He Kills Me, He Kills Me Not

hot mouth closed around her, not realizing until then that he’d worked her top and bra down, completely exposing both of her breasts.
    “You’re exquisite,” he breathed against her.
    By now she had his shirt unbuttoned and she moaned in delight when she smoothed her hands across the wiry hair of his chest and followed the dark line to where it disappeared beneath his waistband. The muscles of his stomach rippled and jumped as she raked them with her nails.
    She was burning up and wanted nothing more than to rip his clothes from his body and drive him as crazy as he was driving her. He jerked beneath her when she ran her hands on the outside of his pants, down the impressive length of him, and then back up, her nails raking against his hard ridge as she struggled to undo his belt.
    He reclaimed her mouth and slid his hands around her back, diving them deep into her hair, playing with the silky strands as his tongue tangled with hers.
    Suddenly she was in the cabin again, and she heard the humming as the hooded man ran his fingers through her hair.
    She whimpered and shoved him but she couldn’t break his hold.
    In desperation, she raked her nails across his chest and screamed.
    “Amanda!”
    Her eyes flew open and she was staring into Logan’s eyes. He held her arms in a vice-like grip, lightly shaking her. “Honey? Are you with me now? Say something.”
    “Y . . . yes, I’m here,” she whispered, her throat oddly raw and aching. Her gaze traveled down his chest and she saw the red angry scratches across it, oozing blood.
    “Oh, my God, Logan. Did I do that? I think I’m going to be sick.”
    Logan turned her to the side as she threw up her breakfast.
    “It’s okay, honey. Everything is okay. Do you know where you are?” His voice was low and soothing.
    Amanda shuddered and crawled off his lap, pushing away from him so she could stand up. “I know where I am,” she whispered, unable to meet his gaze.
    While she straightened her clothing, he stood and repaired his as well. When he reached out to take her hand she shoved it away. Taking a steadying breath, she met his searching gaze. “I did that to you, hurt you.” She pointed to the red dots of blood that were soaking through his shirt.
    “I’ve survived far worse. It’s nothing.”
    “Stop being so damned understanding. Don’t you see? He screwed up my head. There’s something wrong with me. I’d given up on having a normal relationship again, and then, then I met you, and then . . .”
    “Then what?”
    “There’s no use, can’t you see? I actually hurt you. And I didn’t know I was doing it.”
    “Let me help. I’m a great listener—”
    “No,” she sobbed, shaking her head back and forth. She whirled around, her long hair rippling out behind her as she ran into the forest.
    L ogan jogged behind Amanda. He knew she needed some time alone but he wasn’t about to let her out of his sight until she was safely back in the house and Karen arrived. She wasn’t due to be here for another hour but he’d call and see if she could come over now. No point in waiting.
    He couldn’t shake the image of Amanda’s pale face, eyes wild and unfocused as she clawed at him and screamed with such heart-wrenching terror.
    When he woke up this morning in bed beside her, he was struck by how right it had felt. Now he wasn’t so certain. Not because his feelings had changed. They hadn’t. But he’d misjudged her, underestimated how scarred she was inside.
    He’d brought her to his sanctuary by the creek, determined to share it with her, bring some peace to her after the difficult night she’d had. The kiss had been a terrible mistake. When she’d looked up at him so trustingly, he’d gotten lost in her eyes. Then when she’d looked at his mouth and leaned forward he’d lost all control, and scared her to death.
    All along he’d struggled with his attraction to her, worried it would interfere with his job, worried that he might not be any better for Amanda than he had been for his ex-wife. That worry was justified. He wasn’t any good for Amanda. He needed to back off, keep it all on a professional level.
    But now that he’d had a taste of heaven, how was he going to give her up?

 
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
    A manda knew she was a coward, running away from Logan like that, but as she stood at the window in his bedroom and watched him drive away, she knew she’d had no other choice.
    And running from the woods wasn’t the only