Deadly Seduction (Feral Protectors 3) by Liv Brywood Page B

it.”
    She swallowed. “I know. You’re a good man. You’re not like…”
    His heart ached for what she must have gone through with Zane. He quickly changed the subject. “I haven’t thanked you enough for what you’re doing for me. I know it’s hard.”
    Oh, crap. Bad word choice.
    She raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
    “I’m sorry. That was totally not what I meant.” He tried to reign in his laughter but couldn’t. He burst out laughing.
    She smirked. “Okay funny guy.”
    He placed his palm across his face. He lowered it just enough so that she could see his eyes. “I really didn’t mean to say that.”
    “It’s okay. Let’s just get the rest of this done.”
    He nodded and dropped his hand to his side. “When this is all over and I’m back to my normal self, I’ll make it up to you.”
    She smiled. “We’ll see.”
     
    ***
     
    Gwen couldn’t stop grinning. She knew his slip of the tongue was unintentional, but it felt good to joke around with him. It helped keep her mind off of the fact that he was the first man she’d touched this intimately since the attack.
    And what a body! She’d never seen such perfect muscle definition. Every inch of his tanned skin rippled with an undercurrent of power. In any other situation, she’d be terrified to be alone with a man this strong. But his kind eyes didn’t hold an ounce of aggression.
    As she cleaned his thighs, she carefully avoided the thick, hot male part of himself that stood rigid and ready. She looked away. She didn’t think she could look at another man after what had happened to her. But Nosh, God, she liked looking at him. A lot. Maybe too much.
    She worked swiftly to scrub his lower body then helped him roll onto his stomach. He groaned as he shifted. It couldn’t be very comfortable, but she wanted to get him as clean as possible. It would help him heal.
    As she brushed the cloth across his broad shoulders, she sighed. What would her life be like right now if she hadn’t been alone in the woods that day? Would she be with her mate already? Would she have little pups splashing next to her when she bathed in the river?
    Sadness crept into her heart. Those thoughts were for other women, normal women, women who hadn’t been ruined by violence. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She was so sick of crying all the time. She refused to do it. Not today. She wanted to be happy, if only for a few hours.
    When she’d washed every ounce of dirt from his body, she helped him roll over. He gazed up at her with smoky-topaz eyes. She could get lost in those eyes. They contained a soulfulness unlike any she’d ever seen. She wanted to get to know him. She couldn’t think of another wolf who had captured her attention the way he did.
    “Thank you,” he murmured.
    “You already thanked me.”
    “I know, but I just want you to know how amazing you made me feel.”
    “I’m glad I could help.”
    She dunked the cloth in a bucket of water then tossed it into a pot over the fire. With each passing second, despondency seeped back into her soul. It wasn’t ever far away. What little flashes of happiness she’d had were always quickly replaced by sadness. It was as if she’d forgotten what it was like to be happy. And maybe she had.
    “Hey, come over here for a second.” The gentle tone in Nosh’s voice stole her breath. She’d never had a man speak to her so reverently.
    She washed her hands then went to sit on the edge of his bed. “What’s up?”
    He slowly reached for her hand. “Are you okay?”
    “Yes,” she lied as she fought back tears.
    “If you want to talk about something, anything, I’m not going anywhere.”
    She sniffed. “I’m fine.”
    He rubbed the pad of his thumb across her knuckles. “You’re a very sweet, very brave woman. I know this can’t be easy for you.”
    “It’s just hard…”
    “There’s that word again,” he said with an impish grin.
    She laughed softly, grateful that he’d broken the