She sat up to look, and the sunlight reflected in her eyes, burnishing the gold, showing off her long lashes, the perfection of her skin.

God, he had it bad when he started waxing on like a drunken poet.

“It’s beautiful, Jackson. Thank you for waking me.”

The reverence in her voice matched his mood. “From my back porch, I see that every morning.” And every time he’d seen it, he’d found himself wondering if Alani would like the view, too. “When it comes up over the lake, it’s even more impressive because the colors sort of play over the surface of the water.”

“Sounds amazing.” She tucked one leg up under her. “I’ve seen the setting sun at Dare’s, but not the sunrise.”

“You like being near the water?”

“I love it. Everything smells better, and there’s this peace that just settles over everything and everyone.”

That was exactly how he felt. “Maybe we can take a boat ride later. One side of the lake butts up to a steep rise, but there are a few homes down toward the south cove. Mostly farmland. In the early morning, you can see the cows along the shoreline.”

“Definitely a boat ride.” She smoothed her hair and leaned her head against the seat back. “I’m sorry I fell asleep on you.”

“You needed the rest.” And he’d enjoyed watching her, just being near her, knowing that finally she was his.

“You do, too.” She half turned toward him and put her hand on his biceps. The touch felt affectionate and interested in equal measure. “With all you’ve been through, you have to be running on lost reserves.”

She made him sound like a wuss. “I’m okay.” More than anything else, he wanted her again.

When would he not want her?

A smile slipped over her face. “You don’t have to be macho for me, you know.”

That burned his ass. “I’m not.” That she thought he might be playing a tough guy sounded even more insulting. “I’m just…me.”

“You’re pretending that nothing happened.”

He snorted. Nothing all that much had, at least not to him. “The drugs have worn off. That bullet didn’t hit me. We’re both safe. What’d you want me to do? Whimper? Curl up in the backseat while you drove?”

“Maybe just admit you’re tired.”

“I’m horny,” he told her with succinct honesty. “If you were up for it, I’d take you straight to bed for another couple of rounds.”

“Wow.” She drew a deep breath. “Enticing as that sounds…”

Knowing he’d lost all finesse, he laughed.

“I need food, and sleep and a shower. And I want to see your home, your land.”

His lust deflated. “I should have left you alone until things were settled.”

“No.” She smacked his arm. “I wanted you, too, remember? But I’m not used to sex, period, much less sexual excess.”

And even though he didn’t remember their first time together, she said he had been excessive. Add in what he did remember, and of course she wanted to pull back a little.

He glanced at her, and memories crashed in. “You are so small.” His abdomen knotted. “I’ll have to be more careful with you.”

Talking sex always left her flustered.

“I don’t want you to do a single thing differently.” She ducked her face. “Just remember that while you might be invincible, I’m happy to admit I’m all too human.”

He blew out a breath and reminded himself to be patient. As he’d told her, his place was livable but sparse on furnishings.

There was only one bed, so if she thought to put too much space between them, she’d just have to think again. For every night together, he planned to sleep with her, whether or not they had sex.

“Okay, so it’s still early. Once we’re at my place, we’ll catch up on our zees. When you’re feeling more bushy-tailed, you can soak in the Jacuzzi tub. That ought to help revive you.”

Through half-lowered lashes, she studied him, then asked tentatively, “You plan to go back to bed with me?”

“Yeah.” He rolled a shoulder. “I wouldn’t mind sleeping. And until someone tracks down dumbass—”

“You mean Marc?”

“—there’s not a whole lot that can be done from my end.”

She fell silent for a heavy beat of time, then asked quietly, “And after they do locate him?”

A surge of determination flexed his hands on the wheel. “I want to talk to him.” For Alani’s benefit, he kept his tone void of menace. “He knows something. I’ll find out what.”

“It wasn’t him in the silver BMW.”

“You don’t know that, but so what? Guys like him have cronies who do most of their dirty work.”

“A crony who has a car costing more than a hundred grand?”

Yeah, okay, so that sounded off in many ways. “I don’t know, babe. But I’ll find out.” He pulled down the gravel drive to his home.

Alani sat up straighter. “This is it?”

He liked her tempered excitement. “Yeah. I’m pretty much hidden by trees, but this whole area is monitored.”

Oaks, elms and sycamores grew so thick at either side of the road that, with the branches spread out, they formed a sort of canopy. It was as if they were driving through a green cave but with dappled sunlight everywhere. Jackson slowed for a rabbit that looked at the car, twitched its whiskers and finally hopped away.