould have answered with an unequivocal
no
. But the question was hardly a theoretical one.
He was here. She was dependent on him for her safety, her life. And he was emotionally involved with her despite every atom of good sense.
“Derek?”
He looked over at the steps of the platform, where Shannon stood hesitantly. The pajamas she wore provided adequate coverage, since they were long and plainly styled, with a top that was buttoned all the way to her throat. But the cream silk lent the outfit its feminine appearance as it clung like a living thing, and the slender curves of Shannon’s body were as seductively obvious to his intent eyes as they would have been clothed only in a brief silk teddy.
Score one for Raven
, Derek thought vaguely as he felt his belly knot in a sudden rush of heat. He’d told her that Shannon had injured a leg and was sensitive, and had asked the other woman not to buy too-revealing clothing thatmight make Shannon feel uncomfortable. He hadn’t said anything about not making
him
uncomfortable, though.
“I can sleep on the couch,” Shannon offered a bit breathlessly, disturbed by his steady look and silence. “You couldn’t have gotten much rest last night, and—”
“You take the bed.” He smiled. “The years have trained me. Like most soldiers, I can sleep anywhere, probably even standing on my head.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Derek wondered if he was imagining that he could smell a delicate floral scent wafting to him from her; there was no soap with that scent in the loft. Had Raven taken care of that too? If so, he could blame her for a quick rise in his blood pressure. He cleared his throat strongly and concentrated on keeping his expression neutral. “I’ll probably be up for a while. Will the light down here bother
One of these days.
His mind, never very far from Shannon, focused on her more intently as he heard the shower running. Cautious as he was toward her, he knew only too well that he couldn’t allow her to remain withdrawn. He had to reach her somehow. There was, inside that guarded, wounded woman, a vividly alive and laughing woman hidden away. He knew it. He
felt
it.
She was stronger than she knew—she would have had to be to weather the shocks and pain of her life. She was innately a very strong woman; yes, he knew that as surely as he knew his own strengths and weaknesses. But she was so accustomed to being alone inside herself that withdrawal had become a part of her personality rather than a simple defense mechanism. And how could he teach this hurt, guarded woman toallow him close enough to share the careful space she had marked out for her own?
It was what he had tried to do in explaining that she had to trust him. And though that first step had forged a tenuous bond, Shannon refused to let him close the distance between them. She needed time alone, safe time, he knew that. She needed to find a balance, to catch her breath. The problem was, he couldn’t give her that.
The only safe time he could give her would be fleeting and uncertain, with the probability of fast action and danger hovering over them like a sword.
Derek knew rationally that he was in no shape for this. It was beyond his experience. He was adept at functioning on little rest under stressful conditions, but he had never before had to do so with a fragile victim depending on him for her very life. And if he had been asked theoretically if he could have done so while also being emotionally involved with that fragile woman, hewould have answered with an unequivocal
no
. But the question was hardly a theoretical one.
He was here. She was dependent on him for her safety, her life. And he was emotionally involved with her despite every atom of good sense.
“Derek?”
He looked over at the steps of the platform, where Shannon stood hesitantly. The pajamas she wore provided adequate coverage, since they were long and plainly styled, with a top that was buttoned all the way to her throat. But the cream silk lent the outfit its feminine appearance as it clung like a living thing, and the slender curves of Shannon’s body were as seductively obvious to his intent eyes as they would have been clothed only in a brief silk teddy.
Score one for Raven
, Derek thought vaguely as he felt his belly knot in a sudden rush of heat. He’d told her that Shannon had injured a leg and was sensitive, and had asked the other woman not to buy too-revealing clothing thatmight make Shannon feel uncomfortable. He hadn’t said anything about not making
him
uncomfortable, though.
“I can sleep on the couch,” Shannon offered a bit breathlessly, disturbed by his steady look and silence. “You couldn’t have gotten much rest last night, and—”
“You take the bed.” He smiled. “The years have trained me. Like most soldiers, I can sleep anywhere, probably even standing on my head.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Derek wondered if he was imagining that he could smell a delicate floral scent wafting to him from her; there was no soap with that scent in the loft. Had Raven taken care of that too? If so, he could blame her for a quick rise in his blood pressure. He cleared his throat strongly and concentrated on keeping his expression neutral. “I’ll probably be up for a while. Will the light down here bother
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