Darak held Eden, his sweat mingling with hers. This should have given her the squeebs, but the intimacy weakened her spine and curled her toes.

He remained silent but for his kisses, which he pressed leisurely along her brow. A gentle, soothing heat passed over the sore place on her neck, and sighing, Eden drifted off to sleep.

She jolted awake as she felt something foreign probe her opening. Gasping, she wiggled away.

“It’s okay,” Darak said, his brow wrinkling. “I’m just giving you something that should help you heal.”

“Ah, no, I’m fine.” As amazing as her first sexual encounter had been, Eden was in no mood to be touched—especially down there where everything, well, hurt. Besides, now that it was over, having him poke around down there like she was some cow was mortifying, to say the least. She sat up. “Actually, I want to get back to Naj.”

He clamped down on her leg, preventing her escape. “Stop! Do you want it to hurt every time you go to the bathroom?”

He didn’t just say that. He did not. Glad it was too dark for him to see her blush, Eden rolled her eyes. “I can take care of myself.”

He gave her an ironic look as he wiped the remainder of the gel on his thigh. “You got into a stranger’s car and let him fuck you.”

For a moment all she could do was glower at him. “Maybe that’s why I went there. Maybe this was my plan all along.”

“Right. I practically had to beg you.”

“Is that why you called me a slut?”

His shoulders fell. “I’m sorry. I can get a little dirty.”

“I’m not a slut, just so you know.”

He glanced at her lower half. “Obviously.”

Eden followed his gaze. Blood smeared all over her crotch and thighs. “Just how big is that thing?”

Smirking, Darak peeled several wet wipes out of a container and managed to get in one swipe before she kicked him.

“Do you want to go home like that?

“I can do it.”

“I did this to you.” The commanding tone wouldn’t have deterred her, but the iron in his expression closed her throat. “I’m not sending you back to your friend looking like you were raped by a platoon of soldiers.”

Surprisingly enough, whatever he’d smeared onto her cooch had a numbing effect. The ripped-in-half feeling was dissipating fast. She sat rigidly as he scrubbed first her thighs and then her sex. What did guys call a girl’s hoo-ha, anyway? Twat? Crotch? The p-word?

Darak frowned. What was he thinking? That the bloodstains on his sheets would never come clean? That she was a horrible lay?

The second he pulled away, Eden reached out and felt around for her clothes.

“Your underwear is ruined.” Darak grinned devilishly. “You’ll have to go home without them.”

“Great,” she muttered, locating her dress. Where the hell was her bra?

“Looking for this?” Darak dangled the offending garment from his fingertips, and she quickly snatched it.

This is the worst! How was a girl supposed to leave with dignity when she had no undies? There should be a website somewhere. No, a full instruction manual. Eden stood to yank her dress over her hips. “Do you sleep in your vehicle much?”

Lifting a shoulder. “I don’t like walls. They make me think about all the things I could be seeing.”

A thought stabbed her in the stomach, and Eden clapped a shaking hand over her mouth. “We didn’t use a condom!”

How hadn’t she thought of this before? How?

Darak’s expression shifted to concern. “I can’t get you pregnant.”

Pregnancy was the least of her concerns. She hadn’t had a period in three years, and the doctors told her it might never come back. Her mother’s warnings rang in her head. Compromised immune system. Relapse. Twenty-four percent survival rate.

What have I done?

Darak’s brow wrinkled, and he pulled her into a hug. “You’re trembling,” he said, his voice filled with concerned. “I’m completely clean. You don’t need to be afraid.”

“It’s not your fault. I should have insisted,” she said, her body stiff. She pulled away from him and reached for the handle. “I have to go.”

“Let me drive you.”

“Did you bite me, before?”

He looked away. “Of course not.”

She rubbed her neck. She could have sworn he…

“You can’t walk back alone. It’s not safe.”

She laughed, a hysterical note in her voice. “Nothing is safe, Darak. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that?”

He rubbed his lips together. “Get up front.”

“No. I told you—”

“I said get in the seat.” His voice was stern.

Eden felt all the fight leave her. The truth was, she really liked him. Really liked him. She knew she’d never see the guy again, and as stupid as she’d been, she wanted to prolong the good-bye.

She climbed awkwardly into the front passenger area. Darak struggled into his clothes and followed her. Before she could react, he reached over and fastened her seat belt.

Irritation pinched her shoulders. “You don’t have to do that. I’m not a kid.”

“Why do you have to argue so much? Why can’t you just let me do this for you?”

Slapping one hand on the steering wheel, he turned over the ignition.

Eden was silent for the ride back, but her heart hammered in her chest. Why didn’t I insist on protection? Mentally she punched herself. Her mom was right. She shouldn’t put herself in danger like this.

“Wait!” She clutched his forearm as he pulled onto Seneca. “Let me out here. I’ll walk the rest of the way.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Are you embarrassed about me?”

“No! Well, yeah. I mean, I don’t want anyone to know I—”

“I didn’t think you were a hypocrite.”

“I’m not. My cousin is the bouncer. If he sees me out here with you, he’ll be steamed. My family—they’re extremely protective.”

He relaxed. “That’s not a bad thing.”

An hour ago she would have argued. “I know. It’s just, if they find out, they’ll practically put me in jail. I want to be able to go out, you know? Escape for a little while without them questioning it.”

He raised a brow. “You mean pick up another guy?”

“No! Darak!” What the hell?

Grazing his teeth over his lower lip, he shrugged.

“I’d better go.” Clenching her jaw, she reached for the handle.

“Wait. Eden—”

She slammed the door on his words. Pick up other guys? She’d had sex with that…asshole. Was she crazy or what?