Haven 1: Caution: Contents Under Pressure by Gabrielle Evans

forth, his hands clenching and releasing the blankets over and over as he struggled and whimpered.
    He’d probably regret it later when Jory woke up and looked at him with fear, but Stavion couldn’t stand to see his mate in distress.
    Hurrying over to the bed, he eased down on the side of the mattress and gripped Jory’s shoulders, giving him a gentle shake.
    The man went wild. His arms flailed, his feet kicked, and his screams rose in volume until Stavion thought they’d shatter his eardrums. “Jory! Wake up!” He shook a little harder, trying to snap Jory out of whatever nightmare he was trapped in.
    Jory’s soft green eyes flew open, locking with Stavion’s, and his body stilled and tensed beneath Stavion’s hands. His mouth worked, opening and closing, but he emitted no sound.
    Pulling his hands away slowly, Stavion didn’t have a clue what to do next. Every cell in his body ached to pull the man into his arms and comfort him. From the look of terror on Jory’s face, he knew it wasn’t a possibility, though.
    “It was just a dream. You’re safe here.” He spoke softly, just barely more than a whisper.
    Jory’s eyes widened, shimmering in the light with unshed tears.
    His lower lip began to tremble, his breathing sped, and his small frame started to shake violently. Stavion couldn’t bear to see the look directed at him for another second.
    He went to rise from the bed, but before he could move, he found himself with a lapful of his very naked mate. Jory’s arms went around his neck, clinging to him tightly. He wiggled around in Stavion’s lap, pressing himself closer and burying his face in Stavion’s neck. “You came back,” he whispered.
    Stavion’s chest swelled and his heart soared. He wrapped Jory up in his arms, pulling him even closer, and kissed the top of his blond head. “Of course I came back. Where else would I go, little one?” Jory just shook his head and pressed his face more firmly into Stavion’s throat as he continued to shudder.
    Though he didn’t think the shivering had anything to do with the temperature in the room, Stavion stood with Jory still wrapped around him, and pulled the top blanket from the bed to cover his mate. Then he eased back to the mattress and tucked the corners around Jory’s shoulders as he rocked him side to side.
    “You came back,” Jory repeated after several minutes of silence.
    Stavion didn’t know why the man sounded so shocked, and just then, he didn’t care. He finally had his mate in his arms. Jory fit so perfectly, as though he was made to be there. Resting his cheek against the top of Jory’s head, Stavion stroked his silky locks and began to hum a made-up tune.
    He didn’t know what possessed him to do it, but it seemed to work. It took only minutes for Jory’s tense muscles to relax and his breathing to even out. His arms slipped from around Stavion’s neck and down to his chest where they fisted in his cotton shirt.
    Stavion continued to rock his mate for a long time after Jory had fallen asleep. He didn’t want to let go, but the sun would be up soon.
    He also wasn’t sure what to expect when Jory woke up. Had he sought Stavion’s comfort because of his nightmare? Did he even know that he’d done it?
    With a heavy heart, he eased Jory from his lap and down to the mattress, careful not to wake his sleeping mate. When he tried to pry Jory’s hands from his shirt, though, the man clutched at him tighter.
    “Don’t go,” Jory whispered, not opening his eyes. “Please, stay with me.”
    Stavion knew he’d probably hate himself for it later, but it was exactly what he wanted to do. He never wanted to be away from Jory.
    Besides, how could he resist such pleading?
    “Let me get my boots off, baby.” The endearment slipped past his lips without thought, and Stavion tensed, waiting for Jory’s reaction.
    He didn’t expect the soft smile that tilted the corner of the man’s lips, but it gave him hope. Jory released his shirt,