Evidence of Passion (Shadow Agents #7)(39)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“I thought you were dead.”

Her steps faltered. She was so cold and bone tired.

“When I pulled you out of the water, your body was like ice.”

“I got tangled in a rope. Maybe some old netting.” She didn’t really remember for sure. Rachel looked down at her hands. The nails were ripped. Torn. She’d fought so hard to get free.

“I wasn’t coming out of the water without you.”

The chill she felt got worse. Rachel shook her head in automatic denial. He was just talking in the heat of the moment. The old EOD code…they didn’t leave teammates behind. But of course Dylan would’ve surfaced. He wouldn’t have died for her.

With her?

Rachel looked back over her shoulder. Dylan stood, just as she’d left him. His eyes glittered at her. “I wasn’t letting you go then.” He strode toward her and caught her in his arms. “And I’m not letting you go now.” He held her so tightly that she could barely draw in a breath. His head pressed into the curve of her neck, and Rachel felt the shudder that racked him.

“Dylan?” This wasn’t like him. Even during their most dangerous missions, he’d never—

“I can’t let you go, Rachel. I need you too much.” His head lifted. “Come with me. Just…come with me. Because if I don’t keep you close tonight, I think I might go crazy.”

There were questions to be answered, statements to be given. The EOD had to clean up the chaos that Jack had left behind. Since Dylan was in charge of this mission, that meant the EOD needed him.

“You should go back to headquarters.” She needed to crash.

“He’s contained.” His voice was a growl. “Everything else can wait a few hours. You can’t wait.”

Then he had his fingers wrapped with hers. He pulled her away from the scene and toward a waiting car. They climbed inside. Rachel didn’t speak. At that point, she wasn’t sure what to say.

I never loved you.

Hadn’t she already said enough to him?

He cranked the car. A remembered tendril of fear slipped through her, but the engine started easily. They left the harbor.

Rachel wasn’t sure what would happen next but she did know that her life was changing.

The EOD was done for her.

Jack was off the streets.

And Dylan? Her gaze slid to him. She’d never seen him quite like this before. A hard, dangerous edge clung to him and his body was tight with intensity. She had the feeling that his powerful self-control could snap at any moment.

When it did, there would be no going back.

Chapter Nine

“You need to get out of those clothes,” Dylan said as he shut the door behind Rachel.

He wanted to touch her again, to pull her against him. He couldn’t seem to touch her enough.

She’s alive. She’s safe.

He had her in his home. Soon he planned to have her in his bed.

Rachel glanced at him. Her eyes were so wide. “I don’t… I don’t have anything to wear here.”

“You can wear one of my shirts.” He motioned toward the bathroom. “A hot shower will make you feel better.”

“I don’t know…” Her voice was hesitant. “I feel like I’ve already had enough water to last me a lifetime.” But she headed for the bathroom.

He locked his muscles and didn’t follow her.

She’s alive. She’s alive. Those words were the mantra that he had to keep repeating to himself.

Because every time he closed his eyes, he saw her, limp in his arms.

Don’t leave me.

He raked a hand over his face. He had to make some plans—fast and furious plans. Rachel was going to try and slip away. That couldn’t happen.

He’d screwed up. Royally. He’d only been trying to keep her safe, but Rachel wouldn’t have seen it that way. She would’ve thought that he was doubting her abilities. Doubting her.

I was an idiot.

He’d been torn in two. Torn between the leader and the lover.

The lover had won the fight. He’d moved heaven and hell to get Rachel taken off the case. And the lover had been the one to suffer when Rachel stared at him with betrayal in her eyes.

How do I fix this?

Dylan didn’t know, but he had to try. He had to do anything, everything, to make her look at him with trust in her eyes again.

He could hear the rush of water from the shower. Good. The water would warm her. Dylan hurried into his bedroom, stripping off his shirt as he went. He could use a shower, too. Actually, he could use a shower with Rachel, but that wasn’t going to happen.

At least it wouldn’t be happening any other place but in his fantasies.

She needs time to heal. She was under the water for too long.

He kicked away his boots. Tossed the socks that clung to him. He reached for the snap of his jeans, but then—then he thought he heard Rachel, crying out.

In an instant, he was at the bathroom door. “Rachel?”

She didn’t answer him. He lifted his fist and pounded on the door. “Rachel, are you all right?”

He heard a faint sound. A cry?

Dylan turned the knob. It was unlocked—and he was in that bathroom in the next instant.

Rachel was under the spray of the shower. Her shoulders hunched. Crying.

His heart twisted. No, the damn thing seemed to break in his chest.

She turned toward him then. His beautiful, strong Rachel. The water slid down her body. “I thought he’d kill you,” she confessed.

And he would have died to protect her, in an instant.

Dylan ditched his jeans. He climbed into that shower with her. He wrapped his arms around her and let the water pound down on them both. Her tears ripped into him. He hated to see her in pain. “We’re safe, baby. It’s over for Jack.”

“I didn’t mean what I said.”

Steam rose around them.

“You know that, don’t you, Dylan?”

I never loved you.

He swallowed and raised his head. He tipped back Rachel’s chin so that he could stare into her eyes. “I know.” Then, because he couldn’t hold back any longer, because her tears had broken his control and there was no going back for him, Dylan put his mouth on hers.

He’d breathed for her before.

Did she have any clue that he lived for her now?

Her arms rose and curled around his neck. Her body—wet, silken skin—pressed to his. Her lips opened. The kiss started soft, but they were both too raw for the gentleness to last.

Passion, need, grew.

His tongue thrust into her mouth. He licked her, tasted—demanded all from her.