Page 63 of Hollow State

His rhythm stuttered, and he thrust deep inside, grunting, holding himself there, shuddering. He stayed exactly like that for a long moment before finally relaxing, just a little. Kissing her neck and shoulder, he rolled to the side, away from her injured leg.

After they caught their breath, he pulled a blanket over their bodies. "I think we forgot something."

"What's that?"

"Protection."

"And we have a full drawer in my nightstand," she said.

"We'll have to remember for the next time."

She wouldn’t worry about it right now. She was too happy. She tucked herself into the crook of his arm, resting her head on his chest. "Are you going to let me walk in the morning?"

"With a cane, but I want you to take it easy."

"So, that means bent over in the shower—with a condom—is on the table?"

He laughed. "Get some rest. We'll see how things feel in the morning."

She rolled, adjusting the pillow under her leg, and he wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you," he whispered.

Wynn had always felt like she had family. She’d had her grandma. She’d had the military. She had this team. But Wynn had never had a single person who’d stood by her side. A partner. Someone who'd show up without being asked.

Neve, Scout, and Zadie would sacrifice their lives for her. But this was different. This was soul-expanding love. The kind of love that Wynn didn't think she'd ever want. She’d believed it was selfish.

Not once had she ever told anyone that she loved them. She wasn’t sure she’d ever truly been in love. Most of her life she’d avoided it out of fear.

But this wasn't reckless. Not like her parents’ relationship. In Wynn’s eyes, their love had been toxic and only existed to feed itself. They hadn’t nurtured anything else, including their daughter.

But being in this bunker, with this team, showed Wynn that true love—pure love—watered everyone and everything around it.

"I love you, too," she responded, closing her eyes. For the first time in a long while, Wynn had taken off all her armor.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Darwin walked on Wynn's right and kept his hand a few inches off her elbow.

She had the cane in her left hand, bearing her weight through each step, the way Darwin had shown her. No hitch. No swing out at the hip. Of course, she'd glared at him throughout the entire lesson. When he was finished, she reminded him that she'd been the one to teach Kane how to use it correctly.

He appreciated the fact that she let him go through the motions of not only teaching her but helping her. Taking care of her was easier than thinking about what waited for him in the war room.

"You're doing great," he said.

"I know." She glanced at him and smiled. "You've said that five times since we left our room."

"Positive reinforcement."

"Right." She shook her head. "I'm not saying this to be mean, but your doctor-boyfriend ratio is way out of proportion."

"In which direction?" He probably shouldn't have asked that question.

"Actually, currently, it doesn't exist." She laughed. "You're acting like my grandma did when I broke my wrist when I was fourteen."

"That bad?"

"Yup."