The arm that had held the shield steady felt heavy all at once, and a deep ache dragged across his shoulders and back. Even his legs, which had carried him through the final push on pure stubbornness, suddenly felt far less reliable now that the fight was over.
Martin kept his face steady. The first thing he did was check the others, not himself. Only after making sure everyone was alive and standing did he allow himself to feel how much that last opening had really taken out of him.
His grip loosened only enough to stop the spinning, while she remained tucked close in his arms with hers still around his neck. She felt almost dangerously comfortable there, and that was exactly the problem. The warmth of her body, the softness pressed against him, and the way she stayed so close without any sign of pulling away made it much harder than it should have been to remember they were only teammates.
She feels way too good in my arms.
