“Hell, I don’t know.”

It was like a sledgehammer of reality, reminding her of him. She pushed away and out of his arms before he could protest. “Then that’s something you should’ve figured out before you got here.”

“Mia, you’re not moving. You’re not going anywhere.”

“Typical subject change. Resort back to orders. Classic, almost cliché.”

“I’m serious.” He looked serious, but he was always serious, and when it came to them, he was wrong.

“Your directives don’t matter anymore, Winters.”

“Stop calling me Winters, damn it.”

She ignored him, needing space for clarity, and shuffled toward the kitchen. Regaining her wits, she said, “I’ll call you whatever I want. Asshole. Jerk. Liar.”

He stalked close. “I never meant to lie to you. I don’t even know how I lied.”

“You led me on. And the whole it’s-not-you, it’s-me spiel? I expected more creativity.”

“I was protecting you.”

“For God’s sake. From what?” she screamed and threw a mug against the wall. “I survived crazed men and kidnappings. Plural!”

Standing in the middle of the shattered mug, he paused and took a breath. “None of that would’ve happened if it weren’t for me. If you didn’t know me, no one would have chased you, no one would have kidnapped you.”

Mia wanted to run away, but the ceramic shards and bare feet kept her in place. “If I didn’t know you, then I’d be dead in a cheap motel room in Louisville, Kentucky. You saved me.”

They were in a standoff, need versus emotion. Their eyes locked. Her stomach tightened, electricity buzzing around their showdown.

Crunch. He stepped closer.

“Don’t you dare kiss me, Winters.”

“Colby.” He took another step. His boot crunched more broken mug. “The name’s Colby.”

“Let me make this clear to you. You hurt me, and you should leave.”

“I hated every single fucking second away from you.”

“Get out.”

His last step closed the distance. “Not a chance.”

He clasped his hand under her hair, leaned over, and breathed in. Her heart stilled. Her breathing stopped. His sweet lips crushed over her mouth, and the world froze before her lips swept against his. His tongue delved into her mouth and dueled with hers. A velvet stroke. Shivers raced down her spine, but she was hot to her very center.

She drew back from his kiss, starstruck.

He looked about how she felt. “You remember what I said about you and me?”

“I don’t.” She wasn’t entirely sure she could remember her full name. That kiss walloped a sizzle.

“Mia, I’ve needed you my whole life. I said it, and I meant it.” He cupped her chin and brushed his thumbs over her cheeks. “But I couldn’t handle it, so I screwed up.”

“Oh.”

“You opened my eyes. I didn’t know how to need something, like I need you.”

Mia wasn’t sure she could speak.

“But if I had you, then lost you, I’d never survive.”

She found her voice, faintly. “You did have me.”