There hadn’t been a time in the last eleven years when someone had done something so kind for her. Not even when Rook first found her did he show genuine care for her like Bram did tonight.
The sound of the pipes creaking as water was being shut off had her slowly rising and turning toward the sound. Her pulse kicked up, and she twisted her hands together in front of her. The cabin was quite large with an intricately carved staircase that led up to a loft.
The sound of a door opening had her glancing over at the first door down a short hallway. Steam billowed out, and then the light clicked off. Bram stepped out, a towel covering his head and one around his hips. Everything stalled inside her as she let her eyes travel up and down his body. His wounds were horrid and were now a bright red from his shower, but even that didn’t detract from the overall power that made up the bear.
His shoulders were wide and his arms massive with layers upon layers of muscle. His chest looked like stone, well-defined, with a six-pack that was so ripped it almost seemed unreal. He also had that tight V of muscle that disappeared beneath the towel. She sure as hell didn’t know what it was called, but damn did it look good.
Rook had been in shape, but where her former captor had leaner, sleek muscle, Bram’s was hard, raw-cut power that challenged anyone to mess with him. He screamed masculinity, and never had she seen a person more… male.
The towel seemed five inches too short, and boy did it not leave anything to the imagination, but if she were being honest, there was no way in hell she would have thought something that big could be possible.
As if he sensed her obscene appraisal of him, he lifted his head and stared at her. The towel still hung loosely over his head, and the sight made him look like some kind of roughened fighter. Kenzie supposed that was a pretty good description of him after what she had seen tonight.
“You’re up.” It wasn’t a question but more of an accusation. “You should be resting, especially with the wounds on your side.” Placing her hand lightly on the point of discussion, she realized the pain was still there, intense even, but she had been so caught up in Bram’s physique that she had blocked it out. “Please, sit down.”
He came forward, but Kenzie couldn’t find it in her to actually do as he said. When he was close enough that she could make out each individual bead of water that dripped down the dips and bulges of muscle, she found her mind wandering once again. Her mouth watered, and her tongue itched to trace one of those lone beads all the way down the length of his chest.
Oh God, she was growing aroused, and this was so not the time for that. Kenzie noticed the change in him instantly. His chest started to rise and fall at a faster rate, and the scent of his animal pheromones came at her like a gust of wind. It was so strong and intoxicating that she took a step back on instinct.
The deer inside her grew calm and pliant from the aroma, and all she could think about was stripping out of her clothes, pulling his towel free, and giving in to the desire to lick every part of him. She was seriously deranged, sick, and twisted.
Her time with Rook must have messed her up more than she thought, because what person in their right mind lusted after another in a situation like this? They were both injured, yet she was wetter than she had ever been before.
“Sit down, Kenzie. I need to… look at your side.”
He sounded winded, like he just ran a marathon. His eyes traveled up and down her body, making her feel so very exposed, but in the best way imaginable. Slowly, she lowered herself to the couch, but she instantly knew what a bad idea that was, especially when his erection was right in her face. The towel still covered him, but his shaft tented the material so much that her throat went dry, and she knew her eyes were wide.
“Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you, Kenzie.” Voice pitched low, he sounded more animal than man at that moment. Had she ever wanted to see a male naked as much as she wanted to see Bram? No. The answer was that simple. Her reaction to him was so uncontrollable that there was only one explanation for it.
He was her mate.
That epiphany came at her like a freight train. Her pulse increased, and her palms became clammy. Never in her life did she think this would have been possible, especially since she had been trapped with Rook for years.
Bram lowered himself to his knees and then turned and grabbed something off the ground. Although he pressed his back up to her at the bar, she hadn’t realized it was covered in tattoos. The intricate, swirling designs were masculine yet looked fluid against his tan skin. When he turned back around, he held a first aid kit. Even on his knees, he was a large man, and Kenzie lifted her eyes over his abs, up his pecs, and stopped at his face.
The towel that covered his head now hung loosely around his neck, and his dark hair was messy. He was watching her as intently as she watched him, and she knew his decree of ownership over her had meant so much more. He had known what she was to him from the moment he saw her, but it had taken all this time, and all this drama, for her to realize.
“Kenzie.” He licked his bottom lip,
