Free Flame Thrower by Alice Wade Page B

the harm in asking?
    Ryan, even being a stranger to her, eased the effects of the drugs dramatically. When he wasn’t touching her the discomfort returned. There was something about him that made it all go away; therefore, Tillian wanted him to stay. On the other hand, he also inflamed her desire to be set free and feel a mind shattering release that she knew would come if he would only seduce her.
    Ryan audibly groaned. “Tillian, I’m not so sure this is a good idea. I’m a man after all and you are the most incredible woman I have ever met. I don’t trust myself not to betray your trust,” Ryan said honestly. He wanted this as much as she did, but he needed to be the rational one at the moment. Declining her request was the honorable thing to do.
    She smiled. “You are just being a gentleman. I understand, but right now I’m more interested in stopping my pain. Your touch seems to do that, so I’ll gladly accept the risks of you lying by my side while I sleep,” Tillian countered, followed by a large yawn as the sleep aid took hold. To prove her point, the rickety bed groaned when she slide over and made room for his larger frame.
    Ryan was powerless to resist her request. Within moments, he had his boots off and slid under the blankets. He wasted no time collecting her to his chest where she settled her head resting on his heart.
    Tillian sighed in contentment. “Thank you, this is much better,” she whispered. Her tiny arm snaked around his waist and held him tight. She heard him smother another groan when her hand move across his abdomen, caressing his firm muscles that twitched in response.
    While he held her this close, he chanced a little examination of his own, so reached out with his magic and gently scanned her body. He felt a simmering fury at what he found, but mostly focused on the drug that sailed through her veins and held her body captive to the effects.
    That drug he’d have to just let run its course without a major healing and that was out of the question considering it usually required a tremendous amount of effort to burn anything from the blood. The recipients typically felt the effects of that healing for days, so he accepted he’d just have to be patient. The rest was mostly bruising and the internal injuries present were not severe. With confidence, he knew he could heal those with little effort and without much notice.
    Tillian wasn’t allowing herself to succumb to the pull of the medicine and fought sleep. She wanted to stay right here with Ryan. He looked down at her and found her eyes open and then carefully brushed strands of her hair away from her face and tucked them behind her ear. “You feeling better?”
    “Hmm. Yes,” she mumbled against his chest.
    “Tillian, I’m normally not this forward with women, but you are affecting me in ways that I’m not familiar with. You’re quite charming, my dear,” Ryan said softly. His fingers continued to stroke her cheek while he spoke. Just touching her felt right and he didn’t want to stop. They lay like that for while until he spoke. “Tillian?”
    Her voice was slurred. “Mmm. Yes?”
    “You really need to sleep. Let go,” he said with a tenderness that surprised even him.
    “You’ll leave if I do.”
    “No, I won’t. Sleep. I promise to stay right here,” Ryan added quickly because he wanted her asleep in order to perform his own healing. It was destroying him to have to wait, but he refused to traumatize her any more than she already was. He could be patient.
    “I’ll hold you to that promise, Ryan,” Tillian said just as a wracking yawn split her face. She really couldn’t fight the medicine any longer. Once she let go and didn’t resist, Tillian fell under the pull within moments.
    He knew she was truly out when her weight draped over his chest in a comforting position.
    The only sound in the room was her even breathing, slow and steady. Ryan had never felt this content, this complete as he did right now.