I felt him strip off my coat, kneel to take my shoes, gently helping me to sit down on the floor, because I couldn't stand on my own. Layer by layer he stripped me, his eyes always on mine, until I was down to bra and underwear, and I was too cold to care. His eyes stayed on mine as he got those last wet things off me, and then he wrapped a thick towel around me and used it to dry me, rubbing vigorously, then helping me to sit on the edge of a bed. When I was dry, he wrapped a furry, fleece-lined blanket around me, the fur tickling my nose.
My hair was still damp.
It hurt.
But his eyes were...I want to say kind, but that wasn't quite the right word.
Cutting.
Piercing.
Intense.
Wild.
Deep.
He'd seen me naked, and hadn't so much as glanced away from my eyes for even a split second.
I've got Mom's body--medium height, narrow in the waist and wide in the hips, thick in the thighs and heavy at the chest. My point is, men look. Even homeless and wandering, men look.
This man didn't.
But not because he didn't want to--I could see his gaze flitting back and forth, as if forcing himself to keep his eyes focused on mine.
He was gorgeous. I didn't miss that, now that I was dry and wrapped in a thick blanket, and was warming up. He was...a god; I couldn't look away.
"I'm Lucian Badd," he said, in a voice like the black silk of midnight, quiet, strong, smooth, dark.
"J-j-j-Joss." I tried again. "I'm Joss Mackenzie."
He got up and moved to the door. Something inside me twisted, cracked. Broke.
"D-d-don't leave me alone," I heard myself say. "P-p-please."
He gazed at me steadily, his expression unreadable. "I have to change. I'm wet too."
"Did you--did you j-j-jump in after me?'
He nodded. "Couldn't let you drown. In that water, you would have been gone in another few seconds."
He didn't leave though. He just peeled off a thick sweater, a t-shirt, then kicked off his boots.
My heart thundered.
Lucian Badd was beautiful, and I was delirious. Or crazy.
I don't know.
I just knew I didn't want him to leave me alone.
Also by Jasinda Wilder
Visit me at my website: www.jasindawilder.com
Email me: jasindawilder@gmail.com
* * *
If you enjoyed this book, you can help others enjoy it as well by recommending it to friends and family, or by mentioning it in reading and discussion groups and online forums. You can also review it on the site from which you purchased it. But, whether you recommend it to anyone else or not, thank you so much for taking the time to read my book! Your support means the world to me!
* * *
My other titles:
* * *
The Preacher's Son:
Unleashed
Unbroken
* * *
Biker Billionaire:
Wild Ride
* * *
Big Girls Do It:
Better (#1), Wetter (#2), Wilder (#3), On Top (#4) Married (#5)
On Christmas (#5.5) Pregnant (#6)
Boxed Set
* * *
Rock Stars Do It:
Harder
Dirty
Forever
Boxed Set
* * *
From the world of Big Girls and Rock Stars: Big Love Abroad
* * *
Delilah's Diary:
A Sexy Journey
La Vita Sexy
A Sexy Surrender
* * *
The Falling Series:
Falling Into You
Falling Into Us
Falling Under
Falling Away
Falling for Colton
* * *
The Ever Trilogy:
Forever & Always
After Forever
* * *
The world of Alpha:
Alpha
Beta
Omega
Harris: Alpha One Security Book 1
Thresh: Alpha One Security Book 2
Duke: Alpha One Security Book 3
Puck: Alpha One Security Book 4
* * *
The world of Stripped:
Stripped
Trashed
* * *
The world of Wounded:
Wounded
Captured
* * *
The Houri Legends:
Jack and Djinn
Djinn and Tonic
* * *
The Madame X Series:
Madame X
Exposed
Exiled
* * *
Badd Brothers:
Badd Motherf*cker
Badd Ass
Badd to the Bone
Good Girl Gone Badd
Badd Luck
* * *
(With Jade London): Door One
Door Two
Door Three
Door Four
Door Five
Door Six
Door Seven
Door Eight
Deleted Door
* * *
The One Series
The Long Way Home
Where the Heart Is
* * *
Standalone titles:
Yours
* * *
Non-Fiction titles:
Big Girls Do It Running
Big Girls Do It Stronger
* * *
Jack Wilder Titles:
The Missionary
* * *
JJ Wilder Titles:
Ark
* * *
To be informed of new releases, special offers, and other Jasinda news, sign up for Jasinda's email newsletter.
* * *