Jace sighed and opened his mouth, but I went on before he could speak.

“Besides, we don’t know for sure that they’ll kill him. We have another day and a half to figure a way out of that. But regardless, we need Lance.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “And how do you expect us to get him?”

I shrugged. “We go in after him. Tonight. After dark.”

“Faythe, that’s suicide.”

I know. “Only if we get caught.”

He shook his head, unconvinced. “There are only three of us, and even when we get you sewn up, you can’t fight with one arm shredded and the other in a cast.”

“I know.” Unless… Excitement tingled in my fingers and toes—I was suddenly high on possibility. “I think I need a bath. A long, hot bath.”

Jace’s grin was back, and his gaze strayed south of my face. “Now you’re talkin’…”

I hurried into the bathroom and started to unbutton my shirt—until the first movement of my left arm sent fresh pain lancing through it. “Hey, can you give me a hand with my clothes?” Damn it, that didn’t come out right!

Too late… He was in the doorway before I could think of a way to take it back gracefully.

“Jace, I know this is weird, but…”

“It’s not weird, Faythe.” He sat on the side of the tub in front of me and his grin was gone, replaced by a heat in his eyes so intense I caught my breath, smoldering on the inside.

I swallowed and forced the right words out. “I mean…I’m not trying to get your pants off.”

“You don’t have to try.…” His hands rose slowly toward the buttons on my blouse, and his next inhalation was ragged. His gaze followed his fingers as they worked their way down the front of my shirt. His hand brushed my bare stomach, and I held my breath. He eased my shirt off my shoulders and over my cast, then ripped the left sleeve and let the material fall away from my latest injury.

Then he reached for the front clasp of my bra. In spite of my constant pain, my pulse spiked, and his answered.

This isn’t going to work.

“Jace.” I lifted his chin with my casted right hand until his gaze burned into mine and his hands fell away. “It hurts to move my arm and my fingers aren’t working very well. I just need help. That’s it. Okay?”

“Yeah. No problem.” But he shifted uncomfortably, and I glanced down to find a prominent bulge in the front of his jeans.

Uh-oh. “You sure?”

“Okay, maybe a small problem.” He grinned. “But not that small…”

I stifled a frustrated groan. This was neither the time nor the place, no matter how good his hands felt on me. “Jace…”

“I can’t help it.” He shrugged, not the least bit embarrassed, though I could easily have sunk through a hole in the floor. “You’re half-naked.”

“You’ve seen me naked a million times.” My voice went hoarse. Damn it.