Through the open doorway, Cassidy watched him peel off the rest of his clothes. His strong, broad back came into view, and she saw a jagged black tattoo stretching across his shoulders. Next, he stripped off his pants, and now she saw his powerful thighs and legs, his firm backside.

His c**k hung, thick and long, but nowhere near erect. Whatever Diego contemplated as he prepared for his shower, it wasn’t sex.

Diego stepped into his square shower stall. The frame was rubbed brass, the walls transparent glass. Steam wafted from it, and the mirror began to mist.

Diego had his back to Cassidy as he let the water spray his face, wet his black hair, and run down his body. Water beaded on his biceps as he pushed his hands through his hair. His back tapered to a fine, tight ass, all wet. The black hair on his legs became plastered against his skin, and water ran over strong feet.

He lathered with soap from the soap dish and started rubbing his chest and arms. Suds dripped down his back, sliding between his bu**ocks.

Cassidy’s blood was on fire.

She silently rose from her chair and entered the bathroom on bare feet. She could move like the cat she was, and Diego never heard her.

She could see his profile now. Diego slid soap down his torso, lifting his balls to gently wash under them.

She was about to call out to him when Diego let out a low sound of anguish. Cassidy knew that sound, animal pain so deep it cut.

Diego leaned his arm on the wall, cradling his head. His back shook, his body rocking. Diego Escobar was crying.

It broke her heart.

Without bothering to undress, Cassidy opened the shower door and stepped inside with him.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Diego jerked his head up and swung to her, his pain screaming itself at Cassidy in the breathless silence. Instead of demanding to know how she got into his apartment, Diego pressed her against the tile wall and kissed her.

They were hot, needy kisses that left her gasping. His mouth was a point of fire as their lips parted then met again, and again.

Her hands roved his back, found the wet skin of his bu**ocks. The very short cream-colored dress Cassidy had put on to come over here was soaked, and Diego so easily found the zipper in the back.

She hadn’t bothered with a bra tonight. Diego’s hands slid down Cassidy’s bare back, scooping her to him at the same time. His kisses were frenzied, the need in him strong. His c**k was hard now, rigid against his abdomen.

Diego pressed her wet hair back from her face, cradled her in his big hands. “How did you know, mi ja?” he asked. “How did you know I needed you?”

Cassidy shook her head, beyond words. She’d needed him. But something had happened tonight after he left Shiftertown, something that had hurt him.

She ran her hands down his back, putting every ounce of calming into her touch. It’s all right. I’m here. You’re safe now.

Diego shuddered. It was working, his heartbeat slowing, or at least coming down from its frenzied pace. He tilted her face to his, the heartache in his eyes burning.

Cassidy found herself lifted up the wet wall, the water pounding around them. Diego yanked her panties down, and Cassidy kicked them off.

She and Diego were face-to-face now, water all over them. Diego kissed her face and her throat, open-mouth kisses that scorched. He kissed her lips, opening her, taking what he wanted. Cassidy wrapped her arms around him and gave back.

He lifted her right leg, fitting it around his hips. Cassidy clung to him, drawing a sharp breath as his tip pressed her opening. Diego’s eyes opened all the way as he shoved up into her in one quick thrust.

Diego kept kissing her, their hot mouths bumping, seeking, needing. He was huge inside her, stretching, burning. He felt so, so good.

The part of Cassidy that had died when Donovan had been killed blossomed like a long-dormant flower. She groaned. “Diego, yes.”

Diego backed her against the slick tiles, his kisses everywhere. A string of Spanish poured from him, words she didn’t understand. His mouth was hot, his cock, so thick inside her.

Cassidy said his name, the only word that flowed through her head. She whispered it; she shouted it. She touched him all over, his broad back, the sleek line of the tattoo, his hard bu**ocks as he loved her.

In this position, he couldn’t thrust much, but he filled her, and pushed higher and higher. Cassidy held on with hands and her leg around his hips, her head back on the tiles while he kissed her.

Diego was tight inside her, where he belonged. He felt good, damn good. Cassidy had no thought but of Diego, his breath, voice, body, heat. She was shaking, trying to draw him up into her, wanting him to stay there forever.

“No,” he said, voice grating. He shook his head against the tile next to her. “No, not yet.”

Cassidy touched his face, his skin so hot. The heat snaked up her fingers, moved through her blood, twined around her heart.

Squeezed tightly there, wove fingers through her emotions and held on. Not releasing when Diego lifted his head and softly kissed her. A bond on her heart, a need to be with this man whatever happened to him or to her.

The mate bond.

Cassidy gasped in shock. Diego fisted her hair in his hand, kissed her lips. “Mi ja,” he whispered. “Amorcita.”

Cassidy couldn’t speak. It couldn’t be. Not with a human. Not so soon after Donovan…

The mate bond didn’t care. It wound happily around her heart as Diego shut off the water, lifted her into his arms, and carried her, both of them dripping, into the bedroom.

Cassidy’s beautiful jade eyes were on him as Diego set her on the bed.