raw sound he finished what he’d started. Spent and shaking with reaction, Gina could do nothing but curl into his big body and hold on.
“I should go back to my bed,” she whispered moments later. Of course, she didn’t mean it. Nothing would please her more than to lay with him through the night and if she were a very, very lucky girl, they might even have a repeat of the smoldering sex they’d shared. “We both have to get up early.” She started to roll away and put action to her words but Mitch pulled her back.
“Fuck that. You’re staying right here.” To emphasize his point, Mitch turned to his side and dragged her closer, possessively against the front of his body. He settled his lips on her forehead. “Besides, I’m not done with you.” His hand slid warmly over her back.
“And maybe I’m not done with you, cowboy.” She tried her best to put her own version of a Texas drawl on the words and it sounded silly as hell. Mitch laughed.
“I’ll make a Texan out of you yet.”
“Pfft. I’m a New Yorker to the bone. Try as I might, I’ll never manage to sound as sexily southern as you.”
“You sound plenty sexy. Believe it.”
Gina went quiet, a million thoughts swimming in her brain, then sighed, infused with pleasure and the sense of safety as his arms tightened. Mitch shifted until her legs entangled with his. The heat of his body pulled her in, lulled her and then his voice went low. “Want to talk about what happened earlier tonight? In the kitchen?”
She should’ve known he’d come back to the way she’d overreacted during her little meltdown. Gina looked at him. “You raised your voice and it freaked me out. I still have a hard time with old memories and I react without thinking. Sometimes I tend to forget that I divorced his abusive ass and that I’m safe.”
“You are safe. Believe it. How long did it take you to get the hell away from him?”
“Too long. Like an idiot, I thought he’d change or maybe soften with age. Instead he just got meaner. He learned quickly that his words were as hurtful as his fists and he used both regularly. It wasn’t until he decided I should have a baby that I finally got real with my situation. Why on earth would I expose a child to that world?” She shrugged and Mitch’s arms tightened. “When he found out I was still taking the pill, he went crazy and that was it for me. I moved back in with Mom and Dad, filed for divorce and thought it was over.”
“But it wasn’t?”
“Not hardly. In Tony’s mind, I belong to him. Like a slave or something.” Gina wanted to stay curled up in Mitch’s arms and forget everything about her ex, a man who was supposed to love her, but she knew that part of her would always remember. She’d become a clique, a statistic, and that didn’t set well with her. Shame was a constant companion and a reminder that Anthony had made her feel like nothing. Worse yet, she’d let him. It was hard to live with that kind of knowledge. She’d always considered herself an intelligent woman but his control had truly messed with her head and damaged her confidence. Gina went still but then drew a breath and continued. “When he finally showed up at my parent’s place, all hell broke loose and my dad was hurt. I couldn’t take any more chances. The next morning, I got in my car and eventually wound up here. I freaked out tonight when you mentioned that people in town were discussing me. The last thing I need is for Tony to figure out where I am. He’s nothing but trouble and so persistent.”
“I can take care of him.”
“You sound awfully cocky,” she teased, managing finally to smile. “But sweet, too.”
“I can be sweet.” Mitch flashed a sexy grin but then it slowly faded. He tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. “You’re brave as hell. Know that?”
“Are you kidding?”
“I stand by my words. You left everything you knew and everyone you loved to protect them. Starting over can’t be
“I should go back to my bed,” she whispered moments later. Of course, she didn’t mean it. Nothing would please her more than to lay with him through the night and if she were a very, very lucky girl, they might even have a repeat of the smoldering sex they’d shared. “We both have to get up early.” She started to roll away and put action to her words but Mitch pulled her back.
“Fuck that. You’re staying right here.” To emphasize his point, Mitch turned to his side and dragged her closer, possessively against the front of his body. He settled his lips on her forehead. “Besides, I’m not done with you.” His hand slid warmly over her back.
“And maybe I’m not done with you, cowboy.” She tried her best to put her own version of a Texas drawl on the words and it sounded silly as hell. Mitch laughed.
“I’ll make a Texan out of you yet.”
“Pfft. I’m a New Yorker to the bone. Try as I might, I’ll never manage to sound as sexily southern as you.”
“You sound plenty sexy. Believe it.”
Gina went quiet, a million thoughts swimming in her brain, then sighed, infused with pleasure and the sense of safety as his arms tightened. Mitch shifted until her legs entangled with his. The heat of his body pulled her in, lulled her and then his voice went low. “Want to talk about what happened earlier tonight? In the kitchen?”
She should’ve known he’d come back to the way she’d overreacted during her little meltdown. Gina looked at him. “You raised your voice and it freaked me out. I still have a hard time with old memories and I react without thinking. Sometimes I tend to forget that I divorced his abusive ass and that I’m safe.”
“You are safe. Believe it. How long did it take you to get the hell away from him?”
“Too long. Like an idiot, I thought he’d change or maybe soften with age. Instead he just got meaner. He learned quickly that his words were as hurtful as his fists and he used both regularly. It wasn’t until he decided I should have a baby that I finally got real with my situation. Why on earth would I expose a child to that world?” She shrugged and Mitch’s arms tightened. “When he found out I was still taking the pill, he went crazy and that was it for me. I moved back in with Mom and Dad, filed for divorce and thought it was over.”
“But it wasn’t?”
“Not hardly. In Tony’s mind, I belong to him. Like a slave or something.” Gina wanted to stay curled up in Mitch’s arms and forget everything about her ex, a man who was supposed to love her, but she knew that part of her would always remember. She’d become a clique, a statistic, and that didn’t set well with her. Shame was a constant companion and a reminder that Anthony had made her feel like nothing. Worse yet, she’d let him. It was hard to live with that kind of knowledge. She’d always considered herself an intelligent woman but his control had truly messed with her head and damaged her confidence. Gina went still but then drew a breath and continued. “When he finally showed up at my parent’s place, all hell broke loose and my dad was hurt. I couldn’t take any more chances. The next morning, I got in my car and eventually wound up here. I freaked out tonight when you mentioned that people in town were discussing me. The last thing I need is for Tony to figure out where I am. He’s nothing but trouble and so persistent.”
“I can take care of him.”
“You sound awfully cocky,” she teased, managing finally to smile. “But sweet, too.”
“I can be sweet.” Mitch flashed a sexy grin but then it slowly faded. He tucked a bit of hair behind her ear. “You’re brave as hell. Know that?”
“Are you kidding?”
“I stand by my words. You left everything you knew and everyone you loved to protect them. Starting over can’t be
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