Hot Mess (Into The Fire Series Book 4)
Page 18
“Nothing. There’s nothing you can do. I’m just so glad you’re here,” I said. I meant it, so sincerely it made my heart hurt.
He loosened his hand in my hair and brushed a few locks away from my forehead, checking the bandage there. The cut was right along my hairline, so I was hoping the scar wouldn’t be too bad.
“Tell me what’s wrong,” he said, his tone so careful I almost cried all over again.
I wanted to tell him, but I couldn’t. It was too embarrassing.
We stared at each other again. Oh God. It felt so good to be close to him. For the first time in years, I felt like I could relax. I wanted to wrap myself in Caleb and stay there forever.
My next words startled me. “I miss you.” The moment those words escaped, I wanted to grab them and stuff them back inside. I didn’t need to blurt out all kinds of crazy, emotional stuff.
Caleb stared at me, the hand circling on my back finally pausing. He swallowed, the sound audible in the room. My awareness of him was so heightened the hair on the back of my neck stood up. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you,” he nearly growled.
Emotion was rushing through me, mingling with desire that should’ve seemed out of place given everything that had happened, but it didn’t. This was me, this was Caleb. Us. There had never been anyone but him in my heart, and my body knew it. He strummed every chord of my being simply by existing in space and time near me.
With a muttered imprecation, he dipped his head, kissing one corner of my mouth and then the other. Oh geez. I was a sucker for corner kisses, at least when it came to him. But then, he’d been the last man I’d kissed, so I didn’t really have any comparison. Two more kisses dusted at the corners of my mouth and then I sighed. His tongue swiped along the seam of my lips, and I let go with a low moan.
I held onto him as if he was a life raft in the middle of the ocean, burrowing into him as our tongues tangled. My heart was beating so fast, I could barely breathe. A pager call came over the hospital speakers, and he drew back slowly, his forehead falling to mine.
We stood like that, our breath coming in heaves. Placing my palm on his chest, I felt his heartbeat racing madly just like mine.
Coming soon!
Burn So Good
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Into The Fire Series
Burn For Me
Slow Burn
Burn So Bad
Hot Mess
Brit Boys Sports Romance
The Play
Big Win
Out Of Bounds
Play Me
Naughty Wish
Diamond Creek Alaska Novels
When Love Comes
Follow Love
Love Unbroken
Love Untamed
Tumble Into Love
Christmas Nights
Last Frontier Lodge Novels
Christmas on the Last Frontier
Love at Last
Just This Once
Falling Fast
Stay With Me
When We Fall
Hold Me Close
Crazy For You
Catamount Lion Shifters
Protected Mate
Chosen Mate
Fated Mate
Destined Mate
A Catamount Christmas
Ghost Cat Shifters
The Lion Within
Lion Lost & Found
Acknowledgments
To my girls who help me get every day off to a running start, who shower me with wags and kisses and who are the best dog friends ever.
Many thanks to Yoly Cortez who is so gracious as she makes magic with my covers. My proofreader angels keep an eye out for me, literally - Janine, Beth P., Terri D., Terri E., Heather H., & Carolyne B. - many thanks!
A bow of thanks to my readers who make it possible for me to do this! I’m almost convinced some of you telepathically communicate and know just when I need an email telling me you loved one of my stories.
Of course, DBC - my touchstone. You are always there through the good, the bad, and the messy. Thank you doesn’t seem sufficient.
xoxo
J.H. Croix
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author J. H. Croix lives in a small town in the historical farmlands of Maine with her husband and two spoiled dogs. Croix writes steamy contemporary romance with strong independent women and rugged alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing. Take a walk on the wild side of romance with her bestselling novels!
Places you can find me:
jhcroixauthor.com
jhcroix@jhcroix.com