Whatever else she’d been on the verge of saying lodged in her throat as if her mind had suddenly registered what he'd meant. A solitary tear crested and trailed unchecked down her cheek. Oh, hell. At that moment, he'd give his life to take away the pain in her eyes. Her knees wobbled.“Come here.” He made the request, but she didn't move. And it took every last drop of patience he could muster not to drag her into him by force. But Eve was not a damsel in distress who needed a hero to save her.Not that she'd admit, anyway.

She was pure indulgence. Hot, liquid sin. That last piece of delectable chocolate cake you knew you should walk away from, but if you didn't have at least one more taste, life wouldn't be worth living.

Eve turned away as a whispered “yes, ma'am” reached her ears. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Why was she saving this asshole? Eve opened her eyes and unlocked the heavy steel bolt securing the five-by-two slab of oak. She looked back, ready to give him the signal to haul ass, when all the air punched from her lungs.Naked.It was the only word her stunned mind could form. Eve spun in place, and her rear bumped against the door. Guerin stood there, completely nude, with his briefs and coat in his grip.“W-wh-what are you doing?” Dear God, she was stuttering like a young girl who'd never seen “boy parts” before.

I'm a killer, Gabrielle.” He snarled the words at her. “That's all you need to know. Is that what you want sliding into your bed every night, lass? Touching your body with hands that were soaked in blood minutes before?

I know you weren't about to kiss me, warrior. Were you?” Gabrielle raised a delicate brow and tilted her head. “Because last I heard before you walked away, my kiss was 'forgettable.