Robin went to readjust her sleeping position, but something warm and heavy lay over her stomach. She cracked her eyes open to find Hal’s arm wrapped around her and one of his legs between hers while his other arm scooped over their heads. He protected her even when he slept. Her heart beat a little staccato rhythm at that thought.

She’d been attracted to him when she had first seen him, even though at the time, she was also scared out of her mind. His fighting skills and stamina against Randall had been jaw-dropping, as well as his devotion to his brother. When Thad went down in the fight, Hal had drawn Randall and Norman away from his prone form, protecting him the only way he could at the time.

He was massive at her back. It was like there was a wall there, not another person, and the heat radiating off him was intense; it explained why they were now skin to skin instead of having the comforter between them like he’d wanted. She wanted to roll over and face him, but that would probably wake him up, and then a bedspread would replace his skin, which was the last thing she wanted.

If he thought she was too traumatized by the recent events in her life, then as far as she was concerned, he was wrong. She’d been living at and working for Eclipse and Randall for most of her adult life. It wasn’t so much trauma at this point as it was just something she wanted to move on from. She knew it would always be part of her, but she finally felt alive again, as if being at Eclipse had all been a dream. Of course, she knew better, but the more she thought about it, the less she felt about it.

His leg hiked up, nudging her thighs further apart and scattering the thoughts in her head. Apparently at some point he’d taken the jeans and T-shirt off that he had been wearing when he lay down next to her. The hairs on his legs tickled, but she relished the contact. She sighed. Being around Hal was like constantly being in a bubble bath, or at least, what she remembered bubble baths to be like. Warmth and relaxation flooded her body, along with desire whenever he touched her.

Winding her fingers with his, she brought his hand up to her mouth and kissed his knuckles. The size of his hand compared to hers made her want to laugh. She wriggled down so her butt was against his groin. The hard line of steel that she felt there made her heart flip-flop in her chest and her body coil tight and hot.

“Robin?” Hal’s sleepy voice came from just above her head.

She pressed her hips back against him with a little shimmy, and a low groan sounded from him, vibrating through his chest into her, stoking the flames of her hunger for him. Now that he was awake, she rolled to face him, throwing a leg over his hips so he pressed against her.

“Hey there, sleepyhead.” Her hand ran up his side, delighting in the soft golden skin that she could touch.

“Robin.” He cleared his throat. “If you don’t stop, I won’t be able to, either.”

“Good. I don’t want you to.”

His greenish-blue eyes stared down at her, hooded from his own desire. His head bent to hers in what felt like slow motion. When his lips finally brushed hers, it sent a shockwave through her body. Her body melded to his as she kissed him back. The kiss wasn’t delicate or nervous; no, her kiss was a devouring, undeniable beast, and once loosed, it couldn’t be reined in until it had what it wanted. She let go of her restraints, letting her mouth and hands do as they wanted. Her tongue swept through his mouth, tangling with his own as her hands gripped his shoulders before going in search of those squeezable butt cheeks she’d seen earlier.

Without realizing it, she had rolled herself on top of him. Now his hands were the ones at liberty to explore. He was tentative at first, but as he began to relax, his hands slid down to her own butt, cupping and squeezing in a way that made her feel like her blood was on fire. She made encouraging noises into his mouth as she continued to kiss him silly. Pulling herself tightly onto his hips, she could feel every part of his erection pressing at the panties and boxers that separated them. His hips ground up against her, and she gasped with pleasure, her brain shorting out every time he did so. Her hands sought out his nipples and found them hard and waiting for some attention. Each time she ran her fingers over them, his body jerked deliciously underneath her and he grunted his enjoyment.

His hands traveled up, coming around and holding her breasts, which felt heavy and overly sensitive under his touch. The moment he mimicked her movements, running his fingers across her nipples, her body spasmed and she found herself grinding against him, her panties getting in the way of what she really wanted. If nothing else, she wanted to get rid of the T-shirt she was wearing, so she sat up as his cock pressed against her even harder, making her want to laugh with pleasure and scream with frustration at the same time. Whipping the T-shirt over her head, she looked down at Hal. A look of adoration was plainly on his face, making her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

Hal sat up to meet her. She wrapped her legs around his back as he dropped his head to lick her nipples. Little bolts of lightning shot through her every time he rolled a nipple with one hand and sucked on the other. The pleasure was exquisite, especially when paired with the gentle rocking he was doing as his erection rubbed against her core. Her breathing had turned into panting as her body became tight with need.

He flipped them both over again so he was on top, kissing his way down her body. The stubble on his cheeks scratched lusciously against her inner thighs as he kissed his way up to her hips. She couldn’t believe what he was doing. Her heart beat in her throat at the thought of what he might do next. When his kisses followed the edge of her panties, she thought she might black out from the pleasure, and then his mouth landed directly over her hot center, leaving her dizzy with enjoyment.

A low sound emanated from Hal. “Robin, I could eat you up, if you’d let me. Your scent is intoxicating.” He nipped at the band of her panties.

She reached down and began pushing them down, trying not to think about the words that he had just spoken, since it might push her over the edge. He took the hint and pulled the scrap of clothing all the way down, fingers trailing behind it along her legs. Finally she was free, naked and bared to him. She had never felt anything so erotic as Hal looking at her, lust naked on his face.

“Take your boxers off.” Her voice sounded like it belonged to someone else, rough and deep.

He smiled at her then, and her heart almost gave out. One man should not be allowed to be so irresistible. The boxers were gone before she even noticed what color they were, and his erection now stood proud and free. She gulped. True, she wasn’t a virgin, but she hadn’t had sex in just over nine years. While her body demanded it, she also knew that she would be tight, and judging by Hal’s cock, it was going to be a close fit. Her eyes skated all over his body, unable to stay in one place for too long because he was moving toward her. The tattoos on his thighs ran up to his waist, and she couldn’t wait to study them in detail. But just then, his face filled her vision, and his eyes captivated her.

She had never seen anything like them before—the greens and blues swirled together in a way that made her want to stare at them for hours. His head dropped and his hands gripped her thighs, spreading her open to him. As his stubble scraped her inner thighs once more, she held her breath in anticipation.

The first kiss was the softest thing she’d ever felt, so gentle and delicate, she had to look down to make sure it was still Hal. His eyes met hers, burning with desire, making her skin feel hot. She watched as his tongue came out and licked her most sensitive area, circling her clit maddeningly slowly. Blinding pleasure flowed through her entire body as her head fell back down onto the pillow. She couldn’t even control the sounds she was making as he continued to lick and suck on her. Robin could barely register anything other than the sensations of Hal’s tongue on her body, and then he eased a finger into her, and her world threatened to explode with joy.

Before it could, everything came crashing down. Pain burst out from the scar on her back, and her whole world was nothing but pain. She could feel herself screaming once more, and Hal’s urgent pleas to tell him what was wrong. She couldn’t form words, though, couldn’t even form thoughts that could become words. Everything was searing pain, which focused to a single point on her body—the scar on her back.